The Denver and Rio Grande Western K-37 is a class of 2-8-2 "Mikado" type narrow-gauge steam locomotives built for the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad. They were all new steam locomotives built in the D&RGW Burnham Shops as a cheaper option to new Baldwin K-36s. Burnham Shops was assisted in the construction of the class by the Stearn-Rogers Manufacturing Company.[3] The class used components recycled from Baldwin Locomotive Works built Class 190 (later C-41) 2-8-0 locomotives used on the Rio Grande's standard gauge; re-using the boiler, tender and other components salvaged from the C-41's.[4] The engine components; particularly the valve gear, were constructed new for the locomotive class.[5]

Denver & Rio Grande Western K-37
D&RGW K-37 No. 491 on static display at the Colorado Railroad Museum
Type and origin References:[1][2] Power type Steam Builder Baldwin Locomotive Works Build date 1928, 1930 Rebuilder D&RGW Burnham Shops
Specifications Configuration: ​  • Whyte 2-8-2  • UIC 1′D1′ h2 Gauge 3 ft (914 mm) Leading dia. 28 in (711 mm) Driver dia. 44 in (1,118 mm) Trailing dia. 28 in (711 mm) Wheelbase 29 ft (8.8 m) Length 41.1 ft (12.5 m) Width 10.4 ft (3.2 m) Height Engine: 13.3 ft (4.1 m) Tender: 13.5 ft (4.1 m) Loco weight 183,920 pounds (83,420 kg) Fuel type Coal (No. 493 converted to oil) Boiler pressure 200 psi (1.38 MPa) Cylinders Two Cylinder size 20 in × 24 in (508 mm × 610 mm) Valve gear Walschaerts Loco brake Air Train brakes Air
Performance figures Tractive effort 37,100 lbf (165 kN)
Career Operators Denver & Rio Grande Western (D&RGW) Durango & Silverton (D&SNG) Cumbres & Toltec Scenic (C&TS) Colorado Railroad Museum (C.R.R.M.) Class D&RG: K-37 Numbers 490–499 Locale Colorado and New Mexico Retired 1955 (No. 496), 1962–1968 Preserved Eight (Nos. 491, 492, 493, 494, 495, 497, 498 and 499) preserved, two (Nos. 490 and 496) scrapped Restored No. 491; August 2014 No. 493; January 24, 2020 No. 497; 1984 Disposition Nos. 491 and 493 operational, No. 497 awaiting overhaul, Nos. 492 and 498 in storage, Nos. 494, 495 and 499 on display

Design

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 K-36 Mikado type engines.

History

The locos worked out of Salida, Colorado to Gunnison, Colorado and up the Crested Butte Branch as well as the Monarch Branch. The locos also worked out of Alamosa, Colorado to Antonito over Cumbres Pass to Chama and on to Durango and the Farmington branch. Like the K-36s the locos were not permitted West of Gunnison or on the Silverton branch. However, the Silverton branch has since been upgraded to handle K-36s and K-37s. Three of the K-37s, Nos. 491, 493 and 499, were equipped with steam heat and signal lines so they could haul passenger trains like the San Juan Express and Shavano.

Of the eight preserved K-37s, locomotive #497 has operated on both the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad (D&SNG) in Durango, Colorado from 1984 to 1991 and on the Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad (C&TSRR) in Chama, New Mexico from 1992 to 2002. In late 2002, #497 was taken out of service, and as of 2021, it currently sits inside the Chama roundhouse awaiting a future overhaul. In August 2014, locomotive #491 was restored to operating condition at the Colorado Railroad Museum (C.R.R.M.) and operated for the first time in public on Saturday, September 13, 2014 at the annual Thomas the Tank Engine event. A ticketed "roll out" was hosted on August 29, 2014. On May 4, 2016, the D&SNG, in cooperation with the Colorado Railroad Museum, transported locomotive #493 to Durango after resting in Silverton for almost 20 years with the plan of having the C.R.R.M. transport it to Golden, Colorado and have it restored as well. However, after plans with the C.R.R.M. fell through, the D&SNG decided to undertake the restoration of #493 themselves. In the restoration process of #493 however, the locomotive was converted to oil-firing, making it the first former D&RGW 2-8-2 to burn oil instead of coal, the next one being K-28 class #473.[6] On January 24, 2020, #493 moved under its own power for the first time in over 50 years, making it the first D&RGW K-37 class since #497 to run on the D&SNG. #493 then ran its first revenue run on the D&SNG on February 14, 2020. As of February 16, 2022, it was announced that engines 492 and 497 are being evaluated to see which is more fit for restoration. It is unclear if the chosen locomotive will be converted to burn oil.

Although the K-37s are actually about 2% lighter than the K-36s, they were erroneously thought to be much harder on track. The D&SNG originally owned four of the surviving K-37s, but they found that the #497 was too hard on their track and didn't handle the Animas Canyon section of the route as well as they would have hoped. Consequently, they traded #497 to the C&TSRR for K-36 #482 and #499 to Royal Gorge Park in Canon City for #486. However, the problems experienced by the D&SNG are now thought to have been isolated to locomotive #497's trailing truck and not universal to all K-37s.

Roster

Locomotive details[7][8][9]

Class K-37 Number	IMages	Current Owner	Notes
490		n/a	Retired in 1962. Scrapped between 1963 and 1964.
491		Colorado Railroad Museum, Golden, CO	Retired in 1963. It was acquired by History Colorado in 1979. Then moved to the Colorado Railroad Museum in 1985; ownership of the engine was transferred to the museum in 2013. Restored to operating condition and debuted on August 30, 2014. Operational.
492		C&TS	To C&TS in 1970. Stored in Chama, NM. One of 2 K-37 locomotives currently being evaluated for restoration along with 497
493		D&SNG	Retired in 1968. Moved to D&SNG in March 1981. Restored to operating condition on January 24, 2020 as an oil-burning engine. Operational.
494		C&TS	Retired in 1962. To C&TS in 1970. Currently on display in Antonito, CO.[10]
495		C&TS	Retired in 1962. To C&TS in 1970. Currently on display in Antonito, CO.[11]
496	–	n/a	Scrapped in 1955.
497		C&TS	To D&SNG in March 1981. Restored to operating condition in 1984. Traded to C&TS for K-36 No. 482 in October 1991. Taken out of service in late 2002. Currently stored in Chama, NM inside the roundhouse. One of 2 K-37 locomotives currently being evaluated for restoration along with 492 Awaiting a future overhaul.[12]
498		D&SNG	To D&SNG in March 1981. Stored in Durango, CO.
499		Royal Gorge Park Canon City	Retired in 1970. To D&SNG in March 1981. Traded to Royal Gorge Park for K-36 No. 486 in May 1999 for display.

References

External link

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