Steam & Excursion > U.S. Steam 18

Numer 18 in the series takes us to the well known Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. These are from a Dave Gross charter using  K36 locomotive No. 481 in October, 2012. The locations are both often photographed railfan favorites. First on the approach to Rockwood followed by the Rock Wall deep in the Animas River Canyon. Dave ran many great private charters with small groups of well known photographers over the years on the Colorado narrow gauge. The advantage of a private charter is you get an authentic train composition with properly lettered cars. If you like the service trains, you can also photograph them at the various crossings. Nearing the end of this series, tomorrow it's back east for another Lerro event. 

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Beautiful images. How mighty are the mountains compared to the train!
Bob

First one looks like Elbert Creek Canyon, just before Rockwood....nice colors!

The only thing with this charter that is incorrect is the fact there never were K-36 locomotives past Rockwood in the D&RGW era.  497 was the first engine bigger than a K-28 to traverse the line in the D&S era, around 1989-90???  Bridges were not strong enough until Bradshaw had them strengthened.  Today the K-36 are the main power on the D&S passenger trains.

The other thing about charters is the fact you can get into remote regions for photos you could not normally get to.  This is the case with the second shot.  I met Dave once while shooting the Rotary, circa 1993 on the C&TS.
Greg Scholl

gregscholl Wrote:
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> First one looks like Elbert Creek Canyon, just
> before Rockwood....nice colors!
>
> The only thing with this charter that is incorrect
> is the fact there never were K-36 locomotives past
> Rockwood in the D&RGW era.  497 was the first
> engine bigger than a K-28 to traverse the line in
> the D&S era, around 1989-90???  Bridges were not
> strong enough until Bradshaw had them
> strengthened.  Today the K-36 are the main power
> on the D&S passenger trains.
>
> The other thing about charters is the fact you can
> get into remote regions for photos you could not
> normally get to.  This is the case with the
> second shot.  I met Dave once while shooting the
> Rotary, circa 1993 on the C&TS.
> Greg Scholl

481 was the first large engine to run all the way to Silverton.   It was put in service in the summer of 1981 (August?)  497 was returned to service in 1984.

In D&RGW days, K36 and K37 class engines could run as far as Rockwood, but seldom did.  There are pics out there of 492 running a work train north of Durango in the early 1960's. 

Earlk Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> gregscholl Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > First one looks like Elbert Creek Canyon, just
> > before Rockwood....nice colors!
> >
> > The only thing with this charter that is
> incorrect
> > is the fact there never were K-36 locomotives
> past
> > Rockwood in the D&RGW era.  497 was the first
> > engine bigger than a K-28 to traverse the line
> in
> > the D&S era, around 1989-90???  Bridges were
> not
> > strong enough until Bradshaw had them
> > strengthened.  Today the K-36 are the main
> power
> > on the D&S passenger trains.
> >
> > The other thing about charters is the fact you
> can
> > get into remote regions for photos you could
> not
> > normally get to.  This is the case with the
> > second shot.  I met Dave once while shooting
> the
> > Rotary, circa 1993 on the C&TS.
> > Greg Scholl
>
> 481 was the first large engine to run all the way
> to Silverton.   It was put in service in the
> summer of 1981 (August?)  497 was returned to
> service in 1984.
>
> In D&RGW days, K36 and K37 class engines could run
> as far as Rockwood, but seldom did.  There are
> pics out there of 492 running a work train north
> of Durango in the early 1960's. 

Thanks for the correction on the 481.  I was there in 81 but in June, and I just remember the 497 running there awhile before being traded to the C&TS (Spring 1992?).  I did not realize the 481 ran before the 497.  I do remember the Rio Grande Days run of 492 to Rockwood from the NG board.
Cheers,
Greg
 

This is a great series, Bruce.  Please keep it going.