Denver & Rio Grande Western No. 346
Overview
Denver & Rio Grande Western No. 346 is a preserved three-foot-gauge C-19 class 2-8-0 Consolidation built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1881 as Denver & Rio Grande No. 406, originally named Cumbres. Today it is preserved at the Colorado Railroad Museum in Golden, Colorado.
While Nos. 340 and 41 became associated with Southern California through Knott’s Berry Farm, No. 346 followed a different path through Colorado & Southern operation, lumber service, and the early preservation work of Robert W. Richardson.
Quick Facts
| Original Railroad | Denver & Rio Grande |
| Original Number | 406 |
| Original Name | Cumbres |
| Later Number | D&RGW 346 |
| Wheel Arrangement | 2-8-0 Consolidation |
| Class | C-19 |
| Track Gauge | 3 feet |
| Builder | Baldwin Locomotive Works |
| Built | 1881 |
| Colorado & Southern Lease | 1936–1937 |
| Later Owner | Montezuma Lumber Company |
| Preservation Organization | Colorado Railroad Museum |
| Current Location | Golden, Colorado |
| Status | Preserved |
Denver & Rio Grande No. 406
No. 346 began life in 1881 as Denver & Rio Grande No. 406, Cumbres. It was one of twelve Baldwin-built Consolidations that later became the C-19 class.
These locomotives worked during the expansion of Colorado’s narrow-gauge network, connecting mountain communities, mines, farms, and developing settlements.
The C-19 Class
The class provided approximately 19,000 pounds of tractive effort while remaining compact enough for three-foot-gauge railroad infrastructure.
No. 346 survives alongside D&RGW No. 340 and RGS No. 41 as one of the three surviving locomotives formally classified as C-19s.
Becoming D&RGW No. 346
In 1924 the locomotive became Denver & Rio Grande Western No. 346. It remained useful after larger narrow-gauge locomotives assumed the heaviest assignments, shifting toward local, switching, secondary, and branch-line work.
Colorado & Southern Service
During the 1930s, No. 346 was among the C-19 locomotives leased to the Colorado & Southern Railway.
On July 25, 1936, the locomotive wrecked below Kenosha Pass. It was rebuilt by Colorado & Southern shops and continued in lease service until the end of C&S narrow-gauge operations in 1937. The rebuilding produced visual changes that became part of No. 346’s distinctive appearance.
Industrial Service and Survival
No. 346 was sold to the Montezuma Lumber Company in 1947 and continued working after its common-carrier railroad career.
Its survival was not assured. By the end of industrial service it could easily have followed most of the class into scrap.
Robert Richardson and Preservation
Robert W. Richardson acquired No. 346 around 1950 and displayed it at the Narrow Gauge Motel in Alamosa, Colorado.
When Richardson helped establish the Colorado Railroad Museum in Golden, No. 346 became one of the institution’s early artifacts. His intervention preserved a locomotive that otherwise might have disappeared.
The Colorado Railroad Museum’s Locomotive
No. 346 became closely identified with the Colorado Railroad Museum and its mission to preserve the state’s railroad heritage.
Unlike the California C-19 survivors, which spent decades in amusement-park service, No. 346 became an educational centerpiece within a museum devoted to Colorado railroading.
Restoration and Operation
Preservation work eventually returned No. 346 to operation. Continued operation requires boiler inspections, mechanical rebuilding, skilled labor, and long-term institutional commitment.
Its preservation history reflects decades of work by museum staff, volunteers, craftspeople, and supporters.
No. 346, No. 340, and No. 41
The three surviving C-19 locomotives followed distinct preservation paths. No. 340 and No. 41 became operating attractions at Knott’s Berry Farm, while No. 346 remained in Colorado and became a key artifact of the Colorado Railroad Museum.
Together, the three survivors preserve a class whose members otherwise disappeared.
Why No. 346 Matters
No. 346 links the Denver & Rio Grande, the C-19 class, Colorado & Southern mountain operations, industrial lumber service, early railroad preservation, and the founding of the Colorado Railroad Museum.
It is important not merely because it survived, but because it helped define how Colorado narrow-gauge history would be preserved and interpreted.
Preservation Status
D&RGW No. 346 remains preserved at the Colorado Railroad Museum in Golden, Colorado. It is a well-known part of the museum’s collection and one of the three surviving locomotives formally classified as C-19s.
Related Railroads
- Colorado & Southern Railway
- Denver & Rio Grande Railroad
- Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad
Related Museums
- Colorado Railroad Museum
Related Topics
- D&RGW C-19 Class
- Robert W. Richardson
- D&RGW No. 340
- Rio Grande Southern No. 41
- Narrow-Gauge Railroad
- Baldwin Locomotive Works
- 2-8-0 Consolidation
Gallery
Photo gallery coming soon.
Western Rail Archive Notes
Walter Knott preserved Colorado narrow-gauge history by keeping locomotives in active public service. Robert Richardson preserved it by establishing a museum devoted to saving the physical record. No. 346 is one of the clearest surviving products of that second approach.
Archive Status
| Page Status | Category | Type | Gallery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foundational Article | Equipment | Locomotive | In Development |