durango – Page 10 – Carson & Colorado Railway

The 18 and 481 outside the Durango roundhouse

The 481 being prepped to pull the first Polar Express train along side the 18

After arriving in Durango the first week of November, the #18 was reunited with its tender and a few minor repairs were made. Its first steam day came on November 15th and was within the confines of the Durango Yard. On Thanksgiving eve, November 21st, the #18 took its first trip out on the line to Home Ranch siding. The round trip was about 14 miles in length and it was the first time in 65 years the #18 was truly up to speed at 20 mph. At Home Ranch the #18 picked up a caboose, turned around and headed back to Durango where it performed the evening switching duties and even pinch hit for the Polar Express grand entrance.

Missionary ridge in the background at Home Ranch siding.

Draining the engine and tender before splitting apart just after the October 5th operation

Having just disconnected the tender the #18 is moved to the other track

Pushing the engine back in the shop with the dramatic Sierras in the background

What a busy month! The day after the fire was dropped on the #18 on October 5th things got underway for the #18’s big road trip to Durango. Work occurred each weekend of the month to prepare the engine and tender for their moves.

First up was the tender, Don Ward and Dry Lake trucking did the honors of hauling it, where it safely arrived in Durango on October 25th.

The locomotive was loaded in Independence on the 27th of October on Brandon Rosser’s heavy haul trailer. Having loaded the engine 3 times on the trailer we had a good routine down and the loading went very smooth. Due to another job for Rosser trucking the locomotive spent the week in their Ridgecrest yard prior to finally heading to Durango late in the day on November 1st. A smooth trip across California and Arizona brought the #18 into Durango about 10am on November 3rd. The Durango and Silverton shop crew was on hand to unload the engine and tuck it inside the roundhouse for its upcoming work.

A HUGE THANK YOU to everyone that has been part of the process to make this happen, both on the ground getting their hands dirty and behind the scenes working on the details of the lease. Special mention needs to go to Inyo County and the D&SNG for working together to make it possible as well as Dry Lake trucking and Rosser Heavy Haul trucking for doing the heavy moving.

Check back in the coming months to see images and for more information on the #18 in operation on the Durango and Silverton!