Engine No. 74 - The Early Years (1898 - 1920)
Mike Trent
COPYRIGHT -- ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Colorado & Northwestern Railway (1898-1909)
No. 74 was commissioned and built as No.30 by the Brooks Locomotive Works of Dunkirk, New York for the Colorado & Northwestern Railroad in 1898. The C&N was a 36" gauge railroad that operated in and west of Boulder, Colorado. Pennsylvania and New York investors spared no expense to make the C&N the "best equipped narrow gauge railroad in the world".
Brooks had built the C&N's first locomotive, a 2-6-0, which was not capable of handling heavy tonnage on the heavy 4.39% grades, but handled passenger duties nicely. The C&N had two geared engines, a 50-ton Climax and a three cylinder, 44-ton Shay, capable of handling heavy tonnage, but at very low speed. In 1897, the C&N borrowed specifications from the Union Pacific, Denver & Gulf's newest and largest engines. These were forwarded to Brooks for review, which gave design engineers the opportunity to improve on size, weight, and tonnage for the new additions to the C&N's roster.
Brooks soon proposed to build the largest narrow gauge engines the world had yet seen and the C&N's management eagerly agreed. Three huge, inside-frame 2-8-0 locomotives were ordered, to be numbered 30, 31, and 32.
The first of the three was builder's No. 2951. Like the other two, it had a total engine weight of over 95,000 lbs., 16 X 20 cylinders, and 37" drivers. The tender capacity was listed at 6 tons coal and 3100 gallons water. To further increase tractive effort, boiler pressure was to be 180-lbs. psi, 30 lbs. over what was considered "standard" at that time. In order to set the steam chests containing the engine's flat, or slide, valves under the large 60" diameter smokebox, the chests were canted outboard. This peculiar Brooks design had been applied to some of Brook's recently built standard gauge engines. Unfortunately, increased steam pressure made possible by new boiler technology and size caused an unbalanced load on the old-fashioned slide valves. This in turn caused damage and excessive wear to the traditional Stephenson valve gear, which was "standard" at that time. Also, the sloping nature of the steam chests caused major lubrication problems.
Soon after construction of engine 2951 (C&N No.30) was underway, but before sister engines 2969 and 2970 (C&N No.'s 31 and 32) were begun, Brooks decided to abandon the dubious canted-chest slide valve design, and created inboard piston valves for the other two. This was now to be considered "standard" for engines with higher boiler pressure. Traditionally, slide valves had been standard design for controlling the flow of steam to the pistons, had "worn in" as the engine was used over time as constant steam pressure was applied to only one side, and required little maintenance or replacement over time. Piston valves, which allowed steam to flow on both sides of the valve, tended to "wear out" over time, and required replacement more frequently, but were easier to handle at higher steam pressure.
 (Photo 31) C & N #30 at Mont Alto Park. The canted slide valves are the only indication that this engine will eventually become RGS #74. Mike Trent collection. |
 (Photo 32) C & N #31 in Boulder Colorado, after the Grassy Mountain wreck of 1901. This locomotive was soon rebuilt and returned to service. Sturdivant photo. Mallory Hope Ferrell collection. |
All three engines were fitted with inside frame Stephenson valve gear (the mechanical apparatus that connects the valves to the wheels). When delivered, engine No.30 differed slightly from her sisters. These differences, in addition to No.30's sloping steam chests, included lower, frame-mounted running boards, and the application a New York Duplex #2 air compressor on the engine's left, or fireman's side. Engines 31 and 32 were equipped with boiler mounted running boards and each sported a Westinghouse 8 or 9 ½" pump on the engineer's side. All were fitted with extended piston rods, the covers of which protruded from the cylinder head covers near the pilot wheels. Thinking at the time was that by having the piston rod guided through the forward end of the cylinder and the rear of the cylinder, the connection of the piston to the rod would be strong enough to handle the increased steam pressure at 180 psi. Brooks engineers felt this was a necessary precaution at the time.
In my opinion, the 30, 31, and 32 when delivered from Brooks, were the best proportioned, aesthetically beautiful narrow gauge engines ever built. I love to draw them.
- Howard Fogg (1981)
Not long after the big engines arrived in Boulder, the Boulder Daily Camera proudly boasted that "the road is now better equipped with powerful engines than any road of double or triple mileage in the country".
The new "30 Class" engines performed very well on the C&N. So well, in fact, that with declining revenues from the mines served by the C&N, it was decided to sell the Climax in early 1899. The Shay was retained for work service and heavy-duty tasks.
