'Bull Dog' class 0-8-0t by gunslinger87 on DeviantArt (original) (raw)
The primary motive power for the Dry Gulch & Hellingon Railway are a number of outside frame 2-8-0s similar to the D&RGW's "C-25" class locos.
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Ten such locos were delivered in June of 1901 have been the primary form of mostive power. although the ealier inside frame 2-8-0s, "C-16" types, continued to provide valuable service.
These locomotives have served the DG&H very well and have earned their place as strong and reseliant work-horses. However the Right-of-Way into the high desert mountains and especially Devil's Slot Canyon is increadibly winding and steep. Grades along this part of the railroad average 3%, though they exceed 4% in some ares. This makes this stretch of track quite percarious to traverse, even with the most skilled of engineers at the throttle. Trains that should only require a single locomotive needed to have 2 locomotives, "double heading", in order for the train to crest the grade. Double heading was proving costly for the railroad and a solution was needed.
The result of their problem is pictured above. The famed "Bull Dog" class 0-8-0t helper locomotives. The engines use an identical frame to their 2-8-0 counterparts, but lack the lead wheel. These locomotives were built specifically as "Helper" locomotives to aid trains up, through, and over the treturous grade in Devil's Slot Canyon. A total of four were originally delivered in early spring 1903.
With the large saddle tank and all steel cab these locomotives had considerably more tractive effort than the usual 2-8-0s. They did have a pretty veracious appetite for coal and had aggressive operating characteristics, hence the crewmen nicknaming these locos "Bull Dogs". Each loco's fuel bunker held enough coal for a round trip or two between the bottom of the grade and the crest. Coal was used sparingly while at stops. Crew tried to not use the coal from the bunker except for only traversing the "High Iron". Stoking between runs was performed at the base stations.
For a time these locos performed happily and served specifically as helper locomotives, but as time moved on the Bull dogs occasionally hauled local frieght, ore, and mixed trains along the desert mountains in Arizona.
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Ok, enough of the fictional history. Now, BEHOLD MORE OF MY NARROW GAUGE AWESOMENESS!!!!! XDXDXD
As some of you may or may not know, My friend :whaletainer2002: got me the book by Malcom Furlow on how to build the HOn3 "San Juan Central". As such my mind has been geared to HOn3 modeling and I pondered on what motive power I'd like to have on my HOn3 "Dry Gulch & Hellingon Ry".
The locomotive drawn above was directly inspired my the old MDC Roundhouse kit #1550, and and more commonly know as the "Moose Jaws Static Locomotive Kit". (by the way, if you know where I can get one LET ME KNOW!!!)
Ideally I would want 4 of them, 3 to make the 0-8-0 shown and the 4th to make an 0-4-4-0. I'd still have to figure out some way to power them, but NWSL should be able to help me out with that.
Anywho I hope ya'll like!! And Sampug, feel free to pixelize this!