This 36” gauge Colorado & Southern class B-4-E Consolidation (2-8-0) type locomotive was built in 1897 by Burnham, Williams & Co., an early incarnation of the Baldwin Locomotive Works in Philadelphia, PA, for the Union Pacific, Denver & Gulf Railway Company as #9.
It has a 17’ 11” engine wheelbase and 11’ 4” driver wheelbase. With inside Stephenson valve gear and 16” x 20” cylinders, it weighs 80,000 lbs, 70,000 lbs on its 37” drivers. The grate is 13.8 sq ft, the firebox 96 sq ft and total heating surface is 838 sq ft. Operating at a boiler pressure of 180 psi, it delivered 21,172 lbs tractive effort. The tender weighs 40,000 lbs light with a capacity of 2,200 gallons of water and 6 tons of coal.
The UPD&G took shape in 1890 under the ownership of the Union Pacific Railroad with consolidation of a number of smaller railroads: the Colorado Central; Denver & Middle Park; Denver, Marschall & Boulder; Denver, Texas & Fort Worth; Denver, Texas & Gulf; Georgetown, Breckenridge & Leadville; and the Greeley, Salt Lake & Pacific. The UPD&G was absorbed in 1898 by the Colorado & Southern where #9 was renumbered as class B-4-E #71.
#71 was retired in 1940 and donated to the
Central City Opera House Association the following year. It was restored to operating condition in 1987 and ran for roughly another
two years on a tourist railroad. It later moved to Silver Plume, then back to Central City where it was placed on display in front of the Coeur
d'Alene mine overlooking the city. It was finally placed on display in its current location on
Gregory Street.
The locomotive is coupled with Colorado & Southern Adams Express Company car #20.
