Steam & Excursion > D&RG loco received 1877 for Veta Pass - mystery solved

As the double ended Fairley was the common engine on the construction work trains building the line westward up Veta Pass, the railroad said they had ordered two heavy locomotives to work the Mountain Division along with the Fairley built by Vulcan Foundry.  The tracks were built over the summit on June 7, 1877 and a week later a 2’ snow cancelled an excursion which diverted to Canyon City and other highlight.  Later the first excursion was run before the new 30# rail reached Placer (Russell).  The steel rail came from Johnstown, PA.

At this time the Colorado Weekly Chieftain of June 21, 1877 made a progress report on the one of the two locomotives “The Big Mogul engine, intended for the mountain division, is now switching in the yard here [Pueblo] so as to get her in good working order.  She is a monster ten-wheeler, weighing thirty-four tons.  She is supplied with a patent steam brake, which can effectually lock every one of the drivers, thus preventing the possibility of her getting away with the engineer down steep grades.”

I’m using the Colorado RR Museum “Locomotives of the Rio Grande” roster but I cannot see this class of engine for 1877. 

Edit addition:
This attached photo is not the Big Mogul in question, but the best photo I have of train on 30 degree Mule Shoe Curve climbing 211 feet a mile on Veta Pass.  This dog looks like Olaf was there in 1880, three years after the new 30# was spiked down.  The construction foreman explained that they spiked every brace and tie account it was mountain grade and sharp curve as they progressed and not every third tie normally done by construction crew, leaving it to the section men to add the missing spikes later, the usual practice on level work. This is consolidation #40 built by Baldwin Dec 1879 as CN 4872 “Elk Mountain” sold to Hallack & Howard Lumber Company, #3, La Madera, NM (off the Chili Line) Feb. 28, 1917. H&H used it till June 1920 when replaced by two C&S Cooke consolidations that became H&H #8 & #9.

 



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 05/26/20 04:20 by PlyWoody.

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In 1877, the D&RG received a pair of 2-8-0's #22 and #24.  Both were class 60 (later C-16).   One of this pair "big mogul" or "ten wheel" is what the paper is referring to.   After these two were built, 9 class 56 locomotives followed them before #41, the next class 60, was delivered in 1880.   31 more class 56 engines then followed #41.  



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/25/20 16:01 by elueck.

Thanks for helpful correction.
Mystery solved as most newspaper errors correct the mystory in later stories.  On June 22, 1877 the report “the giant narrow gauge engine Alamosa arrived night before last with 25 cars in tow.” That would be #22 in the roster which was renumbered to #228 11/30/1894 which was a consolidation Class 60, and not a Mogul.  No. 24 was its sister, renumbered 41 the same date.

Additional
At the exact same time the “Alamosa” locomotive was hauling new rail up over the Veta Pass summit on June 22, 1877 the newspaper disclose the creation of a new town of Alamosa yet to be built east of Del Norte.  Fort Garland was the east side of the San Luis Valley.
The "Chieftain" newspaper reports that the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad Company are laying out a new town about forty miles southwest of Fort Garland.

 



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 05/26/20 06:50 by PlyWoody.