DRGW 139 at Roper Yard, Salt Lake City, 6/12/1970. Photo by Allen Dobney
A switcher is a small railroad locomotive intended not for moving trains over long distances but rather for assembling trains ready for a road locomotive to take over, disassembling a train that has been brought in, and generally moving railroad cars around – a process usually known as switching. They do this in classification yards. Switchers may also make short transfer runs and even be the only motive power on branch lines and switching and terminal railroads. The term can also be used to describe the workers operating these engines or engaged in directing shunting operations. The typical switcher is optimized for its job, being relatively low-powered but with a high starting tractive effort for getting heavy cars rolling quickly. Switchers are geared to produce high torque but are restricted to low top speeds and have small diameter driving wheels.
The DRGW roster information below by Jim Eager has not been updated since 2000. If you know any more about the deposition of any switcher listed below or you spot missing, inaccurate data, have model suggestion or a picture for any we'd love to see & hear about it. Contact the RGM&HS webmaster at: rgmhswebmaster@rgmhs.org.
| DRGW Road # |
Builder | Build # | Locomotive Model | Horsepower | Wheel Arrangement | Operating Weight | Year Purchased | Year Retired |
Notes |
| 25 | Baldwin/DRGW | . | VO-660/Booster conv. | 660 | B-B | 241,000 | 1941 | 8/15/1971 | D&RGW 25 was rebuilt yard slug from VO-660 #68 in June 1953. Stored at Grand Junction, Colo, after retirement; moved to Burnham shops in Denver in August 1972 and converted to scale test car by removal of traction motors and control equipment; moved to Salt Lake City and used briefly to test the weigh-in-motion scale there; not satisfactory in that service; stored at Salt Lake City until retired in 1978; sold for scrap to Luria Brothers, Denver, Colorado, in June 1978; unit not movable because of lack of air brakes; scrapped in place for Luria Bros. by Intermountain Steel & Supply, Salt Lake City, Utah. |
| 38 | GE | 13096 | 44 TON | 380 | B-B | 89,000 | 1941 | 12/3/1964 | D&RGW 38 was sold to Manufacturer's Equipment Co. (dealer), Cleveland, Ohio, on 3 December 1964; sold to Great Lakes Carbon 12, St. Louis, Missouri. |
| 39 | GE | 15123 | 44 TON | 38 | B-B | 89,000 | 1942 | 6/28/1949 | D&RGW 39 was sold to Sanford & Eastern Railroad 14 (1st), on 28 June 1949; sold in 1960 to Hoosac Tunnel & Wilmington 16; to Claremont & Concord 16 in October 1972; sold to Rust Engineering, via Silcott (dealer); sold to Mead Containerboard (no number) (Stevenson, Ala.); donated for display to City of Stevenson, Al. in February 1990. |
| 40 | GE | 15127 | 44 TON | 380 | B-B | 89,000 | 1942 | 5/14/1954 | D&RGW 40 was sold to Great Western Sugar 40, Johnstown, Colorado on 14 May 1954; by November 1984 it was at the Great Western Sugar plant at Brighton, Colorado as GWSX 4, painted yellow and blue; Brighton plant sold to Amalgamated Sugar in 1985 and locomotive renumbered to ASCX 4, painted bicentennial red, white and blue, renumbered to ASCX 1; by 2002, moved to South Fork, Colorado for service on a planned tourist railroad. |
