Flanger Extra 476 North
Scooping the accumulated snow from between the rails, Flanger Extra 476 North works to clear the Durango & Silverton's right of way from Cascade Canyon, north to Needleton, Colorado. The power today is K-28 Locomotive #476, one of three extant "Sports Models", and the most recent one to be restored to operation. Working without a plow pilot, she's hauling the former Denver & Rio Grande Western Flanger OF, and Caboose 0540, which is a pretty standard flanger outfit for the D&SNGRR.
This image was captured during the February 2025 DSNGRR Winter Photo Train event. The railroad had planned to use the recently overhauled K-36 #482 for this operation, but that engine experienced some last-minute mechanical issues, and they elected to substitute the only other steamer that is operational this winter, that being the engine you see here. While some patrons may have been looking forward to seeing the 482 in this role, this little twist of fate was actually serendipity for me, as the 476 was the only DSNGRR Locomotive that I had never photographed under steam. For many years, my visits to this operation found this locomotive inoperable, in the roundhouse museum in Durango. And although she was restored in 2019, it seemed that every time I visited subsequently, she was out of service for one reason or another. Well, in February of 2025, the "White Whale" finally surfaced for me, and I now have a treasure trove of photos of this engine on both the flanger outfit and a freight. Although the engine was operating without a plow pilot, the dearth of snow in the 2024-2025 season made that a non-issue. As can be seen here, Flanger OF is indeed clearing snow from between the rails, and her wings are clearing a little from beside the track. The cowcatcher pilot on 476 is just barely grazing the surface of the snow. We went as far north as Needleton Tank this day, and the snow depth there was perhaps 8" tops.
This particular image depicts the site of the 2012 Goblin Fire, north of Cascade Canyon, near Milepost 480.6.
Flanger Extra 476 North
Scooping the accumulated snow from between the rails, Flanger Extra 476 North works to clear the Durango & Silverton's right of way from Cascade Canyon, north to Needleton, Colorado. The power today is K-28 Locomotive #476, one of three extant "Sports Models", and the most recent one to be restored to operation. Working without a plow pilot, she's hauling the former Denver & Rio Grande Western Flanger OF, and Caboose 0540, which is a pretty standard flanger outfit for the D&SNGRR.
This image was captured during the February 2025 DSNGRR Winter Photo Train event. The railroad had planned to use the recently overhauled K-36 #482 for this operation, but that engine experienced some last-minute mechanical issues, and they elected to substitute the only other steamer that is operational this winter, that being the engine you see here. While some patrons may have been looking forward to seeing the 482 in this role, this little twist of fate was actually serendipity for me, as the 476 was the only DSNGRR Locomotive that I had never photographed under steam. For many years, my visits to this operation found this locomotive inoperable, in the roundhouse museum in Durango. And although she was restored in 2019, it seemed that every time I visited subsequently, she was out of service for one reason or another. Well, in February of 2025, the "White Whale" finally surfaced for me, and I now have a treasure trove of photos of this engine on both the flanger outfit and a freight. Although the engine was operating without a plow pilot, the dearth of snow in the 2024-2025 season made that a non-issue. As can be seen here, Flanger OF is indeed clearing snow from between the rails, and her wings are clearing a little from beside the track. The cowcatcher pilot on 476 is just barely grazing the surface of the snow. We went as far north as Needleton Tank this day, and the snow depth there was perhaps 8" tops.
This particular image depicts the site of the 2012 Goblin Fire, north of Cascade Canyon, near Milepost 480.6.