Thus, the Alamosa–Durango line eventually became of the last locations in the United States where steam locomotives were still in regular use. The D&RGW never introduced mainline diesel traction on their narrow-gauge lines, as narrow-gauge locomotives would have to be custom-built at significant additional cost. Abandonment and preservation īy the mid-1960s, traffic had once again dwindled and in 1968, the D&RGW sought to abandon the entire route. This increase provided the necessary revenue to keep the line operating into the 1960s. However the San Juan Extension experienced an unexpected "boom" in freight traffic due to growth in the oil industry around Farmington. After World War II, many of the surrounding Narrow gauge lines closed due to lack of Traffic. However, with the decline in ore traffic during the early 20th century, the railroad scrapped these plans and the Farmington branch was converted to narrow-gauge in 1923. The D&RGW had also considered building a tunnel under Cumbres Pass which would have alleviated the steep 4% grade over the pass. As a result, the section from Alamosa to Antonito was converted to dual gauge in 1901 with the addition of a standard gauge only branch from Durango south to Farmington, New Mexico a few years later. When the D&RGW began the process of converting most of their mainlines to standard gauge in the early 1900s, the railroad had also planned to convert the San Juan extension. In addition to the ore traffic, lumber and various agricultural commodities were also hauled along the route. In 1881, the line reached Durango and a short time later, a branch was built up the Animas river valley to the mining town of Silverton. The 200 miles (320 km) rail line was built in the early 1880s to access the various mineral resources in south-western Colorado. Portions of the route survive to this day: the now standard-gauged segment from Alamosa to Antonito, Colorado, and a narrow-gauge portion from Antonito to Chama, New Mexico.įollowing the Railroad Wars between the Denver and Rio Grande and the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway(Santa Fe), the D&RG signed an agreement with the Santa Fe, where the Santa Fe agreed not to compete with the D&RG's plans to build an extension into the San Juan Valley. The line was originally built as a 3 ft ( 914 mm) narrow-gauge line between Alamosa, Colorado, and Durango, Colorado. states of Colorado and New Mexico, in the Rocky Mountains. The Alamosa–Durango line or San Juan extension was a railroad line built by the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad, following the border between the U.S. Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad (Antonito–Chama)Ĥ ft 8 + 1⁄ 2 in ( 1,435 mm) (Alamosa–Antonito).San Luis and Rio Grande Railroad (Alamosa–Antonito).
Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad (original owner).So, for increased traction, most of the D&S's 45-ton engines initially weighed in at 50 tons or more. Given that these are of that design, but were built for private industrial railroads, the weight/crew requirements did not apply to them. 45-ton became a designator of engines of similar design, but with only a single traction motor per truck. 44-tonners were a four-axle, four traction motor, dual engine center cab unit built to skirt the requirement that any engine weighing more than 45 tons needed to have a fireman. New 2000hp diesel built by Motive Power Equipment & Solutionsġ: The designator 45-ton should not necessarily imply weight. Traded to Durango & Silverton Mar 2017 for DSNG #9 4
To Georgetown Loop RR, Silver Plume, CO, in 2007 3 Moved to Sumpter, OR, and rebuilt 2005-2007 by Sumpter Valley RR shops 3 Purchased Feb 2005 by Colorado Historical Society for Georgetown Loop 3 To Huckleberry Railroad, Flint, MI, Nov 1979 3Įngine threw rod Aug 1990 and was retired 3 Sold to US Gypsum, Plaster City, CA, and in service J2 To Georgetown Loop March 2017 in trade for 1203 4īuilt 1946 by HK Porter, apparently for Pakistan 2Įquipped with 6 Westinghouse 928A traction motors, 72:13 gearing, and a Westinghouse l99A generator.
Originally Algoma Steel #7, from Sault Ste. Originally Algoma Steel #5, from Sault Ste. Originally Algoma Steel #4, from Sault Ste. Marieĥ0 tons initially, increased to 55 tons in 1970 Originally Algoma Steel #1, from Sault Ste.