D&RGW K-27
Encyclopedia
The D&RGW K-27 class are 3 foot narrow gauge
, Mikado type, 2-8-2
steam railway locomotives built for the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad by the Baldwin Locomotive Works
in 1903. They eventually became known by the nickname "Mudhens".
Fifteen locomotives were built, originally class 125, reclassified K-27 in 1924 when the Denver and Rio Grande became the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad
. The K-27s were built as Vauclain compound
s, with two cylinders on each side, expanding the steam once in the smaller cylinder and then a second time in the larger one. The extra maintenance costs of the two cylinders were greater than the fuel saving, so they were converted to simple expansion in 1907–1909. They were Rio Grande's last purchase of compound locomotives. They were built with their main structural frames outside the driving wheels, with the counterweights and rods attached outside the frames.
They had one peculiarity which arose from their outside frames and counterweights. In places where the D&RG's standard gauge system met the narrow gauge system, the railroad operated dual gauge
trackage, with three rails, so that standard gauge equipment ran on the outer two rails and three foot gauge equipment ran on one of the outer rails and a third rail, inside the other two. Since the narrow gauge equipment was much lighter than the standard gauge, the inner rail was generally lighter and, therefore, not as tall as the standard gauge rails. In the case of the D&RGW, the difference was ⅞ inch (22 mm). Because the counterweights were outside the frames, they ended up directly over the standard gauge rail, with a clearance of only about ⅝ inch (16 mm). When the shop crews trued up the drivers periodically, they had to be very careful not to go too far.
They pulled freight, passenger and mixed trains on the D&RGW in and over the Colorado Rocky Mountains
, traversing the entire length of the railroad. Many of them also spent time on the Rio Grande's subsidiary, the Rio Grande Southern.
in May 1955. Autry never used the Mudhen and donated it to the City of Antonito, Colorado
. It was restored by and entered into service on the Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad
in 1994. It was taken out of service with a broken side rod in 2002. In 2009, it was moved to the railroad's shop at Chama, New Mexico
where a major rebuild is underway. 463 was added to the National Register of Historic Places
in 1975 as Engine No. 463.
The other K-27 in existence is 464. It sat outside in Durango, Colorado
during the 1960s and was sold to Knott's Berry Farm
in 1973. It saw little or no use there, in part because of its condition and in part because of the counterweight clearance problem described above. The Huckleberry Railroad
in Flint, Michigan
, acquired the locomotive in 1981, did an eight-year restoration on it, and put it into active service.
Narrow gauge
A narrow gauge railway is a railway that has a track gauge narrower than the of standard gauge railways. Most existing narrow gauge railways have gauges of between and .- Overview :...
, Mikado type, 2-8-2
2-8-2
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 2-8-2 represents the wheel arrangement of two leading wheels on one axle , eight powered and coupled driving wheels on four axles, and two trailing wheels on one axle...
steam railway locomotives built for the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad by the Baldwin Locomotive Works
Baldwin Locomotive Works
The Baldwin Locomotive Works was an American builder of railroad locomotives. It was located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, originally, and later in nearby Eddystone, Pennsylvania. Although the company was very successful as a producer of steam locomotives, its transition to the production of...
in 1903. They eventually became known by the nickname "Mudhens".
Fifteen locomotives were built, originally class 125, reclassified K-27 in 1924 when the Denver and Rio Grande became the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad
Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad
The Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad , often shortened to Rio Grande or D&RGW, formerly the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad, is a defunct U.S. railroad company. The railroad started as a narrow gauge line running south from Denver, Colorado in 1870; however, served mainly as a transcontinental...
. The K-27s were built as Vauclain compound
Vauclain compound
The Vauclain compound was a type of compound steam locomotive that was briefly popular around 1900. Developed at the Baldwin Locomotive Works, it featured two pistons moving in parallel, driving a common crosshead and controlled by a common valve gear using a single, complex piston...
s, with two cylinders on each side, expanding the steam once in the smaller cylinder and then a second time in the larger one. The extra maintenance costs of the two cylinders were greater than the fuel saving, so they were converted to simple expansion in 1907–1909. They were Rio Grande's last purchase of compound locomotives. They were built with their main structural frames outside the driving wheels, with the counterweights and rods attached outside the frames.
They had one peculiarity which arose from their outside frames and counterweights. In places where the D&RG's standard gauge system met the narrow gauge system, the railroad operated dual gauge
Dual gauge
A dual-gauge or mixed-gauge railway has railway track that allows trains of different gauges to use the same track. Generally, a dual-gauge railway consists of three rails, rather than the standard two rails. The two outer rails give the wider gauge, while one of the outer rails and the inner rail...
trackage, with three rails, so that standard gauge equipment ran on the outer two rails and three foot gauge equipment ran on one of the outer rails and a third rail, inside the other two. Since the narrow gauge equipment was much lighter than the standard gauge, the inner rail was generally lighter and, therefore, not as tall as the standard gauge rails. In the case of the D&RGW, the difference was ⅞ inch (22 mm). Because the counterweights were outside the frames, they ended up directly over the standard gauge rail, with a clearance of only about ⅝ inch (16 mm). When the shop crews trued up the drivers periodically, they had to be very careful not to go too far.
They pulled freight, passenger and mixed trains on the D&RGW in and over the Colorado Rocky Mountains
Rocky Mountains
The Rocky Mountains are a major mountain range in western North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch more than from the northernmost part of British Columbia, in western Canada, to New Mexico, in the southwestern United States...
