Western Railroad Discussion > Rio Grande SD50's in Colorado and Utah

After I posted my series of shots of D&RGW SD45’s on August 23, I got a nice email from a TO member asking if I could do a similar post but this time with their SD50’s. So here goes with 10 shots of D&RGW’s SD50’s. These were all purchased in 1984 and they only had 17 of them. The shots are presented in chronologic order from September 1986 to September 1992. As is the case with most of my recent Nostalgia board posts, these are all scans from color prints and the image quality is not up to current standards.

1 DRGW 5515 is seen here loading coal at the now closed Pittsburgh and Midway Edna Mine near Phippsburg, Colorado on the Craig Branch. There is nothing left at this site now; all mine structures have been removed. Sept. 5, 1986.
2 #5515 again after it completed loading and is now approaching Phippsburg. Sept. 5, 1986.
3 SD50 #5505 just south of Roper Yard in Salt Lake City leaving eastward with the #242 train.


More photos to come.

Dick Ebright
Roosevelt, Utah

---

---

---

Here’s 3 more SD50’s.

4 #5507 is seen here as it exits the Horseshoe Curve just east of Kyune, Utah. August 2, 1987. Train is #181.
5 Here is #5501 as it comes westbound out of Glenwood Canyon at Glenwood Springs, Colorado.
6 D&RGW train #187 is pictured as it rounds the high fill just east of Thompson, Utah. Lead power is the SD50 #5505.


3 more photos to follow.

---

---

---

3 more D&RGW SD50 shots, all from Utah this time.

7 #5512 is seen here at my favorite Soldier Summit photo location; the S curves at Kyune. with what appears to be a vehicle train. Sorry I don’t have a train #. August 31, 1989.
8 #5507 is here dropping down the 2% grade at Gilluly, Utah on the west side of the Soldier Summit crossing. December 1989.
9 Location here is right at the top of the Soldier Summit grade. And SD50 is seen here eastbound with an empty IPP coal train likely destined to the Skyline Mine at the end of the Clear Creek branch. October 26, 1990.

---

---

---

10 #5509 is shown here exiting the east portal of the Tennessee Pass tunnel. September 1992.


That’s all folks. I hope you enjoyed these and thanks for looking.

Dick Ebright
Roosevelt, Utah.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/31/14 17:22 by 2ebright.

---

Nice series... the 50's looked good but still prefer the old T's. Damn, I miss the Grande.

Are there any former DRGW SD50's still in existence? If so where?

Thanks for sharing the photos.

Number 7 is probably the Ford Train.. #179

great shots. thanks for posting

Nice stuff. That first one almost looks like a really good modeling job!

KC

Absolutely great! Love those big growlers!
ALLEN

#7 is my favorite, too.

mapboy

GREAT stuff...!! Thanks for sharing.

That is one Grande set of photos...thanks!

Think the Southwestern has a couple of the ex DRGW SD50s.

Posted from Android

Great Stuff.... Thanks for the 50 post :).



What year was the the T-Pass picture? Was it a ballast train?

Posted from Android



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/31/14 17:14 by jc76.

Ouch! jc76 you caught me in a senior moment typo. The year was 1992. I don't have any info. on if it was a ballast train. That was 22 years ago and I have no other shots of it.

Dick Ebright
Roosevelt, Utah

Great shots, Dick. That billboard in #3 is watching the 5505 roll by...Steve

Most excellent:}

Milwaukee Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Are there any former DRGW SD50's still in
> existence? If so where?
>
> Thanks for sharing the photos.

most got scrapped at Progress Rail in Georgia I think. Either that or they are hiding them somewhere, but I haven't seen photos of any other that the two in the SWRR in many years.

Posted from iPhone

Nothing quite like the Rio Grande paint scheme. I think it looked best with a little dirt on the nose too. Wonderful shots, Dick. Thank you for sharing them with us.

Paul Birkholz
Sheridan, WY