Re: The Leased D&RGW C-19s on the C&S Narrow Gauge

Posted by Jim Courtney on
URL: http://c-sng-discussion-forum.254.s1.nabble.com/The-Leased-D-RGW-C-19s-on-the-C-S-Narrow-Gauge-tp7242p7251.html

I've had a chance to do some reading and browsing photos in my books, and unearthed these C&S C-19 factoids:

The January, 1936, wreck of 73 and 75 must have constituted an emergency for the C&S, as the D&RGW C-19s were shipped to Denver on standard gauge flat cars and were ready for service on the C&S in February.

The D&RGW initially offered to lease a couple of K-27s, but the C&S felt the engines too heavy for the Platte Canon bridges and worn rail (A K-27 with Ridgeway stack, climbing Boreas Pass would have been an impressive sight, no?).

A photo in one of the Klingers' books show number 345 in a multi-engine rotary train at Baker's Tank in March, 1936, without a Ridgeway stack. The Ridgeways may not have been applied to the leased C-19s until late winter-spring of 1936.

The C-19s were never used on the Clear Creek lines. I've found no references for them being used on the Como-Alma run.

They were most commonly used in freight service on one of the once or twice a week 4-engine trains from Denver to Como, sometimes 2 or even 3 in a given consist.

In winter, a common use for the C-19s was helper on the passenger train, Como to Leadville:  A C-19, trailing a flanger would couple ahead of the passenger power, and run helper over Boreas and Fremont passes, returning the next day.

The C-19s were used almost to abandonment. On April 7, 1937 engine 346 handled the last C&S stock train, 15 cars from Denver to Jefferson. Helpers westbound were engines 345, 58 and 65. The caboose was 1006, still in use at this late date.

The two C-19s on the stock train returned to Denver on April 8th, running light. All the C-19s were then stored in the Denver roundhouse until April 18-19, when the joint inspections by the two roads mechanical departments took place.  The 3 engines were loaded back onto flat cars and shipped to Alamosa thereafter.

Still looking for more photos.