Up close with Flanger Extra 476
Here's a telephoto view of Flanger Extra 476 as she works north toward Needleton during Day 1 the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad's February 2025 Winter Photo Train event. Aside from the lack of a pilot plow, this is a pretty standard configuration for a DSNGRR Flanger Outfit. Locomotive #476 is an outside frame, K-28 Mikado, built in 1923 by the American Locomotive Company. She's one of 3 survivors of an original class of 10 K-28s. Behind her is Flanger OF, one of 10 dedicated flanger cars built by the Denver & Rio Grande Western in the late 1800s, 7 of which survive today. This car has retractable blades that scoop snow and ice from between the rails. She also has retractable wings on both sides, which push snow back from the outside of the rails. All of the wings and blades are air-operated with controls located in the cupola of Caboose 0540, which is the tail end of this train. Note that the flanger operator can be seen with his head out the cupola window, watching the operation, ready to deploy and retrace the blades and wings as needed, to clear crossings, guard rails and other obstacles. The DSNGRR has little arrow signs trackside, to warn flanger operators when such track structures are ahead, so they may manipulate the flanger controls accordingly.
This image depicts the Flanger Outfit passing Milepost 480.6, about 4 miles south of Needleton Tank.
Up close with Flanger Extra 476
Here's a telephoto view of Flanger Extra 476 as she works north toward Needleton during Day 1 the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad's February 2025 Winter Photo Train event. Aside from the lack of a pilot plow, this is a pretty standard configuration for a DSNGRR Flanger Outfit. Locomotive #476 is an outside frame, K-28 Mikado, built in 1923 by the American Locomotive Company. She's one of 3 survivors of an original class of 10 K-28s. Behind her is Flanger OF, one of 10 dedicated flanger cars built by the Denver & Rio Grande Western in the late 1800s, 7 of which survive today. This car has retractable blades that scoop snow and ice from between the rails. She also has retractable wings on both sides, which push snow back from the outside of the rails. All of the wings and blades are air-operated with controls located in the cupola of Caboose 0540, which is the tail end of this train. Note that the flanger operator can be seen with his head out the cupola window, watching the operation, ready to deploy and retrace the blades and wings as needed, to clear crossings, guard rails and other obstacles. The DSNGRR has little arrow signs trackside, to warn flanger operators when such track structures are ahead, so they may manipulate the flanger controls accordingly.
This image depicts the Flanger Outfit passing Milepost 480.6, about 4 miles south of Needleton Tank.