Re: I disagree - sort of

skidmk Wrote:
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> The K-37's. I look at them as the peak of narrow
> gauge development and one does need to be pre-
> served, preferably [one] each at Antonito and
> Durango where they made their biggest impact.


Actually, the K-37's were NOT the peak of narrow gauge [steam] development, not even on the D&RGW. They were a money-saving way to get additional power for Marshall Pass and Cumbres Pass by buying only the running gear from Baldwin (which closely matched that of the very successful K-36's), and using 20-year-old boilers from standard-gauge 2-8-0's that were no longer needed and would probably otherwise have been scrapped during the Depression if not before.

Nonetheless, I do agree that at least one K-37 should be restored to operation - at least for occasional special trains - preferably in Chama or Antonito as IIRC the K-37's have proven to be a bit too large for the Silverton branch.  To re-open an old can of worms, it may be that the most cost-effective way to accomplish this is to use #497's running gear under #492's extensively rebuilt boiler, and put #497's boiler on #492's running gear for a display engine.  IIRC the engine number follows the boiler, so the operational engine would be numbered 492 and the stuffed-and-mounted display would be #497.

- Russ