~ PHOTO GALLERY - PAGE 23a ~

D&RGW C-19 Class #346 c. late 1930's.
Durango Switcher with Green Boiler Jacketing...

~ Revised Tuesday, July 19, 2016 ~


Here's the "other" side of #346 as the Durango Switcher. What classic lines it had! That oversized tender mounted airtank was there to make up for a lack of same on the loco itself.

Only the top of the stack was weathered on this model, as you can see. And she's carryin' a hefty coal load which indicates she's just been serviced since the distances between towns on the Narrow Gauge were spaced such that taking on coal between scheduled stops wasn't necessary. (An example of this today is the fact that the C&TS, which operates steam trains over the mountain passes previously plyed by the D&RGW, coals their locos only on the "Chama side". Which means a K-27, K-36 or K-37 mike with full tonnage trains can make the round trip from Chama to Antonito and back without taking on fuel. )

Noteworthy locomotive-specific details visible in this photo include:

  • Tender "Footboard" Pilot. The trademark of a switch engine. This version of #346 has 'em on both the loco and tender.
  • "Riveted" Steel paneled cab.
  • D&RGW style oil type marker lamps.
  • Firehose reel box atop cab roof.
  • Numerous patches and sheathing layers on the side of that flare sided tender, produced by the multiple step etching process so they are actually 3-D!
  • The #346's "trademark" odd appearing sand an steam domes.
  • Headlight side lights have photo-negative "windows" to replicate the black outlines painted on glass of the prototype.

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