Re: K27's 458 & 459

The picture of the NdeM K-27 in Best's MEXICAN NARROW GAUGE still shows the engine as narrow gauge. The only published picture that I can remember of the engine as standard gauge appeared in RMC some years ago when the late Bill Schopp converted an HOn3 engine to HO.
The picture of #400 in MEXICAN NARROW GAUGE is captioned as ex-#458 but is really ex-#459. Every printed roster has always said in error that #400 was ex-#458 and #401 was ex-#459. But from the outward slanted cylinders #400 could only had been ex-#459. Before his death, I had mentioned this to Jerry Best and he agreed with me.The builders plate that could be read under a glass also confirmed that it was #459. But he said he had seen records when the engines were delivered to Mexico that #458 was to become #400 and #459 was to become #401.
I have seen another picture of #400 taken of the right side that shows a power reverse added. There is also another earlier picture of the left side, taken in 1942, still with the original D&RGW wood cab and with the headlight mounted low on the smokebox front, with the bell mounted above, like most NdeM narrow gauge engines later appeared. This version also had one sand dome in front of the steam dome and another behind the steam dome in front of the cab. Also the boiler jacket and cylinder jacket was a light color, which could had been a green or light green/gray.
Hank Porter