Despite our closure in March the shop has continued work on some key important projects. RGS 20 being at the top of the list. Of coarse we have been limiting the number of people in the shop, taking extra safety precautions and cleaning more often. This has slowed progress on the other projects but work on 20 has been steady.

All the air brake plumbing has been completed and tested, injector lines are all done including new boiler checks. The sanders are done and have been tested, all major steam plumbing is complete as well. We have installed a 22 gauge sheet metal roof, just like the D&RGW 315 has. The cab has a good coat of black paint again along with the sheet metal filing the gaps at the front and rear walls. Most of the windows are in and the doors are ready, but not installed yet. The electrical conduit is on the roof, the dynamo is on and 75% of the wiring is complete. The restored head light was installed, wired and tested.

The most exciting news to report is 3 fold.

1:Our new smoke stack saddle casting arrived last week. This casting is absolutely beautiful, and fit the smoke box and stack perfectly with no machining required. We can't thank Western Foundries of Longmont enough for their hard work.

2:We performed our hydro test and inspection with the FRA and state inspectors. As of last week 20 is officially FRA compliant and ready for service as far as they are concerned.smileys with beer However we still have some hoops to jump through with the state before we can put a fire in her.

3:We have started preparing her for paint. We stripped the old paint off the boiler jacket, the tender has a black epoxy primer, and we actually started painting parts last week. First up was the old main reservoir that is now a cover for the new reservoir. The back of the tender tank has 2 coats as well

Hi Jeff -- glad to hear and see the update. I will be in the area mid-July and wondered if the Colorado Railroad Museum will be open at that time. Maybe you're open now? I would love to see the progress on 20 in person.

We will be re-opening tomorrow June 2nd. With new requirements and some restrictions as well.

More info on the re-opening can be found on our website. https://coloradorailroadmuseum.org/2020 ... -on-track/

Thanks for the update. It sounds like your reopening plan is very similar to that of the East Troy Railroad Museum, which reopened on Friday, including requiring that everyone (except 2-year olds) wear masks. I hope to visit you in July.

Thanks for the update Jeff.
Q: Since #20 required such a massive rebuild, I wonder what shape #22 and 25 were in? They must have been horrible. Does anybody know for sure? They are all such neat locomotives that it's too bad the others weren't saved.
Ned

Nedsn3, We have been thinking the same. All I have seen or read said 22 and 25s boilers were shot. It is mentioned in Josie Cum's book. What ever the reason I'm sure it was bad, because the RGS thought it was no good.

Interestingly the number of parts off of 22 and 25 continues to grow. Short list: 25s main driver(Center set), 25s tender some of 25s valve gear, the flanging gear had parts of 25, 22s main rods, and 22 throttle lever.

Considering the condition of #20's boiler, RGS's definition of "shot" must have meant, "unable to hold water at all under any circumstances".

I'm sure towards the end RGS was using worn-out baling wire to hold the older baling wire together.

As a kid I saw HOn3 models of RGS 20 and thought "what a well proportioned engine." Later I visited Golden and the real thing brought the same impression. D&RGW 346 was running and that was remarkable itself.

NOW RGS 20 IS GOING TO RUN AGAIN!!!

My congratulations to the folks at East Strasburg and Golden for making it possible.

Phil Mulligan

I heard something from somewhere that RGS was “conveniently on the line” every time the boiler inspectors came. And something about Campbell’s soup cans being used. I’d go out on a limb and say it’s one of the most thorough rebuilds for a steam locomotive ever.

I wish, at least that they would have taken the steam dome cover off or either 22 or 25 and replaced 20's!
Thanks for the info guys. Can't wait to see 20 under steam again.
Ned

Interesting. D&RGW 346 derailed and turned over while leased to C&S, crunching its fancy 1881 domes. CB&Q (for C&S) installed simple replacements and 346 went back to D&RGW that way.

When the movie "Denver and Rio Grande" was being filmed, the plan was to wreck D&RGW 345. Bob Richardson was able to get the appropriate dome rings from 345 and now 346 has fancy 1881 domes.

Here's 346 in 1941 at Durango; Bob Richardson photo:

https://digital.denverlibrary.org/digit ... 2/id/79849

Here's 346 in 1964:

https://ngtrainpics.photoshelter.com/im ... SMa_OGJlVM

Phil Mulligan

I must congratulate the Colorado Railroad Museum on the work on RGS 20. It is a fantastic example of converting an artifact into a replica. Job well done.

Robby Peartree

Sorry you feel that way Robby. But the truth is there is still more original fabric than new.

Yes alot has been replaced, but really nothing more than most other restorations.

Way more.

"I must congratulate the Colorado Railroad Museum on the work on RGS 20. It is a fantastic example of converting an artifact into a replica. Job well done. Robby Peartree"

It's not nearly as bad as when anyone "restores" RR rolling stock made of wood, such as a caboose or a box car. One rarely "restores" wood RR rolling stock, as there is frequently very little if anything that is salvageable save the steel parts and maybe the wood underframes. One builds a replica. Nothing wrong with that, as it's all you can do with wood rolling stock. But as good as the finished product usually is on those projects, don't call them restorations.