Re: D&RGW 223

Craig,
You are correct from what I understand. To my knowledge no one has found evidence of operation in Utah, but with details of the specific locomotive being set aside D&RGW was a major player in Utah and I that is what the locomotive and train are intended to represent. The locomotive was originally donated to the Sons of the Utah Pioneers along with a highside gondola, a boxcar and a short caboose. I do not know the date that this occurred but I have a negative from a collection that was taken in the late 40’s or early 50’s of the locomotive on a flatbed trailer in the 24th of July Parade in Salt Lake City. At this time D&RGW had two standard gauge 2-8-0’s working in Salt Lake that were headed for scrap and could have been donated but D&RGW chose otherwise. The original museum was located in Sugar House Park on the D&RGW Sugar House branch.
Each of Utah’s major railroads were asked to donate something representative of their railroad for the exhibits. The Union Pacific donated #6264 and a couple of passenger cars and a caboose, the Southern Pacific Donated #1744 and a few cars. The D&RGW donated the narrow gauge train. I would have loved to seen the complete display. Due to development pressures the museum was dismantled and much of the equipment was transferred to Corinne, Utah. The narrow gauge cars were purchased by the Lagoon amusement park and the #223 went to the State Historical Society. During the #223 relocation debates the museum in Ogden was given the high side gondola, boxcar and caboose by the Lagoon amusement park. They wanted something to represent the D&RGW. #223 with its train fits the purpose and will look sharp with the complete train. I am sure if someone could magically conger up a standard gauge D&RGW 2-8-0, a 50 ton GS gondola, a 40 foot D&RGW wood box car and a wooden D&RGW caboose and set them on the museums door step they would be happy to trade.
Just to give you an idea of the proposals floated to the Utah State Historical Society, I remember hearing that one was to require the railroad to restore the locomotive and use it to pull Amtrak trains in Utah. This reminds me of a story I heard from a friend who rode the last trip of the Denver Zephyr. He said that one of the passengers asked the conductor what was going to happen with the train. The conductor stated that it was going to be taken to Durango and run on the Silverton line. I would love to see that conversion. I can’t really blame the people who come up with such proposals as they don’t understand what they are proposing but their heart is in the right place, they just want to save a piece of history.
Thanks