I began model railroading 20 years ago with my eldest son. My interest at that time was the standard gauge Southern Pacific in the transition area. I always liked the Daylight and still do. At the time I worked for the railroad as a train clerk and later as a ticket clerk first for the SP and then for Amtrak. I continued to model generic SP but began to “notice” that there was a thing called narrow gauge. Following my first visit to Durango, Colorado in the early 80’s, I fell in love with Colorado’s high mountains, deep valleys and those 3’-0”gauge railroads that ran there.

I finally decided to model the Rio Grande Southern Railroad because it runs through some of the most beautiful country in the entire world. I am currently building a small pike in half of my double car garage. I am modeling the RGS from Dolores, Colorado to Rico, Colorado (though rather slowly since I was bitten by live steam!!). I have a small collection of On3 engines and rolling stock.

Nearly seven years ago my friend Harry Laws approached me about finding someone to build his Railroad Supply Co. American (4-4-0) the CP 173. At the time I was President of the Monterey and Salinas Valley Railroad Modeling and Historical Society and Kim Beard was my treasurer. Kim was an automotive machinist (now a full time machinist at a local machine shop) and a model railroader. I asked Kim if he was interested in building the CP 173 live steam locomotive in 1.5” scale and he said he would like the challenge. Two years later Kim rolled out a really stunning model from his home workshop. We took the engine to the Golden Gate Live Steam club in the Oakland hills at Tilden Park the nearest track for us to run on. After Kim made several rounds of the track Kim turned the throttle over to me. This was the very first time I had ever run a steam locomotive. I was hooked. At that moment I knew I wanted to be involved in the live steam hobby.

I met with Kim and mutual friends Mike Linkswiler and Mark Stearns to discuss building an engine of our own. Kim, Mike and I are narrow gauge rail fans we decided to build a ten wheeler (4-6-0). We would have to build all the patterns and have them cast in a foundry and then machine the parts. As luck would have it, Mike came upon a Conway Locomotive catalogue and we found the C-19 kit. All the engineering and foundry work had already been done.

That was four and a half years ago. Mark had to drop out, but Kim, Mike and I are going strong. Kim does the really “heavy lifting” as he is the only machinist, I do the wood work, frame for the tender and riding cars.

Ken Burns