MOW Gray. D&RGW Mudhen #463 hugs the contours of the hilly terrain around Milepost 309 as she hauls a heavy Maintenance of Way train westbound toward Osier, Colorado. Behind the 463 today are the staples of the company maintenance fleet, including Piledriver OB and Derrick OP, as well as a tool car, a rail & tie car, a cook car, an outfit/bunk car and a caboose. The D&RGW's MOW machines such as the Pile Driver and Derrick carry special, two-letter designations, beginning with the letter "O" instead of numbers. All of the rolling stock but the caboose on this train are painted the light gray color that the D&RGW favored for its dedicated MOW equipment in its later years.
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.