Iconic locomotive to get new life on scenic railway after more than 75 years in downtown park
A historic locomotive that has been on display in Antlers Park since 1938 is scheduled to be moved Wednesday afternoon.
Old 168 is set to roar back to life on the Cumbres and Toltec Railroad, which is a scenic line that runs through the mountains between Antonito, Colo. and Chama, N.M.
The public is invited to watch as the 1883 locomotive begins its journey to its new home by being moved onto a flatbed truck. The move is scheduled to happen at 1 p.m.
Cumbres and Toltec is leasing Old 168 from the city of Colorado Springs. Mayor John Suthers and Railroad officials will make remarks and sign the lease at 2:15 p.m. Under the agreement with Colorado Springs, the Cumbres & Toltec will have a series of three 15 year leases for No. 168 for a total of 45 years.
Old 168 was built at Baldwin Locomotive Works in Philadelphia and was one of six Class 47 / Class T-12 Narrow Gauge 4-6-0 steam engines constructed for the Denver and Rio Grande in 1883, with an additional six added in 1884. Along with its sister engines, No. 168 was designed to pull passenger trains over the narrow gauge mainlines. It was one of the largest and fastest narrow-gauge ten-wheelers of its day.
As is the case with many early locomotives, most of the engine’s history is known only from photographs. It is known that No. 168 hauled the first passenger train from Denver to Ogden, Utah, where the D&RG connected with the transcontinental railroad. Other photos show it in the Black Canyon of the Gunnison and at the head of a special train taking President William Howard Taft to the opening of the Gunnison Tunnel, at the time, the longest irrigation tunnel in the world.
The Denver and Rio Grande Railroad began retiring the 1883 T-12 class locomotives in 1933 and ten of these sister locomotives were scrapped. Rescued from this fate were engines No. 168 and No. 169.
OnAugust 1, 1938, the railroad donated Old 168 to the City of Colorado Springs to be put on static display in Antlers Park.
Old 169 has been on display at Cole Park in Alamosa since 1941.