, traversing the entire length of the railroad. Many of them also spent time on the Rio Grande's subsidiary, the Rio Grande Southern.
Preservation
Number 463, was sold to cowboy actor and singer Gene AutryGene Autry
Orvon Grover Autry , better known as Gene Autry, was an American performer who gained fame as The Singing Cowboy on the radio, in movies and on television for more than three decades beginning in the 1930s...
in May 1955. Autry never used the Mudhen and donated it to the City of Antonito, Colorado
Antonito, Colorado
The Town of Antonito is a statutory town located in Conejos County, Colorado, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town's population was 873.-Geography:...
. It was restored by and entered into service on the Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad
Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad
The Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad is a narrow gauge heritage railroad running between Chama, New Mexico and Antonito, Colorado. It runs over the Cumbres Pass, the highest point on a US passenger railway....
in 1994. It was taken out of service with a broken side rod in 2002. In 2009, it was moved to the railroad's shop at Chama, New Mexico
Chama, New Mexico
Chama is a village in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 1,199 at the 2000 census. It is a small village, but tourism is starting to help the town's economy .-Geography:...
where a major rebuild is underway. 463 was added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1975 as Engine No. 463.
The other K-27 in existence is 464. It sat outside in Durango, Colorado
Durango, Colorado
The City of Durango is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of La Plata County, Colorado, United States. The United States Census Bureau said that the city population was 16,887 in 2010 census.-History:...
during the 1960s and was sold to Knott's Berry Farm
Knott's Berry Farm
Knott's Berry Farm is a theme park in Buena Park, California, now owned by Cedar Fair Entertainment Company, and a line of jams, jellies, preserves, and other specialty food, now part of The J. M. Smucker Company based in Placentia, California....
in 1973. It saw little or no use there, in part because of its condition and in part because of the counterweight clearance problem described above. The Huckleberry Railroad
Huckleberry Railroad
The Huckleberry Railroad is a narrow gauge heritage railroad located in Flint, Michigan, just north of Flint.The railroad received its name due to its slowness; it was said a person could jump off the train, pick huckleberries, and re-board the train as it traveled without difficulty.Former Denver...
in Flint, Michigan
Flint, Michigan
Flint is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and is located along the Flint River, northwest of Detroit. The U.S. Census Bureau reports the 2010 population to be placed at 102,434, making Flint the seventh largest city in Michigan. It is the county seat of Genesee County which lies in the...
, acquired the locomotive in 1981, did an eight-year restoration on it, and put it into active service.
Details
The K-27s went through a variety of modifications during their 36 to 107+ years of service. They ended up in three distinct groups, with many different details such as the location of the air tanks, whether or not they had a doghouse on the tender for the head brakeman, and so forth. The most important of these details are:| Number | Builder's Number | Equipment after rebuild | Ultimate Disposition |
|---|---|---|---|
| 450 | 21677 | slide valve cylinders | Scrapped 1939 |
| 451 | 21685 | slide valve cylinders | Scrapped 1939 |
| 452 | 21803 | piston valves outboard of cylinders, Walschaerts valve gear, superheater Superheater A superheater is a device used to convert saturated steam or wet steam into dry steam used for power generation or processes. There are three types of superheaters namely: radiant, convection, and separately fired... |
Scrapped 1954 |
| 453 | 21824 | piston valves outboard of cylinders, Walschaerts valve gear, superheater | Scrapped 1954 |
| 454 | 21832 | piston valves inboard of cylinders, Walschaerts valve gear, superheater | Scrapped, 1953 |
| 455 | 21845 | piston valves outboard of cylinders, Walschaerts valve gear, superheater | Traded to RGS, wrecked 1943, rebuilt 1947 using parts from a standard gauge locomotive, scrapped 1953 |
| 456 | 21854 | piston valves inboard of cylinders, Walschaerts valve gear, superheater | Scrapped 1956 |
| 457 | 21894 | slide valve cylinders | Scrapped 1939 |
| 458 | 21910 | piston valves inboard of cylinders, Walschaerts valve gear, superheater | Sold to National Railways of Mexico, converted to standard gauge 1950, scrapped in 1963 |
| 459 | 21936 | piston valves outboard of cylinders, Walschaerts valve gear, superheater | Sold to National Railways of Mexico, converted to standard gauge 1950, scrapped 1957 |
| 460 | 21728 | slide valve cylinders | Scrapped 1939 |
| 461 | 21729 | piston valves inboard of cylinders, Walschaerts valve gear, superheater | Sold to RGS, scrapped 1961 |
| 462 | 21781 | piston valves outboard of cylinders, Walschaerts valve gear | Scrapped 1950 |
| 463 | 21788 | piston valves outboard of cylinders, Walschaerts valve gear, superheater | To Gene Autry Gene Autry Orvon Grover Autry , better known as Gene Autry, was an American performer who gained fame as The Singing Cowboy on the radio, in movies and on television for more than three decades beginning in the 1930s... , 1955 Then static display at Antonito Now: operational (in shops 2010) on the C&TS |
| 464 | 21796 | piston valves outboard of cylinders, Walschaerts valve gear, superheater | Static display at Durango To Knotts Berry Farm, 1973 Now operational on the Huckleberry Railroad Huckleberry Railroad The Huckleberry Railroad is a narrow gauge heritage railroad located in Flint, Michigan, just north of Flint.The railroad received its name due to its slowness; it was said a person could jump off the train, pick huckleberries, and re-board the train as it traveled without difficulty.Former Denver... |