There have been several threads on the NGDF about the Baldwin dome covers and when Baldwin changed over from the fluted style, like on the 278 and the 346, to the style that is on the C-18's like the 315. As I recall them, the commonly accepted date is around 1882. As far as the narrow gauge power is concerned, all of the T-12 4-6-0's from #167 up had the newer style covers, all of the C-17 2-8-0's, some of the C-18's, like #340,341 and 342 as well as RGS #41 (D&RG #409), plus all of the K-27 mudhens and the 3 ex Crystal River engines, 360,361 and 375. C-16's with those type covers include Grant engines 204 and 223 (both obviously later replacements), 229, 268 and 283. All 3 of our remaining SG Baldwins at SHFM built from 1913 to 1923 have the same type of dome covers as well. The C-16's were built across the 1881-1882 time frame so they could have easily had some with the old style dome covers, like 278 and others with the new, like 268 and 283, but it is also obvious from many photographs, that the Rio Grande shop forces did swap dome covers on many of the C-16 engines, with older Baldwin and Grant engines getting the newer style Baldwin domes, some of the Grant engines getting newer Baldwin steam dome covers, like 201, 208 and 225, and even some engines like RGS #13, even getting what appears to be a Grant trim ring on the old style Baldwin sand dome. Again, since the 229 was originally the #41 and the 283 ended its career with the boiler from #42, the later style dome covers were most likely replacements which suggests that those on #268 were also later replacements as well. What can be stated with some degree of assurance is that by the time that the
T-12 engines were built in 1883 and the C-17 engines in 1887, Baldwin engines were no longer being built with the fancy trim rings like 278 and 346 were built with in 1881.
