Flanger Extra 482 North
Keeping the old D&RGW Silverton Line open in the winter has always been a challenge and one that the present-day Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad continues to take on. While the trains don't typically go all the way to Silverton from late October Until late May, the railroad does attempt to keep as much of the line serviceable as possible, if only to make the spring line-clearing tasks easier. The primary weapon in the battle is the Flanger Extra, which is typically either a K-28 or K-36 Locomotive, equipped with wedge plow, and one of the legacy D&RGW Flanger units. In this scene, the freshly overhauled K-36 Locomotive does the honors, hauling Flanger OF and Caboose 540 past Elbert Creek, sometimes known as "Granite Point", just a third of a mile south of Rockwood, CO at Milepost 468.8.
This image was captured during the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad's February 2025 Winter Photo Train, which was to feature the flanger outfit pictured here. Unfortunately, the 482 had just come out of overhaul only about a week prior to the event and had been experiencing hot bearing problems with its rebuilt trailing truck, and numerous repairs had been conducted in the days leading up to the event. Only moments after this photo was captured, the train arrived at Rockwood Station and the bearing temperature was found to be well over 400 F. The railroad then elected to replace the 482 with K-28 #476 for the remainder of the event.
Flanger Extra 482 North
Keeping the old D&RGW Silverton Line open in the winter has always been a challenge and one that the present-day Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad continues to take on. While the trains don't typically go all the way to Silverton from late October Until late May, the railroad does attempt to keep as much of the line serviceable as possible, if only to make the spring line-clearing tasks easier. The primary weapon in the battle is the Flanger Extra, which is typically either a K-28 or K-36 Locomotive, equipped with wedge plow, and one of the legacy D&RGW Flanger units. In this scene, the freshly overhauled K-36 Locomotive does the honors, hauling Flanger OF and Caboose 540 past Elbert Creek, sometimes known as "Granite Point", just a third of a mile south of Rockwood, CO at Milepost 468.8.
This image was captured during the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad's February 2025 Winter Photo Train, which was to feature the flanger outfit pictured here. Unfortunately, the 482 had just come out of overhaul only about a week prior to the event and had been experiencing hot bearing problems with its rebuilt trailing truck, and numerous repairs had been conducted in the days leading up to the event. Only moments after this photo was captured, the train arrived at Rockwood Station and the bearing temperature was found to be well over 400 F. The railroad then elected to replace the 482 with K-28 #476 for the remainder of the event.