Rio Grande 315

On the F&CC it was numbered 3, and named "Elkton". After the demise of the F&CC in 1915, the locomotive and sister locomotives sat unused until the Denver & Rio Grande purchased it and four others in 1917 to help with war traffic. In D&RG service it was renumbered to No. 425, but was later renumbered to No. 315 when the Denver & Rio Grande recognized/merged with the Rio Grande Western and became the Denver and Rio Grande Western in 1921.

It began its service on the D&RG at Alamosa, Colorado and was leased to the Rio Grande Southern for 1926-27 and then spent most of the next decade on the Gunnison Division, in Salida, Colorado, on the line to Montrose and on the branch to Ouray.[6]

As larger locomotives such as the K-27, K-36 and K-37 Mikado Locomotives were introduced to line, smaller engines like No. 315 were given yard switching duties or scrapped. No. 315 spent several periods in the shops during the early 1940s, notably with a broken main rod and then later for flue work and to replace its pilot with a switch engine pilot. The locomotive was then taken out of service in 1949.

No. 315 appeared in the movie Colorado Territory in 1948, a year before it was retired, but it later returned to the silver screen for Around the World in 80 Days, premiering in 1956. By then it was no longer in operating condition, so it was pushed by a diesel locomotive disguised as a baggage car.[6]

It was leased to the City of Durango as a static display at Brookside Park in from 1950 until the railroad donated it to the Chamber of Commerce in 1968. Later in 1986, the Chamber of Commerce moved to Gateway Park (now known as Santa Rita park) and No. 315 was moved with it. It was then was transferred to the City of Durango in December, 2000.[6]

In 1995, No. 315 had been repainted and lettered for the first time since it was placed back on display in Brookside park for the second time after the filming of Around the World in 80 Days. Members of a local Model Railroad club known as the San Juan Large Scalers, and more specifically member Tom Mosher were dissatisfied with what the City did to the Locomotive. Tom had intended to do something about it and wanted to see the locomotive in its original condition, but was diagnosed with cancer later that year, and passed away in 1997. The club held a memorial service for Tom in front of the locomotive, and later on started to consider the idea of adding the original lettering back and performing other maintenance to bring the locomotive to its 1930s appearance.

After speaking with city officials, the first work session was held in October 1998. The project was assisted by the D&SNG's Museum Curator Jeff Ellingson who redid the lettering and also evaluated No. 315's overall condition. Later on the SJLS' Board of Directors decided the project would be too big to perform under the club name, and formed the 315 Committee. Later in 1999, the Committee reconsidered the end goal of the restoration and also decided to reorganize as a Non-Profit Organization under the name of the Durango Railroad Historical Society.

In 2002 the boiler received a Hydrostatic and Ultrasonic test and was deemed to be in good condition for returning the Locomotive to operational condition. It was then decided that the DRHS would go through with performing a complete restoration of No. 315. On August 24, 2007, a fire was lit inside No. 315's firebox at the D&S Roundhouse and that evening the locomotive moved under its own power for the first time in 58 years. The Locomotive first ran at the D&SNG after fixing some minor issues and having to borrow D&RGW 223's tender trucks. It made its official shake down run on September 7, and pulled its first excursions in late September.[7]

No. 315 was added to the National Register of Historic Places as Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad Locomotive No. 315 in 2008 and the City of Durango transferred ownership of the locomotive to the DRHS in 2014.[3]

No. 315 has operated on the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad and the Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad multiple times since its restoration. In 2016, No. 315 went to the C&TS to participate in their Narrow Gauge Rendezvous event.[8] The DRHS and the C&TS then decided that the Locomotive is to remain on C&TS Property until 2022, where its played parts in the festivities associated with 37th National Narrow Gauge Convention,[9] the C&TS opening day 2018 and 2019, multiple private and public charters, and future events such as the Victorian Iron Horse Roundup to Celebrate the 50th anniversary of the C&TS (postponed to 2021 due to COVID-19). By the end of the C&TS 2022 season, the locomotive is required to receive its "FRA mandated 1,472-day inspection". After which, the C&TS will assist with replacing boiler flues and performing other kinds of repairs necessary.[10]

When the locomotive isn't out running on the D&SNG or at the C&TS, it is stored in the original Silverton Northern Railroad Engine house. The DRHS has teamed up with the San Juan County Historical Society to restore the structure and turn the area into a historic, informational park. Rails were laid back inside the engine house in 2009 and since then the DRHS and SJCHS has rebuilt an amount of track on the original SNRR Grade with the help of the D&SNG, also tying into D&S Trackage on the Shenandoah loop for easy access to the D&SNG. In 2019, two spurs were built to display their collection of restored D&RGW Freight and MOW equipment.[11] The DRHS has currently restored:

• Drop Bottom Gondola #871
• High Side Gondola #1400
• Stock Cars #5564 and #5627
• MOW Outfit/Bunk Car #04432
• 30 ft. Refrigerated Boxcar #39
• MOW Flanger #0T
• Flat Car #6215

• D&RGW No. 168
• D&RGW No. 169
• D&RGW No. 223
• D&RGW No. 278
• D&RGW No. 463
• Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad
• Rio Grande Southern

Media related to Denver and Rio Grande Western 315 at Wikimedia Commons