Snow Plows on the Rio Grande

Barry Munro is building K-27's for Microsoft Train Simulator for use on the narrow gauge routes and I'm working with him on the project (working = cajoling, needling, rivet counting and general nitpicking!). So far he has done the slide valve version, specifically 450 and 460, and the early conversion piston valve version with the valves inboard of the cylinders. He’s working on the outboard piston valve version but it hasn’t been released yet. They’re looking pretty good.


Someone asked him to do a pilot plow for the engines and I did the research on which might have had the addition. As it turns out, except for 460 and the big “Silverton Branch” plow, none of the above were equipped with plows except the 461 after it went to the RGS. In fact, it would seem from photographic evidence that only the 453, 462 and 464 were ever equipped with a pilot plow.

In doing this research I discovered something interesting which I hadn’t noticed before. Of all the classes of D&RGW 2-8-2’s, it would appear that only the K-28’s had plows before 1940. I couldn’t find a single photo of a K-27, 36 or 37 with a pilot plow and a “bug” herald.

Then it dawned on me: K-28’s = passenger trains. Once a day, each way, over Marshall and Cumbres Passes with a plow on the front kept the line clear. There was no need for plows on the freight engines with the odd exception of the snow fighting trains in the Animas Canon.

In 1940 two things happened. 1, engines were repainted with Flying Rio Grande’s on the tanks and large numbers and 2, the Shavano was discontinued over Marshall Pass. Post 1940 plows start showing up on freight engines!

So without any documentation other than photographic evidence I came up with the following assumption: Pre 1940 = Bug heralds, small cab numbers and no pilot plows except on some K-28’s in passenger service. Post 1940 = Flying Rio Grande heralds, big cab numbers and pilot plows on freight engines. Jerry Day, can you verify this arrangement?

My research indicates that: 453, 462 and 464 were the K-27 plow engines with 463 catching the Silverton wedge plow on occasion; all engines of the K-36 Class except for 480 had plows at one time or another (not sure about 485), and; 493, 498 and 499 were the plow engines of the K-37 Class. Of the K-28’s it would appear that all but 474, which spent its Rio Grande life working out of Gunnison on the Crested Butte run, had plows at one time or another and as early as 1936.

Your thoughts fellas?