| 41 | GE | 15128 | 44 TON | 380 | B-B | 89,000 | 1942 | 8/5/1954 | D&RGW 41 was sold to Utah Power & Light 41 (Castle Gate Plant) 41, on 5 August 1954; retired in January 1976 and sold to Chrome Crankshaft; seen at Chrome Crankshaft in Hegewisch, Illinois in October 1980. (UP&L information from Utah Power, Property Accounting, September 1982) (1980 update from Tom Hirsch via email on December 18, 2011) |
| 42 | GE | 15129 | 44 TON | 380 | B-B | 89,000 | 1942 | 11/18/1964 | D&RGW 42 was sold for scrap to Barter Machinery & Supply Co., Denver, Colorado, on 18 November 1964 |
| 43 | GE | 15130 | 44 TON | 380 | B-B | 89,000 | 1942 | 6/28/1949 | D&RGW 43 was sold to Sanford & Eastern Railroad 15, on 28 June 1949; sold to Saratoga & Schuylerville 15; sold in 1960 to Hoosac Tunnel & Wilmington 15; sold to Claremont & Concord 15; sold to Raymond International 4402 for service in Liberia (Africa). |
| 50 | Davenport | 2245 | 30 Ton | B-B | 60,000 | 1963 | 1964 | D&RGW 50 was purchased in December 1963 from Edward Hines Lumber Co. (Sumpter Valley Railway, SV), for narrow gauge switching service at Durango, Colorado. | |
| 66 | Baldwin | 62496 | VO-660 | 660 | B-B | 199,000 | 1941 | 1/23/1967 | Traded to EMD on SD45. |
| 67 | Baldwin | 62501 | VO-660 | 660 | B-B | 199,000 | 1941 | 4/1966 | Sold for scrap to Barter Machinery & Supply Co., Denver, Colorado, in April 1966 |
| 68 | Baldwin | 62502 | VO-660 | 660 | B-B | 199,000 | 1941 | 6/1953 | D&RGW 68 was rebuilt to yard slug 25 in June 1953. |
| 69 | Baldwin | 64183 | VO-660 | 660 | B-B | 199,000 | 1941 | 4/1966 | Sold for scrap to Barter Machinery & Supply Co., Denver, Colorado, in April 1966 |
| 70 | Baldwin | 64184 | VO-660 | 660 | B-B | 199,000 | 1941 | 1/23/1967 | Traded to EMD on SD45 |
| 71 | Baldwin | 68185 | VO-660 | 660 | B-B | 199,000 | 1941 | 11/5/1964 | Sold for scrap to Barter Machinery & Supply Co., Denver, Colo, on 5 November 1964. |
| 72 | Baldwin | 68186 | VO-660 | 660 | B-B | 199,000 | 1941 | 1/23/1967 | Traded to EMD on SD45 |
| 73 | Baldwin | 68187 | VO-660 | 660 | B-B | 199,000 | 1941 | 1/23/1967 | Traded to EMD on SD45 |
| 74 | Baldwin | 68188 | VO-660 | 660 | B-B | 199,000 | 1941 | 1/23/1967 | Traded to EMD on SD45 |
| 100 | EMC | 1313 | NW-2 | 1000 | B-B | 248,900 | 1941 | 1/19/1968 | Built as D&RGW 7000, the road's first diesel locomotive, delivered on 1/22/1941; to D&RGW 100 on September 13, 1941. was equipped with a trolley pole until July 1953, to activate signals on D&RGW operated Denver & Intermountain railroad. Sold to Precision Engineering Co., /19/1968; leased to Great Lakes Steel no. 100, leased to Youngstown Sheet & Tube (YSTX) no. 915 (1st) before April 1972; returned to Precision National on December 4, 1972; sold to East Camden & Highland (EACH) no. 62, in Arkansas, before September 1973. |
