Durango & Silverton No. 473
Specifications
| Number | 473 |
| Original Railroad | Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad |
| Builder | American Locomotive Company (ALCO), Schenectady, NY |
| Build Date | 1923 |
| Wheel Arrangement | 2-8-2 Mikado (K-28 class, "Sport Model") |
| Gauge | 3 ft narrow gauge |
| Weight | ~156,000 lb (current); 113,500 lb adhesive weight |
| Tractive Effort | 27,540 lbf |
| Boiler Pressure | 200 psi |
| Driver Diameter | 44 in |
| Years Operated | 1923–present (continuous) |
| Current Status | Operational — narrow gauge excursion service |
| Current Location | Durango, Colorado |
| Current Owner | Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad |
No. 473 was one of ten K-28 class 2-8-2 “Mikado” locomotives built in 1923 by ALCO’s Schenectady works for the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad, nicknamed the “Sport Models” for their fast, light-footed design suited to express passenger work. It hauled premier narrow gauge trains across the D&RGW’s Colorado and New Mexico network.
During World War II, the U.S. Army requisitioned seven of the ten K-28s for service in Alaska; the Rio Grande successfully appealed to retain three engines, including No. 473, to continue operating in Colorado. The seven requisitioned sisters suffered badly in Alaskan conditions and were later scrapped — No. 473 never left Colorado.
Following the 1981 division of the D&RGW’s narrow gauge assets, No. 473 was formally transferred to the newly independent Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad and restored to full operating condition that year. It remains one of the workhorses of the D&SNG’s steam fleet, hauling scenic excursion trains through the San Juan Mountains between Durango and Silverton — one of the most continuously operated narrow gauge tourist railroads in the United States. In May 2021 it was converted from coal to oil firing to reduce wildfire risk.