Re: Denver South Park & Pacific 191

For the record the 191 was already cosmetically restored years ago. That's how she came to look the way she does now representing the DL&G in about 1896. Volunteers spent many hours building a new cab, proper pilot, class lamp brackets, cab handrails, side rod cups, custom machined cylinder cocks, full boiler jacketing, a hand full of appliances were gathered and added to the cab, spot plate brass ring, (More were supposed to be added.) and so on. The cab has not weathered well since it is not made from a hard wood, same for the tender frame.
Here is a link to a photo of her in the new shop being worked on.
From our websute here she is all fresh and ready for display. That headlight by the way might be fake but the internals are real and functional.


Current plans are to rebuild what is falling apart, repaint and letter(DSP&P) the whole loco and maybe add some missing items. After that yes it will continue to live outdoors. For her to live indoors means giving up a stall in the roundhouse. This is impractical given the amount of other work that needs to be done inside the shop. There is still no other structure for equipment to be stored indoors. The Museum currently cannot build anymore structures, we are maxed out on square footage. That should be addressed soon as we continue with our new strategic plan.
We are all very hopeful that in the future there will be more buildings to store equipment indoors and still be on public display. Again my dream is for her to be restored to as built as DSP&P 51 and displayed indoors. Keep in mind this will require replicating another smoke stack, cast spot plate, headlight, cab, and tender tank. This would require large amounts of money in additional and after what is needed right now just to keep it presentable. So again donations welcome. For those who don't know here is what the 51 looked like in 1880.
David fletcher drawing.
Seen here.


Honestly I believe every large museum has more stuff than they can take care of and or display. We are no different, we are getting better at keeping up with what we have. We now have a regular paint program that is in the budget every year. Quite a bit of stuff got done before my time and even more got ignored or neglected. We are playing catch up, and we are gaining headway. Keep in mind since I started we have completed previously started restorations of URY combine 50, UTLX 55172 "GRAMPS" tank car, and RGS 20. Equipment that got long overdue paint work include the D&IM caboose, UP coach 5442, Our GE center cab GC&SJ #4, D&RGW GP30 3011, CB&Q car 96, and most recently CB&Q rotary snow plow 99201. These were all done by a contractor and cost many thousands of dollars to paint. Other things have been repainted by volunteers while receiving restoration/maintenance work. Like C&S caboose 1009, DRGW caboose 0578, RGS caboose 0404, D&RGW coaches 280 and 284, RGS business car B-21, D&RGW RPO 60. The list goes on on our more recent accomplishments. Once again I am committed to getting more done.

Jeff Taylor
CRRM curator of equipment and rolling stock.