| 101 | Alco | 69555 | S-2 | 1000 | B-B | 230,000 | 1941 | 4/8/1966 | Sold to Precision Engineering Co., Mount Vernon, Illinois, 8 April 1966, scrapped. |
| 102 | Alco | 69557 | S-2 | 1000 | B-B | 230,000 | 1941 | 7/23/1965 | Sold for scrap to Barter Machinery & Supply Co., Denver, Colo, 23 July 1965. |
| 103 | Alco | 69558 | S-2 | 1000 | B-B | 230,000 | 1941 | 11/4/1964 | Sold for scrap to Barter Machinery & Supply Co., Denver, Colo, 4 November 1964. |
| 104 | Alco | 69559 | S-2 | 1000 | B-B | 230,000 | 1941 | 8/27/1964 | Sold for scrap to Barter Machinery & Supply Co., Denver, Colo, 27 August 1964. |
| 105 | Alco | 70074 | S-2 | 1000 | B-B | 230,000 | 1943 | 4/8/1965 | Sold to Precision Engineering Co., Mount Vernon, Illinois, 8 April 1966, scrapped. |
| 106 | Alco | 70075 | S-2 | 1000 | B-B | 230,000 | 1943 | 7/23/1965 | Sold for scrap to Barter Machinery & Supply Co., Denver, Colo, 23 July 1965. |
| 107 | Alco | 70076 | S-2 | 1000 | B-B | 230,000 | 1943 | 10/24/1964 | Sold for scrap to Barter Machinery & Supply Co., Denver, Colo, 24 October 1964. |
| 108 | Alco | 70077 | S-2 | 1000 | B-B | 230,000 | 1943 | 3/3/1964 | Sold to P. W. Duffy & Co., Columbus, Ohio (dealer), 3 March 1964; sold to Weirton Steel 215. |
| 109 | Alco | 70183 | S-2 | 1000 | B-B | 230,000 | 1943 | 2/5/1965 | Sold to Luria Brothers, Pueblo, Colo, 5 February 1965; sold to Colorado & Wyoming 1105, Minnequa, Colorado, in June 1965. |
| 110 | Alco | 70184 | S-2 | 1000 | B-B | 230,000 | 1943 | 8/14/1936 | Sold to George R. Silcott, Worthington, Ohio (dealer), 14 August 1963; sold to Kentucky & Tennessee 101 in August 1963. |
| 111 | Alco | 70185 | S-2 | 1000 | B-B | 230,000 | 1943 | 4/8/1966 | Sold to Precision Engineering Co., Mount Vernon, Illinois, 8 April 1966; traded to George R. Silcott (dealer), Worthington, Ohio; leased to Republic Steel Corp. |
| 112 | Alco | 70186 | S-2 | 1000 | B-B | 230,000 | 1943 | 7/23/1965 | Sold for scrap to Barter Machinery & Supply Co., Denver, Colo, 23 July 1965. |
| 113 | Alco | 70187 | S-2 | 1000 | B-B | 230,000 | 1943 | 11/3/1964 | Sold for scrap to Barter Machinery & Supply Co., Denver, Colo, 3 November 1964. |
| 114 | Alco | 70188 | S-2 | 1000 | B-B | 230,000 | 1943 | 5/26/1965 | Sold to William W. Taggart, Dallas, Tex. (dealer), 26 May 1965; sold to Gifford-Hill & Co., Texarkana, Texas. |
| 115 | Alco | 70195 | S-2 | 1000 | B-B | 230,000 | 1944 | 10/3/1964 | Sold to United Electric Coal Co. (Peabody operation) 115, Canton, Illinois, 3 October 1964. |
| 116 | Alco | 70196 | S-2 | 1000 | B-B | 230,000 | 1944 | 6/9/1965 | Sold to Luria Brothers, Pueblo, Colorado. (dealer), 9 June 1965; sold to Colorado & Wyoming 1104, Minnequa, Colorado, in June 1965; to Duvall Corp., Rustler Springs, Texas. |
| 117 | Alco | 72050 | S-2 | 1000 | B-B | 230,000 | 1944 | 6/3/1965 | Sold to William W. Taggart, Dallas, Tex. (dealer), 3 June 1965; sold to Goodpasture Grain & Milling 117, Galena Park (Houston), Texas, in July 1965. |
