I was fortunate to be able to ride 455's re-creation 20 years ago. As a member of the RGS modelers club we had a great opportunity to ride behind 463-55. Chama shops had just built a new tender for 463 and the RGS club was allowed to letter and number the locomotive and caboose for the Rio Grande Southern. Todd, I think the CRRM provided the stencils for the re-lettering and I helped with the caboose/tender herald. With a little imagination you could envision the train going up Dallas Divide or running through Hesperus. On the night photo shoot before the trip, I was the one with the T shirt reading "OTTO MEARS LIVES". It was a great trip. I even talked Bill White into giving me a car captains job. Even after the derailment at Los Pinos and slogging through the swamp to reach high ground, was a a great experience.
I wish we could do this again before we get too old to climb up in the cars. Belated thanks to the people who put this together. I think Jack Campbell was the CMO at Chama, as John Bush had gone to Alaska.
Bill Gould