Friends of the Cumbres & Toltec - FriendsOfCumbresToltec.org

The C&TS' grand old lady, 483 herself, is finally to be reunited with her tender during the next work session, which is July 26th-30th. It has been stored in the swamp for some time now. This is a major milestone in 483's cosmetic restoration, which will make her look ever more like a complete locomotive.

That's some really good news. Thanks, Jack.

My eyes aren't up to the task, did this happen?

The tender in question has been sitting at the end of the “sheep dip” track (the northernmost track in the swamp) for decades-you can see it on Google Maps.
Because we installed 3 temporary oak journal bearings (to replace missing brass bearings) and because no locomotive has been that far down that siding in a long time, the railroad was reluctant to go down and get it.
So, Thursday, August 1, Bob Conrey took the Friends frontend loader down there and, with the support of the 483 team, nursed it up to the entrance to the siding just shy of the engine house lead. As such, it is just out of view of the North tipple camera. I would post pictures but I am texting from my phone as I head home on the Southwest Chief, and don’t have the wherewithal to attach them. With the tender in this position, we hope the railroad will be able to tuck it in behind 483 (and in front of the RPO car in the near future. - Rob 483 team member

Thank you Bob. I couldn't see if the tender had "returned home" or not and I was simply curious.

It’s almost home.

Hello Bob: Would you comment on the condition of the tender? Thanks!

Understand that we evaluated the tender for it’s ability to support paint and look nice and not on it’s fundamental functionality. That said I can offer the following observations:
1) the water tank/coal bunker assembly is in poor condition. Almost all the paint is gone though the ghost of “Rio Grande” can just be seen on the fireman’s side. I don’t know if it is repairable or is too badly rusted out. The back up light is missing as is the doghouse, though the metal base for the doghouse looks good. The metal sheet that forms the base of the coal bunker has been pulled out and has been tossed into the bunker. This metal sheet is badly rusted.
2) The boards that support the bunker/tank on the frame are badly rotted and need replacement.
3) The frame itself may be in decent shape and is probably salvageable, but the bunker/tank assembly has slid back away from the front almost a foot.
4) The trucks are missing many parts: all the truck springs are missing and have been replaced with 4x4 wood blocks. Four of the journals are complete. A fifth has the brass bearing but is missing the steel plate that rides above it (which has been replaced with a wood block). The remaining three journal assemblies all have oiled white oak bearings and wooden blocks. At least one of the journal housings is broken and needs replacement.
The tender really needs to be more closely inspected before any more comments can be made.
Rob

i saw it awhile back and the lader needs replacement

FYI, There are a few pictures of the tender towards the end of the work session E update for Wednesday, July 31. They show it in its old location as we were preparing it for the move the next day.

i just saw im very impressed i hope one day we can get 483 back to operational

i've been getting asked that everyday

Just some additional information, mostly from Earl Knoob, that came up on a thread on the Narrow Gauge Forum: The tender that is now behind 483 is a hybrid (which is no surprise). The frame and trucks are from 483 and show evidence of repairs that were incurred after 483 was wrecked in the 60's east of Durango.
The water tank/coal bunker, however, originally belonged to 482. As such, they have never run under the C&TS livery, which is why the residual paint shows only a ghost of the flying "Rio Grande". Apparently, when 482 was traded to the D&S for 497 the tank and bunker was is such poor condition, they took 483's tank and bunker (on 482's frame) instead. So, 483's tank and coal bunker are alive and well (and renumbered 482) at the D&S.
So, it is unlikely that the present tank and coal bunker will ever be able to do more than support paint.
That said, there appears to be a K-36 tank and bunker, numbered 487, sitting on a flat car behind the oil loading dock a few spaces ahead of rotary OM. Unfortunately, it's pretty much hidden from view of the north tipple camera. It looks rather worn, but it still has some paint and looks to be in better shape than what's behind 483. I would be curious if anyone knows the history of the tank/bunker.
Rob Brigham

487 original tender shell is in the swamp yard this was her 2nd shell before she had this one and one of the tender shells to my knowledge has