Denver & Rio Grande Western No. 481 is a K-36 narrow-gauge 2-8-2 built by Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1925.
The K-36 class was larger and more powerful than the earlier K-28s and became the backbone of heavy Rio Grande narrow-gauge freight service.
The class designation combined the Mikado “K” type with roughly 36,000 pounds of tractive effort.
No. 481 worked across the Rio Grande’s remaining three-foot-gauge network hauling freight through the San Juan country.
As the narrow-gauge system contracted, locomotives such as 481 increasingly became concentrated on the routes that survived around Durango and the San Juan Extension.
The Durango–Silverton branch survived abandonment and was sold into tourist operation in 1981.
Durango & Silverton history identifies 481 as a locomotive returned to service after a lengthy period out of operation during the branch’s transition into its modern era.
The locomotive has since become one of the railroad’s principal heavy steam engines for passenger and special trains.
Durango & Silverton’s current fleet policy converted its operating steam locomotives from coal to oil by 2024, including the K-36 fleet.
For TransitSatellite, No. 481 should not be confused with visually similar K-36 sisters on Cumbres & Toltec. Number, current owner, tender details, and fuel configuration all matter for accurate identification.