During my trip to Colorado to chase steam we stayed in Alamosa for the Cumbres and Toltec portion of the trip. On October 18th, 2023, I captured this lash-up of a Carolina Southern 9163 F7A unit, San Luis & Rio Grande (BUGX 227) and Rio Grande (BUGX 1100), sitting in the Colorado Pacific Rio Grande Railroad yard there. While I don’t normally capture scenes of locomotives that aren’t what I refer to as alive (have lights on, underpower or moving) I thought these old war horses warranted a photo.
I really don’t know a lot about them or their running condition, other than what I found on the web below.
Carolina Southern Railroad No. 9163 was built in 1950 and went to Canadian National Railway in 1952. Carolina Southern was an 80-mile short line based in Conway South Carolina that started service in 1995. The line shut down in 2011 and was sold to R. J. Corman in 2015. Locomotive No. 9163 was acquired by Iowa Pacific Holdings and was delivered to subsidiary San Luis & Rio Grande Railroad in Alamosa, Colorado. In 2022.
San Luis & Rio Grande (BUGX 227) F40PH-2, which was converted to a SLUG from what I find on the web, was built in May of 1976 and started its life as and engine in Amtrak’s fleet. According to the Diesel Shop its history is: ex LBWR/SLRG 227 (Lubbock & Western Railway); ex TNMR/SLRG 227 (Texas-New Mexico Railroad); ex SLRG 227; ex AMTK F40PH 227.
According to the San Luis & Rio Grande Railroad Roser site, (BUGX 1100) FP10 was built in December of 1946 as Built as GM&O F3A 805A, Rebuilt as FP10 MBTA 1100 and then To SLRG Aug-2006.
BUGX is Dieselmotive Company, Inc (Reporting mark: BUGX) is also known as the Bruggere and Monson Railroad is a company that owns, operates and maintains diesel locomotives. and according to the markings on the latter two engines, I assume they now own the 227 and 1100.
Tech Info: DJI Mavic 3 Classic Drone, RAW, 22mm, f/8, 1/2000, ISO 220.