A Long Tradition
This issue of the Colorado Railroad Museum Rail Report continues the long tradition of sharing news and updates with members of the Rocky Mountain Railroad Club. Now that the Club has become part of the Museum, we’re delighted to carry on that legacy and share it with the broader Museum community—bringing the Rail Report to a wider audience interested in Colorado railroading, preservation, and the stories that keep our shared history rolling forward.
If you have received this email as a forward from someone else, please click here to continue receiving the Rail Report monthly. And if you know of someone who might be interested, please forward and share!
We’re delighted to continue a long tradition with a new look and feel. All aboard!
Paul Hammond Dave Schaaf
Executive Director Rail Report Editor
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Rail-Related Updates
- In the Pacific Northwest, both the Mount Rainier Scenic Railroad and the Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad have experienced suspicious fire damage to wooden trestles on their properties in recent months. Investigations are ongoing.
- The Center for Railroad Photography & Art has announced the theme for the 2026 John E. Gruber Creative Photography Awards: “Water.” This theme invites photographers to explore the dynamic relationship between water and railroads—whether literal or symbolic. The next group of award-winning photographs will once again be featured at the Colorado Railroad Museum, continuing this inspiring collaboration that celebrates the intersection of art and railroading. For more information about the contest and submission process, visit https://railphoto-art.org/awards/water/. The 2026 winners will be featured at the Colorado Railroad Museum next year. Right now, you can catch the Center's 2025 contest winners (the theme is "Smoke") on display at the Museum.
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From the Center for Rail Photography and Art's Collection: An aerial photo of a Southern Pacific work train in the Great Salt Lake, powered by four GP9s, by Richard Steinheimer. As the photographer noted, the train was “going to sea by rail” at Lakeside, Utah, on June 13, 1986. (Steinheimer-Burman-TempAV-006)
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Rail Watch
Current highlights and regional happenings.
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Union Pacific 6362, a G.E. AC44CW, with two other units (all with American flags!) moved 70 loaded cars from Bond, around the Crater Loops towards Phippsburg on Sunday, October 5, 2025. Great to see action on UP’s Moffat Tunnel Subdivision with autumn gold trees before snow fell a few hours later on the Craig Branch in Colorado. ©2025 Chip
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Union Pacific 4014, an Alco 4-8-8-4 Big Boy, backed its passenger special across the South Platte River on The Belt Line north of Denver on Wednesday, 1 October 2025. This train was moving from UP’s North Yard to 36th Street Yard and then north to Cheyenne, Wyoming. This was Union Pacific 4014’s second outing in 2025, and was an overnight run with some preferred shipping clients. ©2025 Chip
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Union Pacific’s 1616, an EMD SD70M, Abraham Lincoln Commemorative Unit led UP No. 5898 and an 18-car passenger special back from Intrepid Potash on the UP’s Cane Creek Subdivision September 24, 2025. At upper left is the Jug Handle Arch (note shadow down by the highway) along the Colorado River west of Moab, Utah. UP’s CEO Jim Vena and invited guests made the unique excursion to this colorful area near Arches National Park. ©2025 Chip
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Rocky Mountain Rail Preservation
A Tale of Three Locomotives (part 4)
By John Bush
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Denver & Rio Grand (D&RG) locomotive No. 223 is the last remaining narrow-gauge locomotive built by the Grant Locomotive Works. Built 144 years ago in 1881 in Paterson, New Jersey, it was retired by the D&RGW in 1941.
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The first transcontinental railroad was completed in May 1869 at Promontory Summit, Utah. The last quarter of the 19th century was a period of rapid expansion of the North American railroad system. Several other transcontinental lines were completed and railroads were planned and built into many remote areas for the development of mining, lumbering, and agricultural purposes. In 1881 The Denver & Rio Grande Western Railway (D&RGWRy) was incorporated to build from Salt Lake to the Colorado state line. William Jackson Palmer was President. The D&RGWRy inherited nine small locomotives from two smaller Utah railroads when it was formed. It leased 12 D&RG class 60 2-8-0's from the D&RG numbered in the series No. 257 through No. 295. In March of 1883 the narrow gauge D&RGW Railway was completed to the Colorado state line and through service was initiated between Denver and Salt Lake City. During that time frame there was great demand for steam locomotives, and at least a dozen manufacturing companies were building to meet the demand. The 1881 D&RG purchased 44 engines from Baldwin Locomotive Works of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. That same year they purchased 28 locomotives from the Grant Locomotive Works of Paterson, New Jersey. These locomotives were built to the same plans as the Baldwin machines but were produced by “Grant” because “Baldwin” was overwhelmed with orders.
While the D&RG purchased No. 223 in 1881, there is no solid evidence that it ever operated west of Montrose, Colorado. No. 223 was used between Salida and Montrose, Colorado, during the 1880s, and there are at least two photos that show it in service on Cumbres Pass in Colorado prior to 1904.
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Numerous photos show its Grant-built sisters in service in Chama, New Mexico, during that time. In later years, it was used primarily on the branch lines north of Gunnison to Crested Butte and Baldwin. It may have also operated through the Black Canyon to Cimarron. It continued to be of value to the railroad because these lines had light rail and close clearances that could not accommodate larger, heavier locomotives.
