Big Train Tours: Denver, Leadville & Gunnison No. 191 - Colorado's Oldest Locomotive

Join Colorado Railroad Museum Executive Director Paul Hammond for a Virtual Tour! Part of the Museum’s new “Still Working On The Railroad” initiative. Each tour will focus on a different piece of historic equipment in the Colorado Railroad Museum’s collection: This episode we tour the oldest locomotive in Colorado - DL&G Steam Locomotive No. 191!
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[@michaelpthompson]

Very informative! I've been told that #191 cannot be restored to operating condition because of its cast-iron boiler. Very popular in the 1880s but later found to be prone to exploding. At least that's what I have heard.

[@nicholasmedovich8691]

It would be great IF... a new boiler was made with radial stay firebox parts with the same size and measurements were equal. It’s may never be given a boiler replacement, unless 800K or more is given. May not happen sadly.

[@michaelpthompson]

@@nicholasmedovich8691 That would be great, but they just spent $2 million on restoring #20, so I'm not sure where you'd ge it.

[@coltonregal1797]

I was wondering why full restoration wasn't feasible. If they'd need to completely replace the boiler, it makes sense why they wouldn't bother.

[@akaBoG]

@@coltonregal1797 currently we are focused on keeping RGS No. 20 and D&RGW Nos. 346 & 491 operating....that said, if the Museum's Locomotive Maintenance Fund Endowment continues to grow? Who knows!

[@tonyromano6220]

@harrisonashley1631nice on EBT

[@mikelehne4886]

Played on this locomotive when I was a kid in Rhinelander, Wisconsin. Glad you have it in your museum.

[@cabowerks3973]

Hyce sent me. Greetings from Kentucky! 🤘

[@EvilTurkeySlices]

My favorite Colorado locomotive is Great Western 90(now Strasburg 90). It’s not in Colorado anymore, but it had a long service on the great western railroad of Colorado.

[@johnsolimine1164]

I saw 191 stopped but steamed up. Amazing site. A step back in time of some one hundred years.

[@Revolverben190]

My favorite steam locomotive

[@Redwagon2012]

I love this train in the 1890s

[@billgrierson840]

Wonderful video and story. I have spent time just staring at this locomotive and imagining it running up to and through the Alpine Tunnel.

[@akaBoG]

thanks for watching!

[@mattm8324]

These style of videos are great and very informative!

[@akaBoG]

Hard to believe we've been at it for over 2 years now!

[@Spikeman50]

I have the original 1870 Denver South Park & Pacific railroad spike forged by the Bethlehem steel in Colorado

[@Buxtehaydn]

Great video with lots of good info! Loved it

[@Jason-Rose]

Nicely done. Might be the best video yet.

[@chriscrowley5781]

This is one of your best videos. Applause applause! Nicely done!

[@akaBoG]

Thanks for tuning in Chris!

[@P0nyB3h0ldr]

I'd love to see a video on your guy's WSLCo shays. Documentation concerning them is pretty scarce.

[@akaBoG]

The Shays, while on display, are not actually owned by the Museum.....I will mention this to Paul though....the next episode will be on D&RGW No. 3011.

[@Hero1117a]

Luv your videos

[@mattomon1045]

this was great

[@tandemcompound2]

throw some oil on the side rods to keep them from rusting.

[@davidkoehler136]

I will always know it as #7 On the Robbins rail road

[@joshuabrown6791]

I wonder if the loco is so old it's got a cast iron boiler and that's why it can't be restored. If that's the case it'd be cool if we could manufacture a new cast iron boiler for it but I don't know how people would feel about that. Ship of thiseous and all.

[@Hogger280]

The 191 should be lettered for the Denver South Park and Pacific(its origin) as it is far more famous and well known than the Denver Leadville and Gunnison. Everybody knows a reveres the "Southpark", not the gunnison. After all of the trouble the museum went to, to get the 191 back, it should have been restored to running condition - there is no such thing as "not feasable" this is a very simple saturated engine and the most difficult repairs would have been on the boiler. Even a new welded boiler would not have cost too much. Colorado's oldest locomotive(especially one from the Southpark)deserves to run.

[@akaBoG]

No plans to "restore" the engine as the general consensus is it would "damage" the engine's historic authenticity. I believe we are going to repaint the loco soon - it is currently being discussed.

[@rockymountianelkwoods4571]

@@akaBoG I absolutely love this loco and all of its history. My wife and I own a place in Pitkin Co where this beauty once operated and the tracks ran right in front of our place. I have been searching high and low for a model train of this loco or something similar with no success but the search continues. If the museum decides to paint it, I would love to take part and volunteer my time if that is allowed. I even had a plain bell single chime whistle made that will run off of air to sound off and fill that valley with a sound from the past. Please let me know about any volunteering opportunities involving this gem and keep up the good work. Thank you.

[@donnabrown1495]

S Rrrrr is going on vacation so we can get a free pass for Christmas Eve day to celebrate Christmas birthday 🥳

[@jaydons7602]

I'd love to see her restored to steam someday but everything takes money and she may be safer left static

[@gonebamboo4116]

13:35 Burundi postage stamp, 2012. What's the story there?

[@akaBoG]

I will ask....

[@twinray27]

What type of whistle ( chime ) did it use, when it was on the South Park ?

[@akaBoG]

I'll ask the shop guys.....

[@twinray27]

@@akaBoG Thanks......

[@akaBoG]

from Jeff Taylor - "It would have had a single note whistle. Also known as a hooter."

[@hikiy]

Did DL&G 191 work fork the DRGW or RGS

[@brianfalzon6739]

What will 191's future be like?

[@donnabrown1495]

Okay 👍🏼

[@johnjornod6429]

My question is why Denver Leadville & Gunnison was chosen vs it's original number (51) and name. Does anyone know why it was not letter Denver Southpark & Pacific?

[@johnjornod6429]

I think it would be amazing if it were painted as it originally was made show at 2:42. The Green Gold and Silver would really make it stand out vs the boring black. Maybe the cost due to the amount of work it would take is why the second paint job was chosen. I would definitely contribute to a fund to get it painted in it's original colors.

[@jameswalters9516]

Buena Vista is properly pronounced “BEW-na Vista”. The town's name has been pronounced “BEW-na Vista” instead of the Spanish “BWAY-na Vista” ever since it was founded.

[@diegohorton869]

So there is a South Park in Colorado mmmm

[@akaBoG]

Yes, Trey Parker and Matt Stone grew up in the "South Park Valley." It is gorgeous - a high mountain valley.....very scenic. After they included Casa Bonita in an episode of the Comedy Central cartoon the Museum started getting a large number of requests for directions to the restaurant from guests leaving the grounds. Honestly, we are all excited to see what the do with the restaurant!

[@kurtpelz6796]

There is also a middle park and a north park. A visit to South Park City museum at Fairplay is definitely a worthwhile trip!

[@garryferrington811]

If by " proudly displayed," you mean "left outside to rot," yeah, I guess that's accurate.

[@akaBoG]

Members of the Denver Garden Railway Society regularly perform maintenance on the loco.