The history of the Class 70/74/C-19 locomotives is confusing at best. All built as narrow gauge consolidations in 1881, some were converted to standard gauge at the end of that decade (1889). Eleven years later, in 1900, they were all switched back to narrow gauge and put back into the original 400-411 series of numbers, but were not given their original numbers back.
In early 1936, the D&RGW leased three C-19s - 343, 345, and 346 - to the C&S?. C&S had wrecked engines 73 and 75 on Boreas Pass? in Jan 1936, and due to weather conditions would be unable to retrieve them until spring. During their time on the C&S, all three received C&S Ridgway spark arrestors, and at least 346 had half flanges turned into its blind drivers to help with adhesion. 346 was wrecked a mile below Kenosha Pass? on 25 Jul 1936, but was subsequently rebuilt by the C&S shops and continued in lease service right up until the end of the C&S narrow gauge in Apr 1937. At that point, all three were returned to the D&RGW.
Today, four survive:
- D&RGW 346, ex-D&RG 406, was purchased by R. W. Richardson in 1951, and now lives at the Colorado Railroad Museum.
- D&RGW 340 / RGS 40 now runs at Knott’s Berry Farm in California as D&RGW 340
- D&RG 409 / RGS 41 also runs at Knott’s Berry Farm in California as RGS 41
- D&RG 420 / RGS 42 is cosmetically preserved in the museum inside the roundhouse at Durango
| Unit | Mfgr. | Class | Serial | Built | Notes |
|---|
| D&RG 400 | Baldwin | 70 | 5571 | 1881 | Originally named "Green River"
To D&RGW 340 in 1924 |
| D&RG 401 | Baldwin | 70 | 5572 | 1881 | Originally named "Grand River"
Conv. to Class 74 Std Gauge #803, 28 Mar 1889
Conv. back to Class 74 NG D&RG 405, Jun 1900
To D&RGW 345 in 1924 |
| D&RG 402 | Baldwin | 70 | 5603 | 1881 | Originally named "Shoshone"
Conv. to Class 74 Std Gauge #800 on 12 Jul 1889
Conv. back to Class 74 NG D&RG 401 Jul 1898
To D&RGW 341 in 1924 |
| D&RG 403 | Baldwin | 70 | 5604 | 1881 | Originally named "Roaring Forks"
Later renamed "New Mexico"
To D&RGW 343 in 1924 |
| D&RG 404 | Baldwin | 70 | 5630 | 1881 | Originally named "Sevier"
To D&RGW 344 in 1924 |
| D&RG 405 | Baldwin | 70 | 5633 | 1881 | Originally named "Utah"
Conv. to Class 74 Std Gauge #804 on 8 Apr 1889
Conv. back to Class 74 NG D&RG 410 Dec 1900
To D&RGW 349 in 1924 |
| D&RG 406 | Baldwin | 70 | 5712 | 1881 | Originally named "Cumbres"
To D&RGW 346 in 1924 |
| D&RG 407 | Baldwin | 70 | 5713 | 1881 | Originally named "Old Rube"
To D&RGW 347 in 1924 |
| D&RG 408 | Baldwin | 70 | 5730 | 1881 | Originally named "Marshall Pass"
To D&RGW 348 in 1924 |
| D&RG 409 | Baldwin | 70 | 5731 | 1881 | Originally named "Red Cliff"
Later renamed "Red Buttes"
To RGS 41 in 1916
To Knotts Berry Farm 41, Nov-1951 |
| D&RG 410 | Baldwin | 70 | 5755 | 1881 | Originally named "Treasury Mountain"
Conv. to Class 74 Std Gauge #801 on 9 Jun 1888
Conv. back to Class 74 NG D&RG 411 in Jul 1898
To D&RGW 342 in 1924 |
| D&RG 411 | Baldwin | 70 | 5756 | 1881 | Originally named "Quartz Creek"
Later renamed "Gold Nugget"
Conv. to Class 74 Std Gauge #802 in Dec 1888
Conv. back to Class 74 NG D&RG 402 in Jul 1898
To RGS 40 in 1916, scrapped 1943 |
| D&RG 417 | Baldwin | 70 | 8563 | 1887 | To D&RGW Class C-17 300 in 1924 |
