Since DRGW No. 346 has returned to Durango, I thought it would be interesting to review some previous history of this locomotive and mechanical work conducted here in Durango 80 years ago.
The time is late September 1944 and the annual stock rush on the DRGW and RGS is well underway. It is still wartime and locomotives and men are in short supply. Work is getting completed as best it can in the Durango roundhouse. No. 346 was returned by the RGS to the DRGW in July and was awaiting boiler work to be completed in Durango. It was hoped to be pressed into service to assist with the fall stock traffic by the end of October. There was an exchange of letters between the DRGW Master Mechanic in Denver and the Durango Shop Foreman expressing frustration and excuses as to why the work on No. 346 was not happening in a timely manner. Both letters are attached as a single PDF. They are copies of the originals that were found in the Durango Roundhouse Foreman's office in the early 1980's. I am glad that I copied them as I believe the originals were lost in the 1989 roundhouse fire. I may have shared these previously, but thought it would be appropriate to share again.
DRGW 346 Letter, 1944.pdf
For a better understanding, listed below are the primary characters during this exchange and what I know or believe their titles are. The letter exchange is between those in
bold::
W.H. Sagstetter – DRGW Mechanical Officer (Denver)
A.E. Rice – DRGW Mechanical Officer (Denver)
M. Mclean – DRGW Master Mechanic (Denver-Burnham)
Foreman Klipka – Boiler Foreman (Denver -Burnham)
Foreman Taylor – Boiler Foreman (Alamosa)
W.B. Heath – Mechanical Foreman (Durango)
Employee Schilthius – Boilermaker (Durango).
An interesting note. Boilermaker Schilthius was the uncle of Denny Schilthius. Denny was a boilermaker, welder and engineer on the Durango & Silverton in the 1980’s and 90’s.
MD Ramsey
Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 04/22/2024 03:59PM by MD Ramsey.
