Wonderful. Thanks for the photo.

Sweet!!!!!

What a great looking engine! Hope we can have a double header with #401 some day!

DBH

I might head down on Saturday to ride the Mission Ridge Local, but the 80% chance of thunderstorms has me thinking I might wait until my next weekend off (2 weeks hence.)

Here is a decent look via youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGhz56hFJ9k

While not regularly, I have been around TVRM a good bit over the last 8 years and have had the pleasure of seeing all of the exacting work that has gone into this machine.
As I was, on one trip or another, partaking in the making of over a dozen boiler sheets for one of 5 locomotives or learning the wheel machine operation on k-4 or 765 drivers I observed many great tasks being accomplished. Doug machining boxes, mark and crew truing pedestal jaws with their home built machine, the application/fabrication process of the first course/smokebox weldment assembly, fabrication of new delivery pipes, firebox patches being installed with a tig root and hot pass by a welder that has the precision of a CNC machine, etc.
All of this work speaks of taking ones time to do things correctly the first time so that the machine enters service in a condition that does not require one to be constantly chasing out demons....after all, "there is no economy in cheaping it out".
I have no doubt that the 630 is in the best or better condition than it has been since modernization took place in 19??.

Hats off to the TVRM crew and the culmination of their decade long endeavor!!!!

When it comes to steam operation everyone should remember to "look ahead, look south"

Cheers, Jason