Rio Grande Class K-36

The Denver & Rio Grande Western K-36 is a series of 2-8-2 "Mikado" type coal-fired narrow gauge steam locomotives. They were originally built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1925 in tandem with the earlier K-27 and later K-37 class 2-8-2 type locomotives. 
Today, of the ten class K-36 locomotives built, five of them, Nos. 483, 484, 487, 488, and 489, survive on the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad (C&TS) between Chama, NM and Antonito, CO and four of them, Nos. 480, 481, 482, and 486, survive on the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad (D&SNG) in Durango, CO. No. 485 was the only member of the K-36 class to be scrapped after it fell in the turntable pit in Salida, CO in 1955.
Originally, No. 482 was sold to the C&TS in 1970, but later traded to the D&SNG in exchange for K-37 locomotive 497 in October 1991 and No. 486 was sold to the Royal Gorge Bridge & Park in 1967, but was later traded to the D&SNG in exchange for K-37 locomotive 499 in May 1999. In 2021, Nos. 480, 482, and 489 have been converted to burn oil instead of coal. No. 486 will also be converted to an oil burner on the D&SNG before it eventually returns to operation again since its tender was recently converted to oil-burning setup in August 2022. This currently leaves No. 481 as the last operational coal burner on the D&SNG and it will continue to operate as a coal burner until its flue time expires. Also in August 2022, the C&TS announced that another one of their K-36 locomotives, either Nos. 484, 487, or 488, would also be converted to burn oil over the 2022-2023 winter season. Ultimately, No. 487 was chosen for the conversion. The oil conversion of No. 487 was just recently completed on August 9, 2024.
==Roster==
Image	Number	Builder 	Serial Number	Operator 	Status 	Notes
 	480 	Baldwin Locomotive Works	58558 	Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad	Operational 	Retired from the D&RGW in 1970. Went to the D&SNG in 1981. Restored to operating condition in July 1985. Converted to burn oil in June 2021.
 	481 	Baldwin Locomotive Works	58559 	Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad	Stored Out of Service	Went to D&SNG in 1981 and was the first K-36 run to Silverton. Remains the last coal-burning steam locomotive on the D&SNG as of 2023. Will be converted to burn oil after the D&SNG 2023-2024 winter season.
 	482 	Baldwin Locomotive Works	58541 	Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad	Operational 	Retired from the D&RGW in 1962. Went to C&TS in 1970. Traded to D&SNG in October 1991 in exchange for K-37 No. 497. Restored to operating condition in May 1992. Converted to burn oil on December 16, 2021.
 	483 	Baldwin Locomotive Works	58584 	Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad 	Stored Out of Service	Retired from the D&RGW in 1968. Went to C&TS in 1970. Retired from service on the C&TS seven years later in 1977. Almost traded to D&SNG in exchange for K-28 No. 478 in 2015. Undergoing cosmetic restoration as of 2016. 483 also hauled the last steam powered scheduled passenger train on the D&RGW on May 29, 1965. It was a fan trip from Alamosa to Durango, Colorado.
 	484 	Baldwin Locomotive Works	58585 	Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad 	Operational 	Went to C&TS in 1970. Restored to operating condition a year later in 1971.
 	485 	Baldwin Locomotive Works	58586 	Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad 	Scrapped in 1955 	Stored Out of Service Due to severe damage, 485 couldn't be repaired and was scrapped on January 24, 1955. Many parts were salvaged on other locomotives.
 	486 	Baldwin Locomotive Works	58587 	Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad	Stored Out of Service	Retired from the D&RGW in 1962. Went to Royal Gorge Park for display in December 1967. Traded to D&SNG in May 1999 in exchange for K-37 No. 499. Restored to operating condition in August 2000. Taken out of service in October 2019. Currently on display in the D&SNG Museum awaiting a future overhaul and conversion to oil. Tender converted to oil-burning setup as of August 2022.
 	487 	Baldwin Locomotive Works	58588 	Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad 	Operational 	Went to C&TS in 1970. Restored to operating condition in 1973. Converted to burn oil in August 2024.
 	488 	Baldwin Locomotive Works	58589 	Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad 	Operational 	Went to C&TS in 1970. Restored to operating condition in 1979.
 	489 	Baldwin Locomotive Works	58590 	Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad 	Operational 	Retired from the D&RGW in 1962. Went to C&TS in 1970. Restored to operating condition in 1981. Converted to burn oil in June 2021.
==Gallery==
File:D&RGW K-36.jpg|D&SNG No. 481 in Silverton, Colorado
File:D&S480August2022.png|K-36 No. 480 on it's way to Silverton, August 2022
File:D&SNG486and481.png|Nos. 486 and 481 on a double-header to Silverton, October 2018
File:D&S482and493.png|K-36 No. 482 double-heading with K-37 Class No. 493, December 2020
File:D&S481.png|K-36 No. 481 backing into the Durango Roundhouse
File:D&S482Hermosa.png|K-36 No. 482 in Hermosa, August 2022
File:D&S481and482January2021.png|Two double-headed K-36's headed to Cascade, January 2021
File:D&S482and473inSilverton.png|No. 482 in Silverton double-heading with K-28 Class No. 473
Pmaxrespdefault1oo3.jpg
440955518 10223400922605877 6356431033542592842 n.jpg
441454288 8034314773262865 2472305955376200780 n.jpg
File:488takesoncoal.jpeg|488 takes on coal at the C&T's coal tipple
File:Drgw489.jpg
File:Riogrande484runlight.jpeg
File:Rio Grande Western Rotary Snow Plow OM Locomotive No 483.jpeg
File:D&S480and493.png
ThomasandRioGrande484.jpeg
File:Riogrande480atcrossing.jpg
457131404 838654771667361 486647429822947602 n.jpg
File:C&TS488August2022.png
482andanothertrain.jpg
File:430155424 10224213492994179 4384138170413512574 n.jpg
File:480enterSilverton.jpeg
File:Riogrande489takeoncoal.jpeg
RioGrande487arrivesatSublette.jpeg
480onpassengerrun.jpg
File:4-b.jpg
File:Montreal Loco Works 4-6-2 5288, Tennessee Valley Railroad, April 2013 CNV00050 (10319176335).jpg|No. 487 pass an old Hollywood Motion Picture set that was once used in a film.
file:Sideviewengine488.jpg
Avelia Liberty.jpg
484and488atshed.jpg
File:Chama K-36-Steam-locomotive-489 2012-10-24.JPG
Category:Built in 1925
Category:Baldwin locomotives
Category:Rio Grande locomotives
Category:American locomotives
Category:Tender locomotives
Category:Steam locomotives
Category:2-8-2 locomotives
Category:2-8-2 steam locomotives
Category:Locomotives
Category:American steam locomotives
Category:Narrow-gauge steam locomotives