Hi,
As I understsand it, Palmer used "Native American"
(pull the wagons into a circle YO) styles - 2-4-0, 2-6-0, 4-4-0, 2-8-0, etc. The first 12 locos were Baldwins - 2-4-0 and 2-6-0.
The Fairlie was a one of experiment. It was the 13th locomotive on the property hence #13.
It was used on the front range initally hauling coal up and down the steep grades near Castle Rock.
It fit poorly into the D&RG operations and supposedly not liked much. It was never repeated. It was shifted to Veta/La Veta Pass (I never can keep the two separate). I think that it kept being shifted out of the "regular" loco numbering range to make it stand out (A class to itself). I think the Fairlie was not suted to the Rocky Mountains and American/D&RG style oiperations. The Fairlie was quite successful in Britain with the shorter runs and lower and shorter maximum grades.
Doug vV