C&NW No. 30 Construction & Alteration History
Date Event
Source
1898
Locomotive No. 30 built by Brooks Locomotive of Dunkirk, NY. Sold to Colorado and North- western Railroad for its mining operation at Climax Mine in Leadville. Locomotive No. 30 derailed tracks during an avalanche, landing 400 feet down a mountain- side. Recovered and repaired in Denver. Repairs included new headlights, smokestacks and wood cabs, and replacement of running boards. Colorado and Northwestern Railroad bankrupted. Locomotive No. 30 retained by Denver, Boulder & Western Railroad. It served as a mountain tourism line called "The Switzerland of America." In July, Locomotive No. 30 derailed on a downgrade by Black Swan curve between Salina and Crisman (in Fourmile Canyon, Boulder County). The engine received upgrades with cab, tender, automatic couplers and an electric headlight. Denver, Boulder & Western Railroad ends service on the Switzerland Trail of America.
City of Boulder Train History, 2 City of Boulder Train History, 2
1901
1909
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1915
City of Boulder Train History, 2
1915 to 1919
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1920
Locomotive No. 30 sold to the Morse Brothers,
1921
Locomotive No. 30 purchased by the Colorado & Southern Railway for use on its freight car line. Its number changed to 74 to be in sequence with the railroad’s other equipment. Locomotive No. 30 tender received new trucks (wheel assemblies) and side bunkers were raised to increase its coal capacity to eight tons. The locomotive received new Westinghouse 11” air pumps, larger air tanks and two pane windows to help it match the other engines operating on the Colorado & Southern Railway line. In April, one of Locomotive No. 30’s sister engines rolled over and it was determined that the engines were top heavy. Modifications made to increase the coal capacity were removed. George Lundberg, who worked in the mechanical department at Colorado & Southern Railway, installed customized Walschaerts valve gears in C&NW No. 30. In order to install the valve gears, the locomotive had to be completely dismantled and rebuilt. Locomotive No. 30 received more upgrades, including a new steel cab and a Pyle National headlight. Once the upgrades were completed, the locomotive was considered to be the “ulti- mate” in modern motive power on the Colorado & Southern Railway narrow gauge line. Locomotive No. 30 tender rebuilt with a new coal bunker, which removed the remnant of the Brooks flared top. Locomotive No. 30 operated between Leadville and Climax. In 1940, its frame broke when bucking on snow. Equipment was transported to the site and it was repaired. Colorado & Southern Railway converted to standard gauge and the narrow gauge line was abandoned. Locomotive No. 30 was relocated to Denver. Morse Brothers purchased Locomotive No. 30 from Colorado & Southern Railway. Rio Grande Southern purchased Locomotive No. 30. It was updated in their Ridgway shop for operation on a passenger line from Ridgway to Durango. Locomotive No. 30 requested into service by the Rocky Mountain Railroad Club for their trip from Ridgway to Durango. In September, Locomotive No. 30 commissioned again by the Rocky Mountain Railroad Club to pull the last steam passenger train from Telluride to Ridgway along the Silver San Juan route. Locomotive No. 30 retired by Rio Grande Southern, purchased by Boulder residents and dis- played in Central Park.
1922
1926
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1931
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1935
City of Boulder Train History, 3 City of Boulder Train History, 3 City of Boulder Train History, 3 City of Boulder Train History, 3 City of Boulder Train History, 3 City of Boulder Train History, 3 City of Boulder Train History, 3 City of Boulder Train History, 3
1935 to 1940
1943
1945
1948
1949
1951 to 1952
1952
11-12
Railroad Resources
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