| 118 | Alco | 72051 | S-2 | 1000 | B-B | 230,000 | 1944 | 8/14/1963 | Sold to George R. Silcott, Worthington, Ohio (dealer), 14 August 1963; sold to Kentucky & Tennessee 102 in August 1963. |
| 119 | Alco | 72052 | S-2 | 1000 | B-B | 230,000 | 1944 | 8/14/1963 | Sold to George R. Silcott, Worthington, Ohio (dealer), 14 August 1963; sold to Kentucky & Tennessee 103 in August 1963. |
| 120 | Fairbanks-Morse | 10L53 | H-10-44 | 1000 | B-B | 241,000 | 1948 | 1/23/1967 | Traded to EMD on SD45 |
| 121 | Fairbanks-Morse | 10L54 | H-10-44 | 1000 | B-B | 241,000 | 1948 | 1/23/1967 | Traded to EMD on SD45 |
| 122 | Fairbanks-Morse | 10L55 | H-10-44 | 1000 | B-B | 241,000 | 1948 | 1/19/1968 | Sold to Precision Engineering Co., Mount Vernon, Illinois, 19 January 1968; sold to St. Louis San Francisco (Frisco) 286, in 1969 |
| 123 | Fairbanks-Morse | 10L58 | H-10-44 | 1000 | B-B | 241,000 | 1948 | 1/29/1968 | Sold to Precision Engineering Co., Mount Vernon, Illinois, 29 January 1968. |
| 130 | EMD | 30016 | SW-1200 | 1200 | B-B | 264,500 | 1964 | 2/8/1995 | Wrecked, then sold to Progress Rail Services, Albertville, Alabama, 8 February 1995; sold to Diesel Supply Co. in (date?), wreck damage repaired and stored at Manufacturer's Railway, St. Louis, Missouri, until sold to Rail Link in (date?); in service as Rail Link (RLIX) 230. (RLIX information from Randy Keller via email date February 26, 2004) |
| 131 | EMD | 30017 | SW-1200 | 1200 | B-B | 264,500 | 1964 | 12/1993 | Wrecked in late October 1993 at Denver, Colorado; sold to Progress Rail Services, Albertville, Alabama, in December 1993 |
| 132 | EMD | 30018 | SW-1200 | 1200 | B-B | 264,500 | 1965 | 6/14/1996 | Wrecked on 24 April 1996 at Salt Lake City (Roper), Utah; sold to Western Railroad Supply, Fontana, California, July 1997, shipped in late December 1997; to Kaiser Ventures, Inc. |
| 133 | EMD | 30019 | SW-1200 | 1200 | B-B | 264,500 | 1965 | 7/14/1998 | Sold to Diesel Supply Co., Hudson, Wisconsin, in July 1998, sold to Farmers Co-op Elevator Co., Beresford, South Dakota. |
| 134 | EMD | 30020 | SW-1200 | 1200 | B-B | 264,500 | 1965 | 7/15/1997 | Sold to Diesel Supply Co., Hudson, Wisconsin, in November 1997; shipped to Manufacturers Railway, St. Louis, Missouri, in February 1998; as of January 2002, located in Saginaw, Texas at the Gavilon Grain elevator; still there in October 2011 |
| 135 | EMD | 30024 | SW-1200 | 1200 | B-B | 264,500 | 1965 | 2/8/1995 | Sold to OmniTRAX, 8 February 1995; sold to Diesel Supply Co., Hudson, Wisconsin; sold to Northland Farm Co-op Elevator 135, Rake, Iowa. |
| 136 | EMD | 30025 | SW-1200 | 1200 | B-B | 264,500 | 1965 | 11/7/1994 | Sold to Progress Rail Services, Albertville, Alabama, 7 November 1994; sold to Farmer's Union Elevator, Murdock, Minnesota. |
| 137 | EMD | 30026 | SW-1200 | 1200 | B-B | 264,500 | 1965 | 10/10/1995 | Sold to Progress Rail Services, Albertville, Alabama, 10 October 1995. |
| 138 | EMD | 30027 | SW-1200 | 1200 | B-B | 264,500 | 1965 | 2/8/1995 | Sold to OmniTRAX; sold to Diesel Supply Co., Hudson, Wisconsin, stored at Manufacturer's Railway, St. Louis, Missouri, until sold to Rail Link in (date?); in service as Rail Link (RLIX) 238 |
