Cumbres & Toltec 463 (K-27)

[Hansel Gordon]

Old news,
But 463 started running again earlier this year! Here's a nice video I found:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hc_bdCcZilA

[Stewart "Start" Rhine]

Thanks for the link Hansel,

Nice sequence at Tanglefoot, that Mudhen sure is pretty.  Can't wait to see the 463 doublehead with the 315 later this year.  That will be something!

Stewart

[Keith Taylor]

Starting in the July/August issue of Live Steam and Outdoor Railroading magazine is a series on building a 1/10th scale, 3 - 1/2" gauge live steam model of a D&RGW K-27. This series is by noted live steam designer and builder, Kozo Hiraoka.

This should make a very impressive model well able to haul an impressive load.

Keith

[Stewart "Start" Rhine]

Hi Keith,

I bet a K27 would be a nice live steam model.  There was a G-scale K27 running (on rollers) at the Bachmann booth at the Big E show last January.  It looked and sounded great.  Good thing I'm not into garden railroading!

Stewart

[Keith Taylor]

Hi Keith,

I bet a K27 would be a nice live steam model.  There was a G-scale K27 running (on rollers) at the Bachmann booth at the Big E show last January.  It looked and sounded great.  Good thing I'm not into garden railroading!

Stewart

Hi Stewart, in the garden gauges.....this is the one that would be perfect for you:
http://www.accucraft.com/modelc/AL87-160-C.htm

And live steam too!
Keith

[Stewart "Start" Rhine]

Wow Keith, 

That looks real good but I think I'll keep working on that other railroad ... the one that's 1 to 1 scale 

Stewart

[Keith Taylor]

Wow Keith, 

That looks real good but I think I'll keep working on that other railroad ... the one that's 1 to 1 scale 

Stewart

You can always do both.....I do.

Keith

[Stewart "Start" Rhine]

Forgot to mention -

The 463 is going to be in a movie.  For filming, the 1930's tender lettering has been blanked out and large "D&RGW" letters have been applied (which I don't think the loco ever had). There is also a fake diamond stack which has not been put on.  Not sure the name of the movie but I've heard that shooting starts fairly soon.

[Richard "Steam" Symmes]

Hollywood always wants to "age" steam locomotives with inappropriate doo-dads.  Especially for Western movies.  I hope this one is better than most of them.

At least this will be something other than the poor old Sierra Railroad #3 for a change.

Didn't the late cowboy star Gene Autry once own the #463?  I think it was part of his old Melody Ranch movie set.  I caught it in a couple of episodes of the "Gunsmoke" series back in the b&w days of the late 1950s.  Then it disappeared.

[Stewart "Start" Rhine]

True,  Hollywood is good at making steam locos look strange with things like odd colors, fake stacks, headlights and deer antlers.  At least 463 will earn some much needed $$$ for the C&TS and the movie make up can be easily removed. 

Yes, the "singing cowboy" Gene Autry saved the engine and it was on his ranch until returning to the C&TS for restoration which has now happened twice. 

[Hansel Gordon]

Keith,
I'd go with a 2.5" scale (7.25" gauge) k-27. That way I can ride on the tender instead of a flatcar.
Too bad WW&F didn't have a mikado.... :-)

[Keith Taylor]

Keith,
I'd go with a 2.5" scale (7.25" gauge) k-27. That way I can ride on the tender instead of a flatcar.
Too bad WW&F didn't have a mikado.... :-)

Hansel;
3 - 1/2" gauge is about all I can handle these days. At 1/10th full size the 3 - 1/2" gauge version will still be plenty big enough to ride on the tender on a ground level track. The 3 - 1/2" gauge version still comes out at about 6' long for the engine and tender.
 But virtually all of the clubs in the Northeast U.S. and eastern Canada have their 3 - 1/2" gauge tracks on an elevated trestle system. Riding on a flat car behind is much safer on an elevated track.
Keith

[Glenn Christensen]

I'd go with a 2.5" scale (7.25" gauge) k-27. That way I can ride on the tender instead of a flatcar.
Too bad WW&F didn't have a mikado.... :-)

Hi Hansel,

When it comes to things live steam, Keith is a good guy to listen to.

But you might like to know that in addition to the Porter 2-8-0 proposed for use on the WW&F, there were quite a few 2' and 30" gauge 2-8-0s and 2-8-2s built by Baldwin for the export market.  The more modern design of Baldwin 2-8-2 built for both gauges was very closely based on the design of SR&RL #23.  A gentleman named David Bloyed, frequents these pages and he owns the complete set of Baldwin drawings for these locomotives.  He might want to add a word in here. 


Best Regards,
Glenn

[Hansel Gordon]

I actually own kozo's pennsy A3 book and talked to MNG volunteers who own live steam. Big or small, lathes are WAY too expensive for a teenage boy!

A 2-8-2 would seem too big for WW&Fs sharp curves anyway.

[Hansel Gordon]

Found a video of 463 already with its funky headlight and movie consist:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDN1jqV8Puw