Re: RGS operations question

The Rio Grande Southern Story series has several photos of "little engines" (anything less than a K-27) cut into the middle of a train with a "big engine" (yep, you guessed it) on the head end. Two that come to mind feature the 20. One has 20 cut in one car behind the 462. Another has 20 cut into the middle.

As to the attrition rate of RGS Power

20 - Best of the lot and running up until the end of operations on the South end.
22 - Out Of Service in 1942, worn out, scrapped 1946
25 - OOS 1940, worn out
40 - Wrecked 1943, scrapped 1944
41 - In service until Summer of 1950, stored with a very thin crown sheet
42 - In service to the end of operations, also on the South end. Used in scrapping
74 - Obtained in 1948, last use in 1951 stock rush
455 - Obtained in 1939, wrecked in 1943, sat out the war in Ridgway, rebuilt in 1947, OOS for repairs Summer of 1951, never finished
461 - Obtained in September 1950, used with other leased K-27's, mostly on the North end until end of operations, ran the North end scrap train

1940-1943 was a bad time for RGS motive power!

So with only having 20, 41 and 42, all through the 1940's there had to be leased D&RGW locomotives used. These included C-18's, C-19's until they were gone and then K-27's. Had the RGS continued in operation they would have had to obtain more of the K-27 class as the Rio Grande was scrapping them in the late 40's, early 50's.