Rio Grande No. 496

D&RGW No. 496 was a K-37 class 2-8-2 "Mikado" type narrow gauge steam locomotive built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works of Philadelphia, PA in 1902 for the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad (D&RG), later known as the Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad (D&RGW), originally as a standard gauge C-41 class 2-8-0 "Consolidation" type locomotive. It was later rebuilt into a narrow gauge 2-8-2 type locomotive by the D&RGW's Burnham Shops in 1930 and reclassified as a K-37. It served in freight service on the D&RGW's narrow gauge system until it was officially retired from service in 1955 and later scrapped, becoming one of only two of the ten members of the K-37 class to be scrapped, the other one being No. 490.
The other eight members of the K-37 class have all been preserved. No. 491 survives at the Colorado Railroad Museum in Golden, CO, Nos. 492, 494, 495, and 497 all survive at the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad (C&TS) between Chama, NM and Antonito, CO, Nos. 493 and 498 both survive at the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad (D&SNG) in Durango, CO, and No. 499 survives at the Royal Gorge Bridge & Park in Canon City, CO. As of November 2022, Nos. 491 and 493 are both operational and Nos. 492 and 497 are both being evaluated for restoration back to operating condition, but only one of the two will be restored. After careful evaluation, 492 was chosen for the restoration instead of 497.
Category:Rio Grande locomotives
Category:2-8-2 steam locomotives
Category:2-8-2 locomotives
Category:Steam locomotives
Category:Locomotives
Category:Tender locomotives
Category:Scrapped locomotives
Category:Narrow-gauge locomotives
Category:Narrow-gauge steam locomotives
Category:Narrow-gauge
Category:Narrow gauge
Category:ALCO locomotives
Category:Built in 1902
Category:United States
Category:American locomotives
Category:American steam locomotives
Category:Scrapped steam locomotives