Durango & Silverton 481 Snowy Diesel Rescue

Durango & Silverton coal-fired K36 481 heads out of Durango and tackles the grade past Hermosa. Unfortunately, one of the passenger cars develops a serious mechanical problem towards the front of the consist and the train is forced to back down from Pinkerton Siding back to Hermosa. Former White Pass diesel 101 comes down from Rockwood to rescue the train back to Durango while 481 runs light separately. After that, 481 switches her consist around Durango Yard before 101 returns very late in the evening after running a plow train up near Cascade.

[@ecoRfan]

All the last few times I went to Colorado, the 481 was in boiler rebuild (Augusts of 2003 and 2015). I really hope to see it run sometime. I might go to Colorado this summer.

[@DeathValleyLumberCompany]

It won’t be running here for at least 2 years

[@aaronmccreight_trains-tractor]

Nice video! On my bucket list to go to Durango during the winter!

[@DenverRioGrande487]

That’s me :)))

[@RioGrande486]

Am I the only to notice the D&SNG’s severe lack of 5 chimes recently. Up until 2019, they’d be heard year round, but after 2019 it’s been only 3 and 6 chimes in Spring, Summer, and Fall. The only time 5 chimes could be heard was in winter (on 481 for the past 2 years) for some reason. Anybody know why this is?

[@DeathValleyLumberCompany]

We wore them all out

[@RioGrande486]

@@DeathValleyLumberCompany Dang that sucks...well at least D&SNG still has whistles!

[@RioGrande486]

@@DeathValleyLumberCompany I’m also guessing that’s why 486’s whistle sounds so off. You guys ever gonna have them fixed?

[@TheSteamGuy5125]

That's 486s whistle I remember how it sounds

[@RioGrande486]

Yes it is

[@AirchimeLTDproductions174]

As much as I hate to admit it I think your right about this Rio Grande 5 being from #486. It has the same timbre, but just not quite the same chord as it used to. I think the guys on the D&S might have rotated the bell on the bowl changing the whistles sound slightly. Still sounds phenomenal though

[@RioGrande486]

@@AirchimeLTDproductions174 Yeah probably. I thought it sounded somewhat like 486 when I first heard it in the distance when I was in Durango. But hey, you’re right! It still sounds phenomenal! It’s kinda like Sierra Railway #3’s whistle if you think about it. It sounded a certain way before (Polar Express, Back To The Future, all that good stuff), then it was restored after sounded off, and sounded pretty different when it was finished (Atleast in Rizzoli Locomotive Works’s video). Yet, it still sounded great!

[@pietjebell]

Awesome Railfan video, sub to your channel railfan brother from the USA 👍👍👍👍👍🚂

[@azrailfan2717]

Nice to see a coal burner still operating. I thought they converted them all already to oil burning

[@wilfstor3078]

Not for much longer, 481 is the last one left, and it's next in line to be converted...

[@rileysanesh5203]

Hey I thought 481 was supposed to be oil burning

[@owenthetrainman7219]

This is its say season before being converted