Steam & Excursion > Small three-footers part 3: D&RG 168

Photo 1: 1883-built Denver & Rio Grande passenger locomotive #168 crosses Ferguson's trestle outbound from Antonito on a colorful fall morning with clearing storm skies.  The fireman stands in the gangway, about to throw in another scoop for the climb to Lava Tank.

Photo 2: Approaching Big Horn Wye.   168 cuts a fine profile from the front.  The Engineer and Fireman are looking forward to a moment's rest as they take the wye to clear the main for the next down train from Osier.

Photo 3: A closer look at the machine as she pauses at Big Horn. A Classic 10-wheeler with drivers spaced to avoid the firebox.   This locomotive is from the 'round dome' era of Baldwin, inspired by an order from the Pennsylvania Railroad a year prior that included the first locomotives to bear this type of modernized dome.

Mike Massee
Tehachapi, CA
Photography, Railroading and more..

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Photo 1: 168 at Antonito with RGS 20 in the background, clearing storm sunset. 

Photo 2: 168 climbing the grade up to Lava at MP 297 (approx).   She is pulling 1887 D&RG shop-built RPO/baggage car #65, 1876 Billmeyer & Small coach 256 and 1881 Jackson & Sharp coach #292.   The two coaches at least originally ran here on the San Juan extension, and the locomotive ran all over the D&RG system.  A very authentic passenger train re-created 130 years later on its home road.  Stathi Pappas led the team at the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad Special Projects department which restored the locomotive and coaches.

Photo 3: Pausing at Lava Tank, affording an opportunity to go beween the rails for a picture.

Mike Massee
Tehachapi, CA
Photography, Railroading and more..

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Photo 1: I will include this somewhat plainly lit but classic shot in order to get a good color view of the coaches.   This is at the small trestle at Whiplash Curve.

Photo 2: We shall leave 168 in a going-away shot, just past Ferguson's trestle, heading in to the open plains and on into the San Juans.

 

Mike Massee
Tehachapi, CA
Photography, Railroading and more..

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I wanted to post this photo by way of remarking on something fairly amazing - all of these locomotives that I have posted about previously sat plinthed in parks, 168 recently enough for me to have photographed her seven years ago in that condition at Colorado Springs, before Stathi and his team worked their magic on it.   And I still have one locomotive to go that has a similar story.

We are living in a bit of a narrow gauge rennaisance, with a lot of formerly 'parked' engines brought back to life by the few dedicated teams that are able to develop a plan, have the skills and execute in a reasonable time frame.   It is a great time to be alive and photographing heritage steam.
 

Mike Massee
Tehachapi, CA
Photography, Railroading and more..

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Excellent set of photos - Your last two of D&RG 168 in the park help put the other photos of 168 alive and working in perspective.
Bob

Thank you Mike ... Really appreciate your sharing your
images and thoughts about the narrow gauge history saved
by the C&TSRR ... an extremely well done series!  I have 
participated in several Lerro Photo Charter Events, and they
are class acts.  We do live in perhaps an opportune snippet in time ...
there are narrow gauge locomotives running and there are opportunities
to restore others, and there is an interest in capturing the feel of the way it was
railroading more than a century ago ...

Odyssey
Evergreen, CO
 

Mike

Your series of small 3 fotters are simply fantastic. Your composition is equal to the best I've seen.
  Thanks for sharing. 
Ed

Great series of excellent photos, Mike.  Wish I had been along with you.  Thanks, man.

Absoututely outstanding images!

Nice work with Pic 1!!

I like #3 in the first series, could be 100 years ago. But might need a bit of photoshopping to remove present day in front of 168's pilot.