Steam Engine 315

The Durango Railroad Historical Society announced in March that they are restoring Durango's long-neglected narrow gauge 2-8-0, former Denver & Rio Grande Western No.315. This class C-18 Consolidation, built by Baldwin in July 1895, has been displayed at Durnngo since 1950 and is the only steam locomotive in town not owned by the Durango & Silverton. No.315 was originally Florence & Cripple Creek No.3. the Elkton, and in 1917 was acquired by the Denver & Rio Grande and became D&RG 425. After the D&RG merged with the Rio Grande Western in the early 1920s, No.425 was given its present number, 315, and worked out the remainder its life around Gunnison, Montrose, Ouray and Salida, Colorado.

In the late 1940s No.315 was assigned to the Durango yard as a switcher, along with No.319. When larger power became available, both C-18s were retired on October 13, 1949, and No.315 was donated to Durango for display. No.319 was destroyed in a staged head-on collision on the Silverton Branch during the filming of the movie Denver & Rio Grande. Another C-18, No.318, survived the collision and is being restored at the Colorado Railroad Museum.

No.315 was first placed on display in September 1950, and just five years later the 2-8-0 was borrowed to appear in the movie Around the World in 80 Days. Due to mechanical problems (reportedly a cracked or broken cylinder) No.315 was not under steam during the filming, but was pushed around with a motorized box car with smoke blowing out the stack to make it appear "live." Shortly after the movie wrapped, the Consolidation was returned to the park wearing the gaudy paint job, large diamond stack, box headlight, and phony cowcatcher from the filming. When Durango officials complained to the movie producers, the engine was repainted into a more authentic D&RGW scheme, but the fake stack and headlight remain to this day.

Over the past five decades No.315 has deteriorated badly, and was in such rough shape by 1997 that members of the San Juan Large Scalers club asked the city about painting and caring for the engine to honor a member who had recently passed away. Since then, the organization has refurbished the 2-8-0 to its circa-1930 appearance and repaired its rotted pilot beam and cowcatcher. They wish to take the restoration a step further, and have reorganized as the Durango Railroad Historical Society, hoping to return the engine to steam for use on the Durango & Silverton during special events, such as the railroads annual Railfest held every August. The City of Durango, which owns the locomotive, has given their blessing for the project and pledged to help with funding for cosmetic repairs.

The first task is to perform a thorough boiler inspection costing between $6000 and $8000 which will be done at the Durango & Silverton roundhouse. After the inspection, the decision will be made to restore the engine for operation, or just cosmetically. Odds are if the 106-year old boiler is in good shape, a full restoration will be done. Funding is a major concern, and DRHS Director Lynn Daogherty recently wrote in a letter to the Slimrails email group that, "If it looks reasonable that she (315) can be put into operating condition but the funds aren't available, we'll do the cosmetic restoration with that goal in mind, such as adding a working air pump, etc." Costs to put the C-18 back in running order are estimated to be between $150,000 and $500,000.

The five year restoration was completed about two years ago, so yes as you can see by the video, 315 HAS BEEN RESTORED.

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• Trains

[CohassetFilms]

The problem was largely that the train was bound around those curves in the track and it was on rusty rail. It could also have been that the brakes were not fully released yet on the cars as they tried to start the train.

As far as I know she made all the trips between Antonito and Chama without any problems.

[Fireheart528]

@Fireheart528 Back in the day these were the big guns of the freight engines before larger power became available.

[Fireheart528]

@grizzleybearz282004 Yeah it's a 2-8-0, just looks like a switcher from the camera angle.

[Mrdancefloordj]

I think I can! I think I can! 

[Bluemango123]

That is an awfully small Locomotive pulling that long a train.

[tonymerc1]

@steelhelex There locomotives dumbo.

[steelhelex]

All these steam machine are something! I can not understand why that is some sort of magic.

[AdmiralVeers85]

@nickman888 it has to do with the pressure build up and throttle. It wants to go fast but the throttle wont let it, so it blows up the pressure by spinning the wheels...I think

[durangoandsilverton]

Was that engine used for passanger trains?

[nickman888]

@Aspire198 lol burnout!!, wonder why its doin that? my guess its pulling over its capacity

[grizzleybearz282004]

THATS A 2-8-0 RIGHT? ISNT IT LOOKS MORE OF A SWITCHER ENGINE TYPE GREAT VIDEO I REALY LIKED SEEING THE CABOOSES THAY LOOKED GOOD SOME OF THEM ARE JUST AS RARE AS THE ENGINES