Re: Ridgway Cinder Catchers

Thanks for the info, Eric. I'm not surprised at all by your comments.
The Cinder Catcher Josh was asking about was patterened after the Ridgway Cinder Catcher, which was used from 1918 until the end of Narrow Gauge operations on the C&S in 1943. The distinctive catcher was designed by H.W. Ridgway, who was later head of the C&S Mechanical Department. This was done at the demand of the US Forest Service, who was ready to levy severe fines against the C&S for fires caused by cinders from passing trains.
As Eric indicated, the C&S narrow gauge engines were much smaller than the K-Class engines of the D&RGW and had much less draft. While Ridway's design was similar to those later fashioned by the D&S, the original was much taller and had a less severe angle on the front edge. All C&S narrow gauge coal burners had a single screen baffle angled over the nozzle inside the smokebox. It was part of the fireman's job on the C&S to have to bore flues with augers that were carried on each engine during pauses each day. Helper engines bored flues at Dickey every trip as they awaited the arrival of the train working downgrade from either Boeras or Fremont Pass. This involved opening the smokebox front and removing the baffle. So problems with drafting were also evident on those engines. They just had to take time to deal with it, not an option on the D&S. Especially on a K-28, huh, Eric?
What many don't realize is that even a couple C&S Standard Gauge 2-8-0's were fitted with Ridway Catchers, but these were not used long.
I doubt anyone misses the interesting little "bear trap" cinder catchers used on the D&S. They looked really weird. Hopefully, these new devices will be as effective as the old fake diamond stacks were.
By the way, the term "Bear Trap" was never used on the C&S. That silly moniker was dubbed in a photo caption many years later by an author who had probably been up too long trying to meet a deadline.