- P-B-L Photo Gallery - Here's D&RGW "C-16" Class 2-8-0 - #278 circa the 1940's

- D&RGW "C-16" #278 circa the 1940's - Page 1 -

~ Updated Saturday, June 13, 2009 ~

To study a GIANT SIZED VIEW, click the photo below.
( It will open in a new window so you won't lose your place. )

#278 was also a product of the Baldwin Locomotive Works, she bore their construction number 6030. Weighing in at a lightweight 60,000 pounds and displacing a tractive effort of but 16,540 pounds, it's amazing these little "kettles" even survived into the 20th century, what with corporate's insatiable appetite for "ever more and ever bigger".

But nobody at headquarters much cared about the narrow gauge stepchild, and survive they did ! If you're fortunate enough to possess the soft cover book authored by John Krause and Ross Grenard entitled "Colorado Memories of the Narrow Gauge Circle", ( Printed by Carstens Publications. ) , turn to pages 36-37 for photos of #278 at work on the fall "stock rush" out of Gunnison, in 1952 ! Pure magic !

#278 was donated to the city of Montrose Colorado in 1953, then went on to the National Park Service and now sits, lookin' good, atop a trestle, along with several well kept freight cars, at Cimmaron.

Notice how #278's domes were of the early, "fluted style", her sand dome ( the one behind her smoke stack ) being as tall as her steam dome ? Comparing her to the #268 will also show her coal tender being of the "tall side" variety, whereas #268's tender was much smaller, with "flared out" top edges. A closer examination of her tender will reveal that the tank is almost as long as the platform, or "deck" upon which it sits. ( In fact, that edge board, painted white in this photo, doesn't reach the end of the tender ! )

#278 returned in mid-July of 2005, looking much like the model in this photo, but with much crisper details in evidence since we're replacing all our old patterns with brand new ones. #278 was also available as a "1930's" - pre-"Flying Grande" herald version for our modeling friends catering to the pre-WWII era. Each version was modeled as accurately as possible to reflect its particular time period.

Noteworthy locomotive-specific details visible in this photo include

Mountain Railroading required plenty of reserve stopping power, so like #268, #278 also sports twin 11 Inch Airpumps.
A "Footboard" Pilot for her brakemen to stand on as she went about her switching duties.
A large, concaved-ended all welded airtank on her tender.
An "inchworm" cinder deflector atop the vent in cab roof. ( Those roofs were basically framed with wood and covered with a sort of "oilcloth", not unlike the "T" Models created by Henry Ford, and hence quite flammable ! Good reason for trying to keep those hot cinders from lodging in crevices where they might catch things afire, eh ? )
A "Loco Light" ( Old Style ) Generator for keeping that headlight burning brightly !
And of course, those "Fluted" domes which really set her apart from her sisters, the #223 and #268.

Click the photo above for a view of #278's RH side.

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