Steam & Excursion > Rio Grande Western

Constructed by Baldwin in 1892, "No. 63 was built with 14&24x24" cylinders, 66-inch drivers, and an engine weight of 123,300 lbs." per utahrails.net, Unlike the first two, this one (and the next three after it) came as Vauclain compounds, with this one showing Richmond cast into the valve case. Not sure if the other compounds had this too. According to the caption at LOC, this is not a builder's photo as the locomotive was already in service at the time.
Photo credit the Library of Congress
Be of good cheer,
—Mac
www.lowellamrine.com

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Not a Vauclain compound.

-LD

https://nprymuseum.org/vauclain-compound-cylinder/
 

A mighty-good-looking engine.
Bob

Lots of good stuff here once again.

I get confused with D&RG and RGW. D&RG Railway vs. Railroad, the original D&RGW, the new D&RGW etc. Then the acquisition of the D&SL in 1931, formation of the D&SLW and absorbtion of the D&SL in 1947 becoming the modern D&RGW ..... sort of ... maybe.  I need a cheat sheet.  Oh yeah, then the Rio Grande Junction Railway too. 

So, the attached image is after the Richmond rebuild in early 1900 ?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/30/25 07:33 by train1275.

Supposedly the original D&RGW charter did not allow them to build into Utah, the Rio Grande Western was the legal loophole.
—Mac

train1275 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Lots of good stuff here once again.
>
> I get confused with D&RG and RGW. D&RG Railway vs.
> Railroad, the original D&RGW, the new D&RGW etc.
> Then the acquisition of the D&SL in 1931,
> formation of the D&SLW and absorbtion of the D&SL
> in 1947 becoming the modern D&RGW ..... sort of
> ... maybe.  I need a cheat sheet.  Oh yeah, then
> the Rio Grande Junction Railway too. 
>
> So, the attached image is after the Richmond
> rebuild in early 1900 ?

The corporate history of the modern Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad is a long and tangled one involving more then a few bankruptcies and reorganizations.
Plus being used as a cash cow to help finance the construction of the Western Pacific courtesy of the Gould Family.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/01/26 14:15 by PHall.

It appears to be a "Richmond Compound" which I believe is a cross compound design with a high pressure cylinder on the left side and a low pressure cylinder on the right.