Durango & Silverton - Cab Ride to Cascade Canyon

I was invited to take a ride in the cab of D&SNG k-28 #473 as it powered the daily train to Cascade Canyon. Thanks to engineer Steve Otten and fireman Nick Breeden for an awesome day on the rails. It was a very bumpy ride so I apologize for the shaky footage. I tried to stabilize it as best I could.

[@erickwardwell962]

I've done the machine work on the D@S for the last 20 years and I've never been able to align the firebox door properly. (If you were wondering) good video

[@dougmayer9163]

Great video! I did the cab ride just before you in March on #473. I put my dad's ashes in the firebox at the high cliffs just North of Rockwood. Bill was the Engineer and Paul fired.

[@zebrashark23]

Well you will never see that again on the D&S. No more coal.

[@cowcatcherstudios5759]

Yep its sad. But I guess its for the better

[@NinjagoGuy416]

Dude, you are the luckiest fucking guy on the planet.

[@emeraldzebra9360]

Why does the engineer wait until he is starting to cross the road to Whistle... What sort of warning is that!!! It's supposed be LLSL PRIOR to crossing not AS

[@NinjagoGuy416]

Does one need to have previous railroad experience to operate one of these old steamers?

[@NinjagoGuy416]

How possible is it for me, an 18 year old kid just out of high school, to get a job on this railroad?

[@Slick1869]

I've always wondered what the 2 short whistles are after it leaves the depot. Always hear it when I go. Anyone know?

[@NinjagoGuy416]

2 whistles at a standstill means the train is about to move. 3 means reversing. 1 means coming to a stop. 2 longs, a short and a long means going through a crossing, and a succession of short, rapid whistles means "Move, bitch, get out the way".

[@matthewzacharzuk386]

The two shorts are preceeded by the single whistle, indicating that the engineer is setting the brakes for a rolling brake test. After looking back for the conductor, who verifies that the brake line pressure has dropped at the rear of the train, the conductor signals that the test was good, and the engineer acknowledges this and lets the crew know the brakes are releasing and the train is continuing with the two shorts.

[@pvtimberfaller]

Find an old train rules book, whistle signals are standardized & have been since the turn of the century tho many have been obsolete due technology upgrades like the air brake, you no longer have to tell the brakeman to get busy. I have used many of the same signals on a high lead yarder, almost the same except the crossing signal is an insult. Glad to finally see an engineer who doesn't make an ass of himself with the whistle/cylinder drains.

[@tonyburzio4107]

The rule book: www.drgw.net/gallery/v/MiscPaper/DRGWRuleBooks/DRGRuleBook1Jan1891/

[@nicholasmedovich1647]

I hear 476's bell

[@noahrhodes1409]

i talked to the firemen when we went to cascade and he said that took about 6 tons of coal when we went the full way to silver ton i asked him how much and he said about double that mostly in the canyon going up hill

[@harrisongrandsantafe4359]

iv'e always wanted to do that

[@nickharding7640]

How’d you get the chance to do this?

[@EvergreenRailVideo]

I was working there at the time and was invited to take a ride. They sell cab rides for the public too, as far as I know.

[@cjstrader8171]

Do they offer at the throttle sessions by any chance

[@harrisongrandsantafe4359]

lucky

[@bipap1000]

nice video..

[@NinjagoGuy416]

I did some reading about the K-28 locomotives and found out that the clamshell firebox doors can make it difficult to fire when the locomotive is working hard. Why not just give it swinging doors like the K-36's?

[@domstrains3984]

Or k-27