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C&TS Commission |
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Copyright 2009 FOCTS |
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Locomotive 497 is one of four K-37 class locomotives owned by the C&TS, and the only one to have operated on the line in the post-D&RGW era. It was acquired in a trade with the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad for K-36 class locomotive 482 in October 1991. Engine 497 was last overhauled by the D&RGW in the spring of 1967, and was operated from July 10 to December 21 of that year. Thereafter, it was stored serviceable outside the Durango roundhouse. It was acquired by the D&SNG when the Silverton line was sold by the D&RGW in 1981. The D&SNG subsequently returned 497 to service in 1984. In the summer of 1991 the D&SNG proposed trading 497 for one of the C&TS’ inoperable K-36 locomotives, either 482 or 483. After six years of operating 497, the D&SNG had determined that the slightly increased size and weight of the locomotive was considerably harder on their track than a K-36 class engine. After inspections and due diligence were performed by both railroads, the trade for locomotive 482 was agreed upon. Both engines and their tenders were moved during the week of October 6, 1991. [Dispatch 4-5, Knoob]
Winter 1991-2 Ten broken staybolts were replaced. Hydrostatic testing of the boiler was expected to take place after the cab plumbing, jacket, and lagging were reinstalled. The welded-on handrails of the tender tank—a replacement built in the 1980s by the D&SNG—were removed and bolted on, in accordance with FRA regulations. Structural calculations of the boiler were completed and filed with the FRA. [Dispatch 5-1] It was later noted that the locomotive had 13 broken staybolts when the C&TS received it in 1991. [Dispatch 7-1] Winter 1992-3 Several staybolts were replaced in the firebox, and other minor boiler work was done. One driver was dropped and rebabbited because there was excessive lateral motion in one of the driving boxes. [Dispatch 6-1] Winter 1993-4 The locomotive was granted a one-year flue extension by the FRA. This was the first time the FRA inspected 497 because the D&SNG was not under FRA locomotive inspection when 497 ran there. The inspector noted that 497 had considerably more scale buildup than 487 and 488 (also inspected for flue extension), and probably would not go much longer before refluing. (The difference in scale buildup between 497 and the other locomotives was thought to be due to a higher mineral content in the water in Durango.) One superheater flue was replaced, as were a couple of the small tubes. One of the arch tubes in the firebox was leaking and was replaced. (Arch tubes run through the firebox from above the firebox door down into the throat sheet in the firebox front. They hold up the brick arch in the firebox and allow for good water circulation in the boiler.) Four broken staybolts in the boiler were replaced. In 1991 thirteen staybolts were broken. In 1992 about a dozen staybolts were changed over the summer. Only six were changed in 1993. Only minor running gear work was needed. [Dispatch 7-1] Winter 1994-5 After the 1994 season, 497’s pistons, valves, valve gear, crossheads, and guides were removed so that the valves and cylinders could be bored. The engine received new pistons and valve rings. The engine also needed to be reflued. The old flues were removed and inspection of the front and rear tube sheets showed that they too needed replacement. The front sheet was cut out, leaving the knuckle bend and seam where the sheet is riveted to the boiler shell. A new sheet needed to be constructed and welded into place. The rear sheet also needed to be cut out, leaving the side knuckles, and a new upper knuckle to the crownsheet needed to be made. The Chinese nonlifting injector on the left side was replaced with an old-fashioned Sellers lifting injector take from locomotive 492. The Chinese injector was installed by the D&SNG; the nozzles inside the injector had worn out and there were no replacement parts available outside of China. The engine returned to service on Saturday, September 30. [Dispatch 8-2, 8-4] Winter 1995-6 The engine was scheduled for only a minor valve gear tune up over the winter. [Dispatch 9-1] Winter 1996-7 During the summer 497 suffered from leaking superheater elements. The superheater elements are the pipes the steam from the boiler goes through and in which it is heated by the fire gasses to over 650 degrees. This dries the steam and makes the locomotive more efficient. Because the superheater elements are in direct contact with the fire (and cinders), they tend to develop leaks, which reduce the draft on the fire and, if bad enough, reduce the pulling power off the locomotive. 497’s leaks got so bad that when the throttle was opened, the leaking steam would blow the smoke out the firebox door. Once underway, the exhaust up the stack would make the smoke go in the correct direction. The 497 continued to steam fairly well, but it definitely didn’t do as well as in the past. After the 1996 season, the smokebox was opened up, the draft appliances removed, and the superheater elements were removed for inspection. Several were found to be defective. These were to be repaired and the front end of the locomotive reassembled. Other work planned for 497 included new rod bushings and the ever present (on a K-37) replacement of a few broken staybolts. [Dispatch 10-1] Winter 1997-8 497 ran faithfully all of the 1997 season and remained serviceable over the winter in case it was need for any off-season operations. (It pulled a Santa Claus train from Chama to Dalton on December 6.) Only routine maintenance (and ever present staybolt replacement) was scheduled. [Dispatch 11-1] Winter 1998-9 497 had over two weeks worth of staybolt work done over the summer. It spent the winter in Antonito and there was no work planned for it. [Dispatch 12-1] 1999 497 was taken out of service for most of August to fix a broken furnace support plate and a problem with excessive driver lateral, to remount the front coupler, and to address several other items. [Dispatch 12-3] Winter 1999-2000 A boiler inspection by the FRA in November found no conditions that would withdraw the engine from service. The boiler was checked for thickness using ultrasonics, and staybolts were replaced. The air pump was worked on to bring it back to sound operation. The “skin,” or the sheet metal and insulation, was removed to allow this to take place. In February the locomotive was painted by FOCTS volunteers and shopmen. The locomotive also underwent a running gear overhaul. All of the drivers were sent to the D&SNG, where they were turned. They were returned to Chama and reinstalled on the locomotive. The driver boxes were all built up and machined to specifications and all of the brass machined and fit in place. The third set of drivers were installed first as it is the based for tramming the engine. The driver boxes are the key, as they have to be installed correctly so that the side rods will work efficiently. Everything has to be measured to fit and be in tram. There was a lot of work done on 497 before the boxes were tackled. [Dispatch 12-4, 13-1] 2000 The engine returned to service in September. [Dispatch 12-4, 13-1] Winter 2000-1 497 was granted a one-year flue extension by the FRA. Because much work was done on the engine last season, and it didn’t come out of the shop until August, it did not need much work over the winter. It received an annual inspection, and new grates were cast and installed. [Dispatch 14-2] Winter 2001-2 The locomotive was granted a one-year flue extension by the FRA—the last extension in which the engine could operate under the old 49 CRF Part 230 Steam Locomotive Inspection and Maintenance Standards. A broken top leaf was found on the left trailing truck spring, which the shop crew replaced. The flanger on the pilot truck sat too low with the extensions, so the extensions were removed to bring the flanger above the minimum 2-1/2 inches above the railhead. The crew replaced several staybolts found to be either broken or to have severe fire cracks around the heads. Holes in the ashpan were repaired, and new parts for the check valves were machined to replace the ones worn out. [Dispatch 15-3] 2003 The locomotive remained out of service in 2003. 2004 The locomotive remained out of service in 2004. 2005 The locomotive remained out of service in 2005.
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