Denver and Rio Grande Western 169 is a 4-6-0 "Ten Wheeler" type narrow gaugesteam locomotive. It is one of twelve similar locomotives built for the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad (D&RGW) by Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1883. It was built as a passenger locomotive, with 46 in (1,200 mm) drivers. Originally D&RG class 47, the designation T-12 followed the D&RGW class-naming format from 1924 of a letter, “T” for Ten-Wheeler type, and a number “12” for its rated tractive effort of approximately 12,000 pounds.[3]
During its operational life it was used on all major narrow gauge D&RGW lines. It appears in two Otto Perry photographs on the branch to Santa Fe, New Mexico in April 1933.[4] It was taken out of service in 1938 and then refurbished in 1939 to appear at the 1939 New York World's Fair. In 1941, the railroad donated it to Alamosa, Colorado and has been on display in Cole Park there since.[5] It was added to the National Register of Historic Places as Denver and Rio Grande Railroad Locomotive No.169 in 2001.[2]
Denver & Rio Grande #167, at Alamosa, Colorado, not long after the railroad received it from Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1883. This engine was a sister to D&RG 169. The photo shows what #169 looked like originally, with diamond stack, box headlight and a wooden pilot (cowcatcher). (Colorado RR Museum collection)D&RG 169 in the 20th century (after various modifications, such as the stack, headlight, pilot, etc.).
^Official Roster No. 11 of the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad System. Denver: The Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad System. April 1, 1923.
