The Home Machinist!

Hello all you Colorado narrow gauge fans!

I'm in need of some info, I know the D&RG used a letter like C= Consolidated and the number of a locos tractive effort to classify them like C-16, K-36, T-12 etc. Do any of you know the break down of the Colorado & Southern code like B4E, or B4G
Thanks Matt

Hi Matt,

The number refers to the number of driving axles, and the last letter refers to when the class was built.
For example, the Class B-4A consist of locomotives #30-36, which were the earliest B-4 class built in 1880. B-4B's were #37-56 and were built in 1883. The final class was the B-4F's (not G) built in 1898. Information comes from Mallory Hope Ferrell's book on the C&S.

It's not a self evident system, and there's not a good way to look at a C&S locomotive and determine the class without having memorized which road numbers belong to which class.

Not sure what the 'B' stands for, as all the C&S narrow gauge classes have it.

Anthony

Well that interesting, not at all what I expected. May have to contact the railroad museum and see what they know on the subject, the B and the 4 have to mean something.
Thanks Matt

Woops you said what the number was which is what I thought just need to figure out the B

Could the B be for Baldwin?
Cary

The locomotives were built by a combination of Cooke, Brooks, Baldwin, and Rhode Island Locomotives Works. So that would not hold up to the entire roster.