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The rebuilt rear truck of Porter number 1203. I apologize that it is somewhat blurry, bad lighting.
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Number 1203 has been stripped down to the bare bones, and is now going back together. The front truck is rebuilt and back under the locomotive, and the rear is ready to be installed. Work is underway on the electrical components in the cab.
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The radiator room is largely rebuilt, and the nose section and grills have been reinstalled, as well as the radiators and rear truck.
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Both trucks are once again in place. Radiator sections have also been installed, though the fireman's side still awaits its grill.
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It's April, the snow is mostly gone, and the steam fleet is back out of hibernation. We find numbers 3 and 19 being warmed up for their hydro tests and boiler inspections.
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The 1203 has also been getting attention. The new motor is in, painting is largely complete, all the major appliances have been reinstalled, and new wiring is being installed.
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Work continues on the cab, note the electrical cabinet is still somewhat bare.
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Paul VanNess and Casey Carlson are doing the final checks on Heisler number 3.
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One of the former Denver & Rio Grande Western Bettendorf trucks that is being modified for use under business car number 100, the Leviathan.
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The A4 got some winter work as well, and arrived back at McEwen looking factory fresh.
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Number 1203's builders plate. H.K. Porter Company Inc. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
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With the completion of the Austin Street crossing, Karen Spencer leads the effort to landscape the Sumpter depot.
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Yes that is lawn, no more barren dirt patches for us.
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Caboose number 3 was parked at the Sumpter depot in late May so that it could be included on the school tours. Also note the platform extension to facilitate the unloading of the longer trains in late summer.
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An overall view of the massive improvement to the Sumpter depot grounds.
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Austin Street wasn�t the only crossing to receive attention. New laws require higher safety standards for crossings, and luckily the state paid for the improvements. Here is one of the new crossbucks at Sawmill Gulch road. When inspected, the state representative said they were some of the nicest he had seen.
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Number 1203 is almost ready.
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Work was underway on business car 100 as well. Note that all the windows have been removed, as well as much of the damaged interior.
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The first Engineer for a Day of 2007 is also the first train across the fully complete Austin Street crossing.
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Head brakeman Jerry Huck cuts number 19 off of her train at the Sumpter run-around.
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Number 19 prepares to couple to her freight train in Sumpter.
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Another view of the Porter nearing completion.
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Business car 100 has had her siding repaired and is primed for paint. Originally plans called for the replacement of all the siding, but after a heavy sanding it was found that the original siding was in relatively good condition.
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A damp day in June finds the passenger train unloading at the Sumpter depot. Being able to finally pull all the way up to the station has improved operations immensely.
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Casey Carlson guides number 19 back down onto her EFD train in the McEwen yards.
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Number 1203 basks in the afternoon sunshine as Scott Hutton and crew perform last minute checks before attempting her first test-fire in nearly twenty years. It was a nerve wracking afternoon waiting to see if all our repairs had been done correctly.
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The Porter is back in business! The engine turned over straight away, and ran quite well. Minor adjustments and tweaking were still required, but she was once again an operational locomotive instead of a static display.
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Even with all the excitement of the Porter returning to service, there was still a focus on the small things. Volunteer Allan Sommarstrom is repainting the boarding ramp at the McEwen station.
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D&RGW refrigerator car number 168 was getting some much-needed attention in preparation for the upcoming photo trains.
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The Leviathan was getting more attention as well due to the fact that it was scheduled for use on the Christmas Trains in early December. A tall order considering it hadn't operated or even been maintained in nearly 40 years. Ken Carlson is completing repairs to the bullnose roof sections before sealing the entire roof.
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