John L Mathis

Portrait of a "Ghost". DRGW 472 went to war in the Yukon during World War II and never returned to its home rails. It was scrapped after getting as close as Salt Lake City. The heavy wartime use had worn the locomotive so badly that it wasn't worth rebuilding. Of the original ten K28's (470-479) only three had remained with the DRGW. The 473, 476 and 478. Today all three of these locomotives belong to the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge RR. For Railfest 2005, the 478 became the reincarnation of the 472 in a 1930's livery. So for a brief period, the 472 has "reappeared". Here it is on its maiden run for the Mixed Train Photographers' special at Railfest 2005.