The staus of the 463 project as of 12/1/11.

[Rich Murray]

The following is based on information from Marty Knox, the Chief Mechanical Officer for the 463 project. As the CMO, Marty is responsible for the planning, technical details and the work quality. He brings many years of back ground experience to the position, including 17 years running the Huckleberry Railroad.
There is a crew of 6 working on the engine in Monte Vista consisting of Marty Knox, Bob Sullivan who has worked in the machine shop in Chama, and before that worked in the aerospace industry, Max Casias and Jake Vigil who are C&TS engineers based in Antonito, Lucas Maez who has little locomotive experience, but he studied Automotive Technology at Trinidad State Junior College and Jim Poston who has worked in Chama.

To date the boiler work has been finished and it is positioned on the frame. The crew is finishing the mounting for the boiler, which includes tapered fitted bolts through the doubler plate and smokebox into the saddle. They have added provisions to grease the rear expansion brackets, but still need to fabricate new front (throat sheet) expansion brackets. After some other details are finished the crew will start assembling the spring rigging.

The drivers and pony wheels are on hand in Monte Vista after having been machined by the Durango & Silverton’s shop. New driver boxes which are being built to the original D&RG specifications were cast in Chattanooga and are now in St. Louis being machined. They are scheduled to be finished before Christmas and when they are ready, Marty will travel to St Louis to inspect these new units and haul them back to Monte Vista.

At this time a new right front drive rod is being machined in Durango using the left front rod as a pattern.

The engine’s cab has been painted and is in the Monte Vista shop as is the newly painted tender tank. The tender’s frame and trucks are at the CRF in Antonito undergoing restoration work. Photos and videos of some of the tender work can be seen on this forum.
http://www.coloradonewmexicosteamtrain.org/FriendsForum/viewforum.php?f=15

A lot of work has been done and while there is still a lot more to be done, the Monte Vista crew is optimistic that the goal of having 463 under steam by the end of March is reachable.