| D&RG 418 | Baldwin | 70 | 8564 | 1887 | To D&RGW Class C-17 303 in 1924 |
| D&RG 419 | Baldwin | 70 | 8625 | 1887 | To D&RGW Class C-17 304 in 1924 |
| D&RG 420 | Baldwin | 70 | 8626 | 1887 | To RGS 42 in 1916
To Narrow Gauge Motel, Alamosa, CO, 1953
To Magic Mtn park, Golden, CO, 1958
To DSNG 1983, cosmetically restored |
| D&RG 421 | Baldwin | 70 | 8629 | 1887 | To D&RGW Class C-17 301 in 1924 |
| D&RG 422 | Baldwin | 70 | 8632 | 1887 | To D&RGW Class C-17 302 in 1924 |
Note: D&RG 412-416 were standard gauge Class 75 locomotives
| Unit | Mfgr. | Class | Serial | Built | Notes |
|---|
| D&RG 401 | Baldwin | 74 | 5603 | 1881 | Conv. from SG Class 74 D&RG 800 in Jul 1898
Originally was D&RG NG Class 70 #402
To D&RGW 341 in 1924 |
| D&RG 402 | Baldwin | 74 | 5756 | 1881 | Conv. from SG Class 74 D&RG 802 in Jul 1898
Originally was D&RG NG Class 70 #411
To RGS 40 in 1916, scrapped 1943 |
| D&RG 405 | Baldwin | 74 | 5603 | 1881 | Conv. from SG Class 74 D&RG 803 in Jun 1900
Originally was D&RG NG Class 70 #401
To D&RGW 345 in 1924 |
| D&RG 410 | Baldwin | 74 | 5633 | 1881 | Conv. from SG Class 74 D&RG 804 in Sep 1900
Originally was D&RG NG Class 70 #405
To D&RGW 349 in 1924 |
| D&RG 411 | Baldwin | 74 | 5755 | 1881 | Conv. from SG Class 74 D&RG 801 in Dec 1900
Originally was D&RG NG Class 70 #410
To D&RGW 342 in 1924 |
Note: D&RG Class 74 narrow gauge consolidations are ex-Class 70s that underwent the transformation to standard gauge Class 74s and were converted back to narrow gauge. While assigned into their original number range, they received different numbers than they held originally.
| Unit | Mfgr. | Class | Serial | Built | Notes |
|---|
| D&RGW 340 | Baldwin | C-19 | 5571 | 1881 | Originally D&RG Class 70 #400
To Knotts Berry Farm 340, 12-Mar-1952 |
| D&RGW 341 | Baldwin | C-19 | 5603 | 1881 | Ex-D&RG Class 70 #402, or Class 74 #401
Scrapped Jan-1939 |
| D&RGW 342 | Baldwin | C-19 | 5755 | 1881 | Ex-D&RG Class 70 #410, or Class 74 #411
Scrapped Oct-1938 |
| D&RGW 343 | Baldwin | C-19 | 5604 | 1881 | Originally D&RG Class 70 #403
Leased to C&S NG 1935-1937
Scrapped 21-Apr-1941 |
| D&RGW 344 | Baldwin | C-19 | 5630 | 1881 | Originally D&RG Class 70 #404
Scrapped 1939 |
| D&RGW 345 | Baldwin | C-19 | 5572 | 1881 | Ex-D&RG Class 70 #401, or Class 74 #405
Leased to C&S NG 1935-1937
Damaged in wreck 17-Jul-1951
Scrapped 15-Sep-1951 |
| D&RGW 346 | Baldwin | C-19 | 5712 | 1881 | Originally D&RG Class 70 #406
Leased to C&S NG 1935-1937
Wrecked on Kenosha Pass? on 25 Jul 1936
Rebuilt and returned to D&RGW Apr 1937
Sold Montezuma Lumber 19-May-1947
Purchased by RW Richardson Sep-1950
Preserved today at Colo RR Museum |
| D&RGW 347 | Baldwin | C-19 | 5713 | 1881 | Originally D&RG Class 70 #407
Scrapped Oct-1938 |
| D&RGW 348 | Baldwin | C-19 | 5730 | 1881 | Originally D&RG Class 70 #408
Scrapped 1936 |
| D&RGW 349 | Baldwin | C-19 | 5633 | 1881 | Ex-D&RG Class 70 #405, or Class 74 #410
Sold Dec-1926 As New Mexico Lumber Co #3
Scrapped 1940 |
Credits: Clarification on dates and engine number transitions for the 5 units converted between narrow gauge and standard gauge was provided by "hank" in this post on the Narrow Gauge Discussion Forum, 22 Feb 2014 at 1112h
