Denver & Rio Grande Western Class K-37 #499 was one of an order of thirty standard gauge Class 190 Consolidation type (2-8-0) locomotives built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1902. They were renumbered as Class C-41 during the railroad's reorganisation in 1924 and were then converted to three foot gauge class K-37 Mikado type (2-8-2) locomotives in 1928-30 at the railroad's Burnham Shops in Denver, CO, with new frames and narrow gauge wheel sets provided by Baldwin.
The locomotives are of outside-frame design, with the driving wheels placed between the two chassis frames which support the boiler, but with the cylinders, driving rods, counterweights and valve gear on the outside. Retaining the C-41 boiler and cab, #490-#495 were outshopped in 1928, #496-#499 in 1930.
With a 12’ 3” driver wheelbase and 29’ 1” engine wheelbase, they weighed 187,250 lbs, 120,000 lbs on their 44” drivers. With a 46.6 sq ft grate, 249 sq ft grate and 2,597 sq ft heating surface, including 495 sq ft superheating, they operated at a boiler pressure of 200 psi delivering 37,091 lbs tractive effort.
The C-41 tenders were also retained on the K-37, with only the axles regauged. They weighed 120,000 lbs light and had a capacity of 6,000 gallons of water and 9 tons of coal.
The K-37s worked out of Salida to Gunnison, CO, and up the Crested Butte Branch as well as the Monarch Branch. They also worked out of Alamosa, CO, to Antonito, CO, over Cumbres Pass to Chama, NM, and on to Durango and the Farmington Branch. #499 was retired in the 1960s and then spent over ten years on the deadline at the Alamosa roundhouse.
In 1981, #499 was sold to the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad and was moved for display at Durango, CO, in 1985. In 1999, it was traded to the Royal Gorge Park for their K-36 #486 and it is currently displayed overlooking the Arkansas River at the Royal Gorge Bridge and Park near Canon City, CO.
Four other K-37 locomotives have survived. You can see K-37 #491 on the Colorado Railroad Museum page of this website. #492, #494 and
#495 are on the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad page.
