Denver & Rio Grande Western No. 489 is a K-36 narrow-gauge 2-8-2 built by Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1925.
Like its sisters, it was designed for heavy freight work on the Rio Grande’s mountain narrow-gauge system.
No. 489 survived the contraction and abandonment of most of that system and became part of the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad collection.
The locomotive spent a lengthy period out of operation before undergoing an extensive reconditioning program.
Cumbres & Toltec returned No. 489 to operating service in 2008.
Changing wildfire risk and environmental conditions later led the railroad to select 489 for conversion from coal to oil firing.
The conversion was completed before the 2021 operating season.
The railroad emphasized that the change affected the heat source in the firebox rather than converting the locomotive away from steam propulsion.
No. 489 therefore provides a direct example of preservation adapting historic machinery to contemporary risk management while keeping the fundamental steam cycle and locomotive structure.
For TransitSatellite, its modern images must be dated carefully. A coal-fired 489 photo and an oil-fired 489 photo can both be authentic but represent different mechanical configurations.