I too went thru a dramatic change at the age of 9 when I first rode the Silverton train in '62, countless trips to Colorado since then, along with books, magazines, pictures and web sites. My friends now know to not get me talking trains!
I remember seeing the 464 that year, it was one tired looking and beat up old locomotive. My dad, older brother and myself were able to roam the Durango yards and roundhouse at will. That day was the first time I saw a steam locomotive actually operate, it was one of the K-36 or K-37's that probably came in from Chama or Farmington - what I saw was its natural enviorment and not a tourist trap.
In 1972 when I returned to Colorado on my own for the first time the 464 was still sitting in the same spot looking worse than ever! I wonder why the Grande never scrapped it, one of the K-37s was scrapped about this time due to a cracked boiler.
I don't like Durango as much as I like Chama, I feel at home in Chama and there are too many @#$%& in Durango, wished they would move to Boulder where they belong!
If only we had a time machine.........
-little stan