Re: Salida Pictures

Alamosa seemed to have a dislike of "Salida" engines. Nearly all the 480's that came down from Salida after the mid-1950's had a rather short service life before being retired. The only Salida K36 to work late was 483. Perhaps her longevity can be traced to the money spent on her after the 1958 wreck.

480 Was last used about 1963-4
481 about the same time, overhauled in 1966 never used.
482 1961 or so
483 wrecked in 1958, ran until 1968
484 Alamosa engine , ran until 1968
486 ran until 1963
487 Alamosa engine, ran until 1967
488 Alamosa engine, ran until 1966
489 ran until 1960.

Once the D&RGW started promoting the Silverton Branch, it was decided that it would be bad PR to scrap locomotives. 490 was already well parted out so it was quietly cut up. The rest became spare parts for the operating engines.

BTW when the States bought the C&TS, 482 and 489 were considered "parts engines - not serviceable", 483, 484, 487, 488 were considered operable.

The gas pipe boom began to die out in the early 1960's and a few engines that came from Salida came up for flue jobs, they were parked instead of shopping them.

In 1963 the Gramps refinery closed removing the need to keep Cumbres operating year-round. With the closing of the line in the winter, the D&RGW offically retired several set-aside engines, others got set aside as thier flue time ran out. Only 483 and 484 got work done on them after 1964. 481 was overhauled as a spare time project in 1966, but never run.

487 and 488 got work in 1962-3 and ran until thier flue time ran out in 1966 and 1967.