Rio Grande class K-36

Denver & Rio Grande Western K-36 class
D&RGW K-36 No. 488 at the Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad
Type and origin References:[1] Power type Steam Builder Baldwin Locomotive Works Model 12-34 1/4 E 68-77 Build date 1925 Total produced 10
Specifications Configuration: ​  • Whyte 2-8-2  • UIC 1′D1′ h2 Gauge 3 ft (914 mm) Driver dia. 44 in (1,118 mm) Loco weight 187,100 lb (84.9 t) Fuel type Coal (Nos. 480 and 489 converted to oil, 482 being converted) Boiler pressure 195 lbf/in2 (1.34 MPa) Cylinders Two Cylinder size 20 in × 24 in (508 mm × 610 mm) Valve gear Walschaerts Loco brake S-6 (part of 6-ET schedule equipment) Train brakes 6-ET automatic air brakes on all. 480, 481, 482 and 486 also have straight air equipment. All delivered with G-6 equipment new.
Performance figures Tractive effort 36,200 lbf (161.03 kN)
Career Operators Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad (D&RGW) Durango & Silverton (D&SNG) Cumbres & Toltec Scenic (C&TS) Numbers 480–489 Locale Colorado and New Mexico Retired 1955 (No. 485), 1962–1968 Preserved Four (Nos. 480, 481, 482 and 486) preserved on the D&SNG, five (Nos. 483, 484, 487, 488 and 489) preserved on the C&TS, one (No. 485) scrapped Restored No. 480; July 1985 No. 481; 1981 No. 482; May 1992 No. 483; 1970 No. 484; 1983 No. 486; August 2000 No. 487; 1970 No. 488; 1970 No. 489; 1974 Disposition All (except for No. 485) preserved: No. 483 in storage and remainder operational

The Denver and Rio Grande Western K-36 is a class of ten 3 ft (914 mm) narrow gauge 2-8-2 "Mikado" type steam locomotives built for the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad (D&RGW) by Baldwin Locomotive Works. They were shipped to the Rio Grande in 1925 and were first used along the Monarch Branch and Marshall Pass, but were later sent to the Third Division out of Alamosa. Of the original ten, four are owned by the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad (D&SNG) and five by the Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad (C&TSRR). Number 485 fell into the turntable pit at Salida and was scrapped in Pueblo in 1955, with many parts being saved.

The locomotives are of outside-frame design, with the driving wheels placed between the two chassis frames which support the boiler, but with the cylinders, driving rods, counterweights and valve gear on the outside. This general arrangement is shared with the earlier K-27, K-28 and later K-37 Mikado engines.

Designation[]

The locomotives' designation of K-36 comes from two different sources. The K in the designation comes from the locomotives' wheel arrangement (Mikado), and the 36 stands for 36,200 pounds of tractive effort.

In Service[]

The K-36s were used primarily as freight locomotives out of Alamosa to Durango and to Farmington, New Mexico, as well as out of Salida to Gunnison (over Marshall Pass) until 1955 and to Monarch on the Monarch Branch until 1956. They were built with special valves to allow brake control between locomotives while double-heading and were commonly found between Alamosa, Colorado and Chama, New Mexico. They were heavily used during the pipe boom in Farmington and hauled long freight trains between Alamosa and Farmington.

In 1937, three K-36s, Nos. 482, 483 and 489, were equipped with steam heat and signal lines to haul passenger trains like the Shavano and the San Juan Express. Eventually, in 1945, Nos. 484, 485 and 488 were also equipped, too.

As of 2020, eight of these locomotives still operate regularly. Nos. 483, 484, 487, 488 and 489 are owned by the Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad (C&TSRR) and Nos. 480, 481, 482 and 486 are owned by the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad (D&SNG). However, No. 483 is stored out of service at Chama. As of June 2020, No. 489 is temporarily out of service while it undergoes a new smokebox installation during its Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) mandated 1,472-day inspection. However, due to COVID-19, No. 489 is currently expected to return to service later in 2021. On December 15, 2020, the C&TSRR announced that, in addition to the 1,472-day inspection and rebuild, No. 489 is also being converted from burning coal to burning oil. No. 489 will be the first and only so far locomotive on the C&TSRR to be converted to burn oil. No. 489 is currently expected to be back in service again in time for the 2021 operating season, although an exact date is still to be announced. In addition, as of early November 2020, No. 480 is also currently undergoing a conversion from burning coal to burning oil and will be the third and last locomotive so far on the D&SNG to be converted to burn oil, the others being K-37 class No. 493 and K-28 class No. 473.

Roster^[2][3][]

Number	Photo	Builder's Number	Current Owner	Notes
480		58558	D&SNG	Retired in 1970. Went to D&SNG in March 1981. Restored to operating condition in July 1985. Operational. Converted from coal-burning to oil-burning and returned to service May 2021.
481		58559	D&SNG	Went to D&SNG in March 1981 and was the first K-36 run to Silverton. Operational.
482		58541	D&SNG	Retired in 1962. Went to C&TS in 1970. Traded to D&SNG in October 1991 in exchange for K-37 class No. 497. Restored to operating condition in May 1992. Operational.
483		58584	C&TS	Retired in 1968. Went to C&TS in 1970. Removed from service in 1977. Almost swapped out with K-28 class No. 478 in 2015 from the D&SNG. Stored in Chama, NM. Undergoing a cosmetic restoration as of 2016. 483 also hauled the last scheduled passenger train on the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad on May 29, 1965. It was a fan trip from Alamosa to Durango, Colorado.
484		58585	C&TS	Went to C&TS in 1970. Restored to operating condition in 1983. Operational.
485		58586	N/A	Crashed in the turntable pit in Salida. Due to severe damage, No. 485 couldn't be repaired and was scrapped on January 24, 1955. Many parts were salvaged and used on other locomotives.
486		58587	D&SNG	Retired in 1962. Went to Royal Gorge Park for display in December 1967. Traded to D&SNG in May 1999 in exchange for K-37 class No. 499. Restored to operating condition in August 2000. Operational.
487		58588	C&TS	Went to C&TS in 1970. Operational.
488		58589	C&TS	Went to C&TS in 1970. Operational.
489		58590	C&TS	Retired in 1962. Went to C&TS in 1970. Restored to operating condition in 1974. Operational. Undergoing FRA mandated 1,472-day inspection and conversion from coal-burning to oil-burning as of December 15, 2020. K-36 489

References[]

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