Western Railroad Discussion > Burnham shop tour

Couple days later the Rocky Mountain Railroad Club had a tour of the ex D&RGW shops.

Some of the auction material as we started out. Not sure if the load box goes or not.

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Running repair

The GE is getting a modification, to prevent flashover with the traction motor cables. Cable divider can be seen installed.

What used to take about an hour, now takes two. Traction motor drop pit. (OSHA jab)

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We moved over to heavy repair, and were fortunate enough to get to watch a engine swap. Seen here, the 6000hp Deutz on the right is removed and the replacement 7FDL 4400hp on the left.

Us gawking <G>

After everybody was out of the way, they picked the 7FDL and spun it into position.

The cranes are 120 ton Whitings, built before 1900. Burnham used to build all the parts to fix it, like the pulleys.

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They had three AC6000s getting derated in the shop that day. Here the engine is almost in.

After the show, I stepped out to see an old warrior setting outside.


Lots of parts to put all them back together neatly set aside.

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Looking north back towards the engine swap.

Three different EMD truck frames in one pile

Marcus rail's D&RGW collection stored.

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When there is no room to put an outside switchstand.

The turntable removed. Speculation of it never returning loomed over the conversations. Repair costs too high.

Then we walked the line south of the shops.Here is the south end of the RTD shops.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/19/10 16:19 by SD45X.

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End of the line............

Anybody know the history on this crane? It was covered so no reporting marks were seen. Sitting on the west side of the yard at the south end.

And back to where we started in the morning.

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I got a private tour of the shop in 1984, is what like dying and going to heaven - with one exception ... a condition of the tour was no pictures, and that stunk, but I still got the memories.

Thanks for sharing your great photos! Too bad you couldn't hide a SD40T-2 under your shirt and sneak it out of there!
Todd Montgomery
Eugene OR

Uh, we do the board repairs for the Whitings, think the electronics
looks a little more recent than 1900.

I hope not all of those motors n the dead line is schedule for retirement because i spotted an SD70M with the flared radiator in 1 photo.

Switch stands like this were common to street trackage locations. The handle could be covered with a piece of plate steel which the brakeman could lift to throw the handle before replacing it in the lowered position. In a yard location where there would be no rubber tired vehicles driving over it there was no need to cover it with steel.

Interesting D, I have never seen a switch like that? I think on BNSF if they were testing you and you threw that switch there would probably be some rule violation involved. Lots of power for sale.
JB

I'm curious about the ex SP AC4400 you shot, did they cannibalize that and remove the "guts" or was it just removed for repairs?

Chris

The AC4400, UP 6398, is likely getting a new prime mover.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/20/10 08:50 by cozephyr.

Brings back memories of the 70's. Tiny was foreman of engines along with Sutton. D&RGW was a great line, even with Holtman in the Mile-Hi and Jr. over in Salt Lake. SD-40T-2's were the best locomotive ever made in my opinion and we had the fleet. Thanks so much for the pictures! We had a great group of Hostlers both at North Yard and Burnham!

Last July my brother and I were visiting Denver and were driving around the Burnham shops. I believe we were on Osage St. just off of 6th Ave. just southwest of Burnham, when looking between some buildings we seen some Rio Grande rolling stock. There was a caboose, covered hopper, and a box car near the area of the big silver crane. Are these pieces of equipment still there? does anybody know anything about them, if there still owned by UP? or are they privately owned?

I think that is the same crane that sat on a siding in the mid 80s
between Alameda and 6th avenue. I remember it had Santa Fe
lettering on it and emblem. I have pictures somewhere.

Samuel E Howard
www.trainroomphotography.com
Railroad Images Of Colorado
Photographed By Samuel E Howard