Re: 4-4-0 at Durango #68

The 4-4-0 at Durango was one of two engines built by Bob Harpur of Wilmington, California in 1968 for (now Six Flags) Astroworld in Houston (he also built two for Six Flags over Georgia in Atlanta in 1966 and they are still in service there). It was basically a 5/8 size model of standard gage rather than full size narrow gage like Crown built. Since Harpur had known Disney for quite a while at the time, I've always suspected that maybe he might have borrowed the patterns from the two original Disney engines, though I have no proof of that. At last word, the other Astroworld Harpur (called the 610 Express) was still at Astroworld, even though they recently acquired a 2-4-0 steam outline diesel "Elizabeth" from the now defunct Opryland in Nashville. Dave Barnhardt was involved in #68 moving from Astroworld to Silverwood where it was too light for the grades. It then went to Laramie where it rusted up quite a bit I hear. I was told that they tried to convert it to look like UP #119 while it was there. Last I heard, the fellow who now owns it in Durango had been in a car wreck. I hadn't heard the story about the Cosner casino before. I would be interested in knowing more about that. The 4-4-0 on the outfield wall at the new ballpark in Houston is not from Astroworld. It is a movie prop.
--Denis Larrick