Steam & Excursion > A Phoenix Rises - The Return of D&S 476

After being out of service for some 18 years, Durango & Silverton K-28 476 returned to the high iron today. The Mike received extensive work in the D&S shops. Elsewhere, mechanical foreman Randy Babcock has been quoted: “In addition to the FRA-mandated repairs and inspections, the crew has rebuilt the locomotive’s wheels and drivers; replaced the smoke box; repaired some cylinder and frame problems; switched out its front and rear flue sheets; and revamped the boiler". Whew! It was great to see the 476 was out today on a break-in run in preparation for her scheduled starring role on the D&S Photo Specials this weekend. The mechanical crew of the D&S deserves much credit and gratitude for this terrific achievement.

In views one and two, the 476 has just crossed CO 550 and is starting to dig into Hermosa Hill with her short, three-car train. View three was taken further up the hill, from the highway just before the line ducks under CO 550.

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In these two views, the 476 tiptoes along the shelf high above Shalona Lake on the approach to Rockwood.

As you can see from the photos, Durango has finally received some snow in recent days. These scenes would have recorded bare earth had they been taken Monday.

Thanks for looking!

LJG

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Hooray & Congratulations ...
That’s impressive....
And wonderful to see...

Thanks go out to the whole restoration crew...
The engines are very small and I’m sure it’s hard to work in cramped quarters —-
On standard gauge 4-8-4s you’ve got room to move around ...on these guys, you have NO room to TURN around...
Doubly impressive..

W.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/14/18 17:21 by wcamp1472.

WOW!!!!!! Major congratulations. Pretty damned nice photos too. By the way, what is the boxcar for?

Wonderfull news!
The word is a better place!
SR

Truly awesome work!

Z

HotWater Wrote:
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> WOW!!!!!! Major congratulations. Pretty
> damned nice photos too. By the way, what is the
> boxcar for?


Perhaps someone connected with the D&S can tell us. I'm told that it was built up on a former flatcar. For a while it was appearing last summer on one of the regularly scheduled Silverton runs....the boxcars carry both backpacks/baggage as well as water tanks and a gasoline powered pump for extinguishing any fires that might flare up with the passage of the train. Rumor has it that this car derailed (not verified by me) but I can state that it disappeared from the trains and this is the first time I have seen it on the line since.

Great work by the amazing people down there. Thank you for keeping history alive!

Mike ONeill
Parker, CO

Awesome, thanks for posting!

Posted from iPhone

Great to see her back in action. Just in time for the weekend photo shoot as well. Well done!

Martin

That fourth shot is outta da park!

John.