In July 1941, the locomotive was moved to Salt Lake City and placed on display in Liberty Park in honor of the arrival of pioneers in the Salt Lake Valley. The No. 223 was not officially donated to Salt Lake City until 1952. At that time, a bronze plaque was affixed to the engine, erroneously indicating that it was the locomotive on a train arriving in Salt Lake in 1883. No proof has been found that No. 223 or any of the Grant-built engines ever operated west of Grand Junction, Colorado. Before being moved to Utah for display, the Denver & Rio Grande Western removed its headlight and dynamo (generator), mounted the shell of an oil-burning headlight, applied a fake balloon stack, and painted it in garish colors. When ownership was transferred to Salt Lake City in 1952, crews from the D&RGW's Salt Lake shop repainted it to its 1930s appearance. While on display in Liberty Park, the locomotive and tender were subjected to regular watering by a sprinkler system that caused the ruin of the tender frame and badly damaged the crankpins on the left side of the running gear. In 1979, after years of neglect, ownership was transferred by gift to the Utah State Historical Society. In 1980, No. 223 was moved from Liberty Park to the platform on the track side of the Rio Grande Depot. Careless craning during the move resulted in further damage to the running gear. Unfortunately, plans for stabilization and cosmetic restoration to correct the years of neglect never came to fruition, and the locomotive continued to deteriorate.
In 1991 the Golden Spike Chapter of the Railway & Locomotive Historical Society was organized. In 1992 the locomotive was finally moved to the Ogden Union Depot in Ogden.
Under the leadership of Maynard Morris, this group undertook the project of restoring the locomotive to operating condition in it's final operating years. During the years between 1992 and 2018 the following work was done:
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The locomotive was disassembled:
- Boiler separated from frame.
- Boiler piping and valves removed.
- Frame and running gear moved indoors.
- Side rods removed (one crank pin had to be cut off)
- Pistons and piston rods removed.
- Crossheads and guides removed.
- Lead truck removed.
- Drivers removed.
- Spring rigging removed.
- Locomotive cab removed and deconstructed.
- Tender de-trucked
- Tender tank separated from frame.
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Restoration Completed:
Tender frame was rebuilt using salvaged metal parts and all new wood. The joinery and fabrication methods are the same as the original tender.
Tender tank was rebuilt with all new sheet metal and original fittings. The tank was riveted in the same manner as the original.
The tender trucks were rebuilt with new springs and brasses (bearings). Further work may be required.
The locomotive cab has been rebuilt using proper historic joinery methods. All the wood was replaced, and some of the steel pieces have also been replaced due to the deterioration of the original parts. Unfortunately, the cab was rebuilt using poplar wood, which does not hold up to the weather outdoors and will deteriorate quickly.
Including volunteer labor, donated services by outside contractors, and cash donations, the No. 223 group raised and spent over $300,000 in their efforts.
Unfortunately, municipalities that own historic railroad artifacts have not always been willing or able to invest the resources necessary to protect and maintain the donated equipment. Over the years, volunteer groups have started preservation/ restoration projects only to run up against an inability to raise the funding necessary to complete the projects.
In this particular case, the locomotive was literally falling apart in full view of everyone who rode the Amtrak trains through Salt Lake City. The Golden Spike Chapter became an ad hoc group, and made significant progress before they were locked out of the facility in Ogden where the work was being done. It is unfortunate that work was started before a complete plan was developed, including where the locomotive would be operated, maintained, and stored when not being operated.
I was hired by the City of Ogden as a consultant in 2023 to examine the almost completely disassembled locomotive. My goal was to determine if all the important parts could be found (98% were), assess their condition, inventory them, label them, and move them to storage in a safe and secure location. The depot area where they were stored was needed by the city for other purposes. As part of my services, I made recommendations regarding paths for the future of this unique locomotive. Since then, Ogden City has been working to identify possibilities and partnerships toward reassembling and restoring the locomotive. Significant progress is being made, and I’m optimistic that positive outcomes will happen soon.
Stay tuned for updates!
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A bit of Rocky Mountain Railroad Club History
By Jim Ehernberger
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The Colorado Central Narrow Gauge Railroad, owned by Lindsey Ashby, had replaced track on a short segment of the original Colorado & Southern narrow gauge roadbed at Central City. The Club arranged for our membership to have unlimited rides for only $2.00 for adults and children free to ride on this line on Sunday, October 19, 1969. Due to snow flurries during the early hours, ridership was low. Once the clouds moved away, the bright sun and cold temperature provided a great opportunity for nice photography that day. This operation was later relocated to the newly completed Georgetown Loop line at Silver Plume.
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John Birmingham of Boulder reconstructed a two-foot gauge railroad on the former roadbed of the Midland Terminal from Cripple Creek toward Victor, Colorado, and the Club arranged several trips over that operation. This image was made on August 22, 1970, when our unlimited ride day costing $5.00 was available. To enhance those opportunities for participants and photographers, three locomotives handled the two-car train, making several photo stops during the day. The lead locomotive, built in Germany by Orenstein & Koppel, an 0-4-4-0, was previously used on a Mexican mining railroad, the second engine was a Porter 0-4-0 saddle tank type, also from that Mexican mining railroad, and the third locomotive was a Henschel, built in Germany and imported to America. The two passenger cars were constructed at the Great Western Railway shop in Loveland, Colorado.
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We're saddened to report that long-time Washington Post transportation reporter and Trains columnist Don Phillips passed away in September after a long illness, at age 83. He grew up in Alabama, and graduated from Auburn. Later in his career, he also wrote columns for Railfan & Railroad magazine and Passenger Train Journal. He had attended at least one meeting of the Rocky Mountain Railroad Club in recent years.
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Content contributions this month from Chip Sherman, John Bush, Jim Ehernberger
and Dave Schaaf.
Editorial assistance from Paul Hammond and Maddie Schaaf.
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| Thanks to our generous Sponsors & Partners
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