Railroad History

Passenger and Commuter Rail

Railroading Today

Rolling Stock

Infrastructure and Terms

Museums and Tourism

Miscellaneous

About The Site

[?] Subscribe To American-Rails.com

Rio Grande Railroad Diesel Roster

The all-time Rio Grande Railroad diesel roster was mostly made up of EMDs although it did have models from Alco, GE, Baldwin, and even Fairbanks-Morse (FM). For a complete/all-time Rio Grande Railroad diesel roster please click here. This list of surviving D&RGW diesel locomotives will be categorized by original numbers the railroad assigned its units and where they are today, whether in operation, cosmetically restored, or in some state of preservation at railroad museums and tourist railroads. Also, just as something to keep in mind if you are not aware, while some locomotives may be painted/preserved in D&RGW colors this does not necessarily mean that they are of D&RGW heritage (and likewise, some locomotives may be of D&RGW heritage that are not in Erie colors).

The Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad, also known as simply the Rio Grande, is one our country’s most famous railroads. Its speed-lettering herald is likewise one of the most recognized of all time and people continue to flock to its scenic routes to travel trains such as the California Zephyr, now operated by Amtrak, and the Durango & Silverton, perhaps the most famous tourist line in the country which operates several miles of the D&RGW’s former narrow-gauge trackage in southern Colorado and northern New Mexico.

While the railroad officially became a fallen flag in 1996 when the Union Pacific took over the Southern Pacific the railroad’s identity had mostly disappeared before that when its parent company Rio Grande Industries purchased the SP in 1988 and began consolidating D&RGW operations into the much larger railroad.

American Locomotive Company (Alco)

· Alco S2 #118: In operation on the Big South Fork Scenic Railway tourist line as Kentucky & Tennessee #102.

Electro-Motive Division (EMD)

· EMD F9A #5753: Preserved by the Colorado Railroad Museum as D&RGW #5762.

· EMD F9B #5771: Preserved by the Colorado Railroad Museum as D&RGW #5771.

· EMD GP30 #3011: Preserved by the Colorado Railroad Museum as D&RGW #3011.

General Electric (GE)

· GE 44-Tonner #39: On display in Stevenson, Alabama as a Mead Containerboard switcher.

Also, it should be noted that some former Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad switcher and road units continue to remain in some state of operation and in active revenue service with Class Is, Regionals, shortlines, or leasing companies. To learn more about the disposition of these locomotives please click here to visit The Diesel Shop.

While this list will continually be updated it certainly does not completely cover every surviving unit, which was on the Rio Grande Railroad diesel roster. So, if you know of any other survivors out there, whether they are parked and gleaming in a museum or sitting out in the weeds along a forgotten siding please let me know so we can keep this list growing, and you will be given full credit for your help.

For more reading about the Rio Grande you might want to consider the book Rio Grande Railroad from James Griffin. The book gives a superb general overview of the railroad and is filled with excellent photographs (many in color) of the D&RGW. If you are a fan or have any interest whatsoever in the Rio Grande you will very much enjoy this book.

You may also want to consider the book Evolution of the American Diesel Locomotive by author J. Parker Lamb. As the title implies the book looks at the history and development of the diesel locomotives, covering 200 pages, from its earliest beginnings to the newest designs and models operated today. If you're interested in perhaps purchasing either (or both) of these books please visit the links below which will take you to ordering information through Amazon.com, the trusted online shopping network.

footer for rio grande railroad diesel roster page