| 139 | EMD | 30028 | SW-1200 | 1200 | B-B | 264,500 | 1965 | 7/14/1998 | Sold to David J. Joseph Co. in July 1998. |
| 140 | EMD | 32175 | SW-1000 | 1000 | B-B | 247,000 | 1966 | 10/5/1995 | Sold to Progress Rail Services, Albertville, Ala., 9 October 1995. |
| 141 | EMD | 32176 | SW-1000 | 1000 | B-B | 247,000 | 1966 | 7/14/1998 | Sold to Midwest Metallics, McCook, Illinois, in July 1998; sold upon bankruptcy to Diesel Supply, Hudson, Wis.; moved to Locomotive Specialists, Inc., Waycross, Ga., by November 1999. |
| 142 | EMD | 32177 | SW-1000 | 1000 | B-B | 247,000 | 1966 | 7/14/1998 | Sold to Midwest Metallics, McCook, Illinois, in July 1998; sale rescinded; sold to Boise Locomotive Co., Boise, Idaho, 16 April 1999; sold to KURX 915, leased to Shell Chemical, Apple Grove, W. V. |
| 143 | EMD | 32178 | SW-1000 | 1000 | B-B | 247,000 | 1966 | 10/3/1991 | Retired due to a damaged crankshaft; sold to OmniTRAX in 1995; repaired for lease to Hudson Bay Mining & Smelting, Flin Flon, Manitoba; lease not completed; sold to Camas Prairie 143, Lewiston, Idaho in April 1998. |
| 144 | EMD | 32179 | SW-1000 | 1000 | B-B | 247,000 | 1966 | 7/14/1998 | Sold to Midwest Metallics, McCook, Illinois, in July 1998; sale rescinded; returned to UP at Omaha, 10 June 1999; sold to General Electric Technical Services, used at GE's contract (former C&NW) shop in Council Bluffs, Iowa; later sold to Larrys Truck Electric (LTEX), in national lease service as LTEX 1001. |
| 145 | EMD | 32180 | SW-1000 | 1000 | B-B | 247,000 | 1966 | 10/3/1991 | Retired due to a damaged crankshaft; sold to OmniTRAX in 1995; repaired for lease to Hudson Bay Mining & Smelting, Flin Flon, Manitoba; lease not completed; used by OmniTRAX Switching Services (OSSX) in national lease fleet. (Information from Norm Metcalf, Don Bain, and Ed Fulcomer.) |
| 146 | EMD | 32313 | SW-1000 | 1000 | B-B | 247,000 | 1966 | 11/1994 | Sold to Progress Rail Services, Albertville, Ala., in May 1995; sold to Kyle Railways 1125 in 1998. |
| 147 | EMD | 33915 | SW-1000 | 1000 | B-B | 247,000 | 1968 | 10/5/1995 | Sold to Progress Rail Services, Albertville, Ala., 9 October 1995. |
| 148 | EMD | 33916 | SW-1000 | 1000 | B-B | 247,000 | 1968 | 11/1994 | Sold to Progress Rail Services, Albertville, Ala., in May 1995. |
| 149 | EMD | 33917 | SW-1000 | 1000 | B-B | 247,000 | 1968 | 2/1995 | Sold to OmniTRAX, 8 February 1995; to Hudson's Bay Mining & Smelting Co., in 1996. |
| 150 | Fairbanks-Morse | H-15-44 | 1500 | B-B | 241,000 | 1948 | 4/8/1966 | Sold to Precision Engineering Co., Mount Vernon, Illinois, 8 April 1966, scrapped. | |
| 151 | Fairbanks-Morse | H-15-44 | 1500 | B-B | 241,000 | 1948 | 4/8/1966 | Sold to Precision Engineering Co., Mount Vernon, Illinois, 8 April 1966, scrapped. | |
| 152 | Fairbanks-Morse | H-15-44 | 1500 | B-B | 241,000 | 1948 | 4/8/1966 | Sold to Precision Engineering Co., Mount Vernon, Illinois, 8 April 1966, scrapped. |
