TRAINS reports that the boiler for this locomotive #463 is headed to the "Backshop" for rebuild.
Here is a link to the C&TS site and some photos of the 463 :
http://www.ctsrrshops.com/engine%20463/463.htm
It is amazing to me that a loco of this age and type (K-27) will soon have a whole new life cycle.
The work site is in Alabama, so the boiler will be moved there for repairs. A couple of recent threads that referenced rebuilding former S.P. Locomotives 786 ( in Ala.) , and 745 (rebuilt in Louisiana). And Southern 401(in Illinois).
It was also mentioned( in the newespaper article on the 786's rebuild) that an unnamed locomotive from another group in the southeast was being considered for rebuild in Alabama as well.
One of the major issues in the rebuild of steam locomotives has always been primarily the COSTS!
Followed closely by the skills and manpower necessary to actually do the work.
Links to Mr. Robert Yuill and his operations in Springville, Ala. : http://www.zoominfo.com/people/Yuill_Robert_3965673.aspx and his Company:
http://historicmachineryservices.com/ The pictures on this website are, I think worth the trip!
And the article on the rebuild in Florence, Ala, of the 786 ( at the TMC Corp. Shops) in this TRAINS Forum is pretty interesting, as well:
http://cs.trains.com/trccs/forums/t/160770.aspx
Reading the information in these web sites is pretty enlightening as to how projects of the magnitude of the trear down, repair, and rebuilding of a historical artifact from another time is done. The coordinated efforts between companies, and individuals with appropriate skill sets who keep these machines living, breathing and working as they were designed to do.
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