The cab’s paint layer was uneven, flaking, and in poor condition. Volunteers are shown beginning the process of carefully stripping the old paint
The Kaw Valley Rail Heritage Conservancy is pleased to announce that restoration work on Santa Fe locomotive 3463 has resumed. After a brief pause, our dedicated team of volunteers has returned to continue the careful work of preserving this iconic piece of Kansas railroading history.
To start this season, restoration efforts are focused on the cab of 3463. After the Coalition for Sustainable Rail repainted the tender, the cab became a natural point of comparison and in need of attention. The paint layer on the cab, particularly on the roof, had completely failed. It no longer protected the locomotive and did not present the engine well.
Volunteers began by carefully stripping the old paint and preparing the cab for restoration. Every surface of the cab, including the roof was primed, smoothed, and readied for the next phase of work.
Primer is applied to both sides of the cab, and the roof. Sealing and Protecting the metal.
Volunteer Derek Buel is seen applying the final coat of fresh black paint on the engineer’s side of the cab.
Once priming was complete, the team applied fresh coats of paint. The difference was immediately visible. What had once been a worn, uneven and deteriorated surface now gleamed with renewed color and protection, restoring the cab to its historic appearance. Only the lettering remained.
KVRHC Secretary Brett Perry lays down the lettering on the Fireman’s side of the cab.
A golden sun sets on 3463, as 3 weeks worth of work finally comes to a close. Another Job well done by our Volunteers!
This restoration not only preserves an important piece of Kansas railroading history but also reflects the hard work, skill, and dedication of the KVRHC volunteers. We are incredibly proud of our team and grateful for the support of our donors and the wider community, whose contributions make projects like this possible. Every brush stroke, every careful detail, and every hour of volunteer effort has helped bring 3463’s cab back to its historic condition. With this milestone complete, we celebrate what we have achieved together and look forward to the next project in our ongoing mission to preserve and share Kansas’s rich railroad heritage.
More information about our upcoming projects, events, and progress can be found on our facebook page, here!