When the Royal Gorge Route RR purchased the #402 and #403 in 1998 they were in pretty ragged condition. The Colorado & Wyoming RR brought them back to life in their shop inside the steel mill in Pueblo. Liberty Railway Services in Pueblo West painted them.

The exhaust spark arrestors originally on the two F's when they first went into service on the RGR in 1999 were off D&RGW #5771 and #5762. When the Colorado RR Museum refurbished the two ex RGZ F's the spark arrestors were cast off into the museum scrap pile from which they were rescued and put on the #402 and #403 in Canon City. Alas, after the big fire down there a few years ago the spark arrestors were replaced with a more modern circular type and the old ex D&RGW arrestors were finally scrapped.

#402 still had a B block engine which was always a source of trouble. A few years ago the RGR gave up trying to keep her going and she now sits on exhibit in front of the Santa Fe depot in Canon City. #403 along with ex Alaska RR F7B #1503 are still serviceable but not used much anymore.

An ex Virginia Railway Express GP40 took over most of the motive power duties on the RGR a few years ago, in trade from Progress Rail for ex D&RGW SD9 #5305 which was summarily parted out and cut up on the spot. Ex Santa Fe GP7 #2238 is still in service and recently they acquired another GP40. Even though I can understand the efficiencies of a GP40 over F units its just not the same without the F's.

99 out