# Rio Grande 463 > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Rio_Grande_463 > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Rio_Grande_463.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rio_Grande_463 > Source revision: 1348890773 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) **Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad 463** is a 3-foot [narrow-gauge](/source/Narrow-gauge) K-27 class "Mikado" type [steam locomotive](/source/Steam_locomotive) built for the [Denver and Rio Grande Railroad](/source/Denver_and_Rio_Grande_Railroad) (D&RG) by the [Baldwin Locomotive Works](/source/Baldwin_Locomotive_Works) (BLW) in March 1903. It is one of two remaining [Rio Grande K-27](/source/Rio_Grande_K-27) locomotives, the other one being No. 464 at the [Huckleberry Railroad](/source/Huckleberry_Railroad) in [Genesee Township, Michigan](/source/Genesee_Township,_Michigan). The class eventually became known by the nickname "Mudhens". Today, No. 463 is operational on the [Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad](/source/Cumbres_and_Toltec_Scenic_Railroad) between [Chama, New Mexico](/source/Chama,_New_Mexico) and [Antonito, Colorado](/source/Antonito,_Colorado). Fifteen locomotives were built, originally class 125, then reclassified K-27 in 1924 when the D&RG became the [Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad](/source/Denver_and_Rio_Grande_Western_Railroad) (D&RGW). The K-27s were built as [Vauclain compounds](/source/Vauclain_compound), with two cylinders on each side, expanding the steam once in the smaller cylinder and then a second time in the larger one. The extra maintenance costs of the two cylinders were greater than the fuel saving, so they were converted to simple expansion in 1907–1909.[4] They were Rio Grande's last purchase of compound locomotives. They pulled freight, passenger and mixed trains on the D&RGW in and over the Colorado [Rocky Mountains](/source/Rocky_Mountains), traversing the entire length of the railroad. They were built with their main structural frames outside the driving wheels, with the counterweights and rods attached outside the frames. No. 463 was sold to cowboy actor and singer [Gene Autry](/source/Gene_Autry) in May 1955.[5] Autry never used the engine and donated it to the town of [Antonito, Colorado](/source/Antonito,_Colorado). It was restored by and entered into service on the [Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad](/source/Cumbres_and_Toltec_Scenic_Railroad) in 1994. It was taken out of service with a broken side rod in late 2002. In 2009, it was moved to the railroad's shop at [Chama, New Mexico](/source/Chama,_New_Mexico) where a major rebuild was taken until completion in Spring 2013.[6] On May 20, 2013, the locomotive returned to service and made its inaugural run on the C&TSRR.[7] No. 463 was added to the [National Register of Historic Places](/source/National_Register_of_Historic_Places) in 1975 as **Engine No. 463**.[1] ## See also - [Rio Grande 168](/source/Rio_Grande_168) - [Rio Grande 169](/source/Rio_Grande_169) - [Rio Grande 223](/source/Rio_Grande_223) - [Rio Grande 278](/source/D_%26_RG_Narrow_Gauge_Trestle) - [Rio Grande 315](/source/Rio_Grande_315) ## References 1. [Steamlocomotive.info](http://www.steamlocomotive.info/vlocomotive.cfm?Display=236) 1. *Official Roster No. 11 of the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad System*. Denver: The Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad System. April 1, 1923. p. 94. 1. Brewster, Allen J. "D&RG's K-27, parts 1 and 2". *Model Railroader*. **March and June, 1973**. Milwaukee: Kalmbach. 1. ["Denver & Rio Grande Locomotive History: 463"](http://www.drgw.org/data/steam/history/drg463.htm). Rio Grande Modeling and Historical Society. Retrieved 28 January 2010. 1. ["A chronicle of the rebuilding of D&RGW locomotive #463"](https://web.archive.org/web/20090917011309/http://www.drgw463.com/). DRGW463.COM. Archived from [the original](http://www.drgw463.com/) on 17 September 2009. Retrieved 6 February 2010. 1. Miller, Janneli (2013-07-01). ["Going loco over locomotives"](http://fourcornersfreepress.com/?p=1605). *Four Corners Free Press*. Retrieved 2016-03-15. ## Further reading - O'Berry, Dennis. (1995). *The Mudhens, A Photographic History*. --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Rio Grande 463](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rio_Grande_463) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rio_Grande_463?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.