In April 1901, engines 30 and 31 were bucking snow near Francis, when an avalanche swept both locomotives 400' down a mountainside. Although the engines were spared serious damage, four crewmen were killed. The Colorado & Southern shops in Denver rebuilt both engines. It is believed that in this rebuilding, No.30's running boards were raised 24" to 30" by a strange looking "stilt" arrangement that appears to have been set on the original frame mounts. This arrangement allowed the running boards to be the same height as those on the other two engines. No. 30 also returned to service with a new stack, headlight, and wood cab. In 1907, No. 31 went down the mountainside again at almost the same location and the C&S once again was called upon to rebuild her.
The last engine purchased by the railroad was No. 33, another inside-frame piston-valve Brooks 2-8-0. Built in 1906, No.33 tipped the scales at a ponderous 102,000 lbs. and seemed a classic example of carrying a good idea too far. The engine's boiler was only slightly bigger than boilers on the other 30-class engines, but was constructed of thicker plate. The heavy boiler was mounted higher, to allow a wider, more square firebox to sit on top of the frame. This resulted in an ungainly, top-heavy locomotive, both in appearance and operation. The big engine was very unpopular with engine crews, who considered it unstable.
During this period, the only difficulty noted with the 30, 31 and 32 was the operation of the slide valves on No. 30. The design-caused problems discussed earlier continued. The valves were hard to keep lubricated, and made operation very difficult for the engineer. As a result, No. 30 required much more valve oil and muscle to operate properly than did her sister engines.
Denver, Boulder & Western (1909-1920)
 (Photo 1) DB&W #30 at Boulder yard, 5/17. Note early C&S style cone spark arrestor. Otto Perry photo, Ed Haley Collection |
 (Photo 2) DB&W #31 at Boulder yard, 1917. Note piston rod extension. Otto Perry photo, Ed Haley Collection |
In 1909, economic conditions had forced the Colorado & Northwestern into receivership and bankruptcy. The Denver, Boulder, & Western was formed to succeed the short-lived C&N. The DB&W retained all equipment owned by its predecessor, and began operations with hopes that tourism held the key to its survival. Freight revenue was needed, but would not be enough to make ends meet. Countless excursions were run: Wildflower excursions, holiday excursions, Sunday excursions, student excursions. Every conceivable event was cause to ride or charter a run over the fabled "Switzerland Trail of America."
Considerable money was spent on publicity brochures and promotions of every kind. A third rail was laid to Denver over the Colorado & Southern (Marshall Branch) to allow joint C&S-DB&W excursions from Union Station in Denver without having to change coaches. The C&S always provided motive power to Boulder on these trips, with DB&W engines put on in Boulder. In July 1915, No. 30's tender derailed downgrade with an excursion train at Blackswan curve, killing the fireman. Other than this incident, there were few mishaps with the three locomotives.
By 1915, engines 30 and 32 had lost their factory built extended piston rods, and all engines were supplied with automatic couplers and electric headlights. The C&S shops in Denver had rebuilt cabs and tenders of the 30 and 32 to more closely resemble the newer No. 33's "modern" look. No. 31 still had extended piston rods and "stock" Brooks tender. Air pump locations varied, and the engines showed signs of the "just keep 'em running" philosophy hard economic times dictated. Soon afterward, No. 30 was fitted with an 11" Westinghouse air pump that was mounted in the original location on the fireman's side.
Although every effort was made to make the line pay its way, hard times and a series of floods finally proved too much for the little railroad to handle. No amount of creative and ingenious publicity could overcome raging floodwaters in Boulder Canyon. In 1919, the line ceased operations, and in 1920 the Morse Brothers Machinery & Supply Co. in Denver bought the entire railroad. Engines 31 and 32 were taken to the Morse Bros. yard in Denver, along with some of the other equipment and rolling stock. The remainder of the equipment was left idle in Boulder. There was considerable demand at that time for narrow gauge equipment, and the DB&W inventory began to thin out quickly.
Engine No.33 was sold in 1919 to the Denkmann Lumber Company in Louisiana, for use on the Kentwood, Greensburg, and Southwestern. The engine was too heavy for that line, and shortly went on to the Natchez, Columbia & Mobile, where she was standard-gauged. Later, the engine was sold to the Birmingham Rail & Locomotive Company, and ended up her career on the Alabama Central. Interestingly, the 33 retained her number throughout her long and strange career.
On January 20, 1921, the Colorado & Southern bought engine 30
plus the 31 and 32.
