hank Wrote:
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> Which raises the question, was 223 donated or
> sold? D&RGW was in receivership at the time and
> the courts might have looked askance at giving
> away a piece of the property.
> Hank
Hank,
CRRM
Locomotives of the Rio Grande states leased to SLC for display 12/4; to Utah Historical Society 1979.
I love the narrow gauge and am glad #223 survived but it's selection for display has always puzzled me.
What I mean is, why were the people behind this so fixated on getting a narrow gauge engine that they settled for one with just about no relationship (most likely) to Utah and SLC when at the time they could have gotten a for real RGW std gauge engine that was only 6 years younger? D&RGW class C-26 #605 (RGW #116, 1889) certainly spent a lot of time running in Utah!
My take on this is....
The 223 was the last
unneeded small power available, all other kept for service, scrapped or donated. As to the n.g. being significant and relevant to SLC, that was the gauge of the D&RGW(rly) built, and also No D&RG(W) S.G.steam loco's were to be donated or saved.