Re: 485/496

There were more than enough locomotives to protect service on the Alamosa-Farmington lines once the Gunnison lines were abandoned and Monarch was standard-gauged, so 485 and 496 were expendable.

In fact, by the late 1950's (not long after the arrival of the K-36's from Salida) and early 1960's, the D&RGW was setting aside additional engines as they needed overhaul. 480, 481, 482, 486, 489 (all of the aforementioned that had been assigned to Salida between about 1949-56), 490 (scrapped), 491, 492, 494, 495, and 499 had all been sidelined by the time abandonment was near. 483, 484, 487, 488, 493, 497, and 498 carried the load during those last years. 481 was the only one "brought back from the dead" by the Grande; 497 was also overhauled by the Grande, but had been in service just prior to her overhaul--481 hadn't run since the early '60's.

Given those facts, I've always considered it amazing that the entire K-36 class, excepting 485, lived to serve in tourist service on the C&TS and D&S. Of course, the K-37's fared much more poorly--only the 497 ever saw tourist service. I would still love to see my personal "pet"--493--overhauled and returned to service.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/18/2010 09:42AM by Wade Hall.