Take on some water at the Needleton Tank... After a water stop in the Animas wilderness at Needleton Tank (MP 484.4), Denver & Rio Grande Western K-28 #477 begins to accelerate her mixed train for the remainder of the northbound run to Silverton, some 12 rail miles ahead.
This image was captured during an October 2024 photo shoot on the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, organized by Trains Magazine. The locomotive pictured here is actually K-28 #473, re-lettered as her long-lost sister #477, which was shipped to Alaska during WWII and was sadly scrapped after hard service on the White Pass & Yukon. The Needleton Tank, while cosmetically maintained, is no longer functional. Trains on the DSNGRR take water at a steel tank fashioned out of an old tank car, which is just north of this location.
The Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad and the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad are all that remains of the legendary Denver & Rio Grande Western narrow gauge system. Here you'll find some of my favorites from these two beautiful railways.
