Large Scale Central

D&S Diesels

A guy on FB posted these photos as he passed the load near Mt. Vernon, WA (photos courtesy of Larry Watkins-Weishaar on Logging Railroads of the Pacific Northwest FB Group)

Being a D&RGW NG guy I think the addition of these engines to the D&S helps with the lasting success of their steam fleet. I know they rebuild and rebuild, but a little help for the diesels will add to the success of the railroad in general. I have no idea on what condition they are in, but I can tell you, Durango Shops can rebuild anything they can get in the door. Probably one of the few railroads that can make it work for them.

trainman

Guys;

Got a question. The little tourist line I helped at in PA had no rail connection to the outside world. The ex-WP&Y locomotive is being transported by truck. Do the Colorado narrow gauge tourist lines also lack a standard gauge connection to the outside world? I would think that transporting via a heavy duty flat car would be a lot less expensive, despite having to lower the locomotive to the proper gauge once it arrived.

This may seem like a “Captain Obvious” question to some of you, but the furthest west I have been is St. Louis, MO, AND I don’t know a lot about the connections the current narrow gauge lines have. I know that a few of them had dual gauge facilities once upon a time.

Regards, David Meashey

Both the D&S and C&T are pretty much isolated, though at one time they were all connected.

Well the Farmington Branch put in, in 1905 was the only standard guage connection to Durango. However it connected to no other standard guage connection ans was converted to narrow guage in 1923.

The D&RGW from Antonito, NM to Denver, CO was dual gauge for many years, I can’t recall at this time when the dual gauge was discontinued. This did connect the D&RGW narrow gauge to the outside world for sometime. I have pics of NG engines in Denver in there shops being worked on. So it was possible to get on a train in Silverton, CO and ride all the way to Denver, CO, of course you would have to change to many different passenger trains in the process.

trainman

Thanks for the photos. Interesting trailer they have it on.

Dave Meashey said:

Guys;

Got a question. The little tourist line I helped at in PA had no rail connection to the outside world. The ex-WP&Y locomotive is being transported by truck. Do the Colorado narrow gauge tourist lines also lack a standard gauge connection to the outside world? I would think that transporting via a heavy duty flat car would be a lot less expensive, despite having to lower the locomotive to the proper gauge once it arrived.

This may seem like a “Captain Obvious” question to some of you, but the furthest west I have been is St. Louis, MO, AND I don’t know a lot about the connections the current narrow gauge lines have. I know that a few of them had dual gauge facilities once upon a time.

Regards, David Meashey

David - White Pass is 3ft narrow the same as the Colorado RRs. White pass is also isolated from any connection to standard guage. Usually large items are barged either up or down to the US. I suspect these were barged/shipped to Washington and then loaded on the truck. Hope this helps.

Steve

Steve Weidner said:

I suspect these were barged/shipped to Washington and then loaded on the truck. Hope this helps.

Steve