Denver & Rio Grande Western class C-28S

The class C-28S was a relatively light-footed standard-gauge Consolidation built for the D&RGW. The locomotives weighed 115,000 pounds, with less than 100,000 pounds on the drivers. The drivers measured only 46 inches in diameter, with cylinders of 20 by 24 inches. 75 were delivered by Baldwin between 1887 and 1891. Some were sold to other railroads when the D&RGW needed more powerful freight locomotives. Most were retired in the late thirties, but some were used for a longer time. No. 683, the earlier 583, was retired in 1955 and is the last surviving D&RGW standard gauge locomotive.

As early as in 1903, one was sold to the Colorado & Southeastern. Later, four went to the San Luis Valley Southern in Colorado and two came to the Indian Valley in California. One was sold to the Colorado Kansas Railway. The locomotive shown in the photo was originally numbered 597. It was sold to the Deep Creep Railroad in 1916 or 1917 and became their number 2, called class C-24.