Elvas Tower: D&RGW K-28 locomotive 476 - Elvas Tower

Number 476 was one of a batch of ten 2-8-2 outside frame locomotives built by the American Locomotive Company in 1923. These were the first new narrow gauge locomotives that the D&RGW ordered after coming out of receivership and being reorganized from the D&RG Railroad.

Because of the smoothness of their ride and the air pump mounted on the smokebox front, these locomotives were soon nicknamed by their crews as “Sports Models”. Because of their relatively large 44” drivers which allowed them to reach 40 mph, they soon replaced the antiquated 4-6-0 T-12s on passenger trains throughout the D&RGW system.

During WW II the US Army requisitioned seven of the ten locomotives for use on the White Pass and Yukon Railroad in South East Alaska. At the end of the war, all seven were shipped to Seattle, WA where all but 472 were scrapped because of their worn out condition. 472 was shipped to an Army depot at Ogden, Utah but was scrapped shortly afterwards. The three K-28s that did not go to Alaska (473, 476, and 478) remained on the D&RGW and are still in use today by the Durango and Silveton Narow Gauge Railway.

This model was built from Alco erecting drawings obtained from “The John Maxwell Collection, from data obtained during three visits to the Durango and Silverton shops and museum for measurements and pictures, from many pictures from Herb Kelsey's collection, pictures from the K-28 “Quick Pic Book”, as well as pictures from numerous other publications and persons.

It was built “off and on” over a 16 month period by a team of four people. Howard Saunders did most of the initial physics, file and texture adjustment, and testing; Herb Kelsey was a constant source of technical data and pictures, and did file adjustments and extensive testing; Tom Warb, supplied the customized crew and did much final testing; and I did the building and swept the shop floor. It was built using 3D Canvas.

This release contains three versions of 476, one as it was during 1937 when it had the Royal Gorge/Moffat Tunnel Herald, but no doghouse; the second is the 1939 version which is the same except it has a doghouse; and the third which has the “Flying RioGrande” lettering and doghouse. Other numbers and versions will be released in the future if sufficient interest is shown.

To install, save the two zip files to a location of your choice and unzip them.  This will produce two folders, “K-28_476_1930s” (containing the 1937 and 1939 versions of 476) and “K-28_476_1942” (containing the 1942 version of 476).  Copy these two folders to the TRAINSET folder(s) of the simulator, or the mini route(s) where you wish to run the engines.  You should have “D&RGW K-28 476 1937,” “D&RGW K-28 476 1939,” and “D&RGW K-28 476 1942” in your ConBuilder list or your Activity Editor.  Build the consist of your choice and enjoy

I hope you all enjoy it, Bill