Rio Grande 168

{{Infobox locomotive

| name = Denver and Rio Grande Western No. 168

| powertype = Steam

| hatnote = Reference

| image = D&RGW 168 in 1909 1.jpg

| alt =

| caption = D&RG No. 168 at the head of a special train taking William Howard Taft to the opening of the Gunnison Tunnel in 1909

| builder = Baldwin Locomotive Works

| serialnumber = 6670

| builddate = 1883

| rebuilddate = 2016–2019

| whytetype = {{whyte|4-6-0}}

| uicclass = 2′C n2

| gauge = {{RailGauge|3ft|lk=on}}

| leadingdiameter =

| driverdiameter = {{convert|46|in|mm|0|abbr=on}}

| weightondrivers = {{convert|50643|lb|t|1|abbr=on}}

| locoweight = {{convert|70550|lb|t|1|abbr=on}}

| locotenderweight = {{convert|117950|lb|t|0|abbr=on}}

| fueltype = Coal

| length = {{convert|53.3|ft|m|1|abbr=on}}

| fuelcap =

| watercap =

| boilerpressure = {{convert|160|psi|MPa|0|abbr=on}}

| cylindercount = Two

| cylindersize = {{convert|14|x|20|in|mm|0|abbr=on}}

| valvegear =

| valvetype =

| tractiveeffort = {{convert|11590|lbf|kN|2|abbr=on}}

| factorofadhesion =

| operator = D&RG » D&RGW
C&TSRR

| operatorclass = D&RG: 47,
DRGW: T-12

| fleetnumbers = {{ubl|D&RG 168|D&RGW 168}}

| lastrundate =

| retiredate = 1938 {{small|(revenue service)}}

| restoredate = October 2019

| preservedunits =

| scrapdate =

| currentowner = The City of Colorado Springs, Colorado
Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad {{small|(operator)}}

| disposition = Operational, in occasional excursion service, based in Antonito, Colorado

{{Infobox NRHP

| embed = yes

| name = Rio Grande Engine No. 168

| nrhp_type =

| image =

| caption =

| location = 9 S. Sierra Madre, Colorado Springs, Colorado

| coordinates = {{coord|38|50|3.4|N|104|49|41|W|display=inline,title}}

| locmapin = Colorado#USA

| built = 1883

| architect = Baldwin Locomotive Works

| architecture =

| added = August 10, 1979

| area = less than one acre

| refnum = 79000601{{NRISref|2009a}}

}}}}

Denver and Rio Grande Western No. 168 is a class "T-12" {{whyte|4-6-0}} “Ten Wheeler” type narrow-gauge steam locomotive. It is one of twelve similar locomotives built for the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad (D&RG) by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1883. It was built as a passenger locomotive, with {{convert|46|in|abbr=on}} drivers, the largest drivers used on any three-foot gauge D&RGW locomotive. The large drivers made it suitable for relatively fast passenger service.

Various photographs show 168 during its working life. One shows it in the Black Canyon of the Gunnison River in 1904. Another shows it in Montrose, Colorado, west of Gunnison, at the head of a special train taking President William Howard Taft to the opening of the Gunnison Tunnel which, at the time, was the longest irrigation tunnel in the world. There are also photographs, taken by Otto Perry, showing it in Alamosa in 1923 and Salida in 1929. It was retired in 1938 after a service life of 55 years.

The railroad gave it to the City of Colorado Springs on August 1, 1938. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places as Rio Grande Engine No. 168 in 1979. Although it sat in Antlers Park, unprotected from the elements behind a low fence for so many years, it appeared to be in remarkable cosmetic condition when removed for restoration to operating condition in early 2016.

The city has arranged with the Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad (C&TSRR) to have the engine restored to working order. The locomotive is now located in Antonito, Colorado.{{cite web|url=https://coloradosprings.gov/cat/resident-services/communications/news-releases/historic-colorado-springs-locomotive-be-reborn|title=Historic Colorado Springs Locomotive to be reborn!|publisher=City of Colorado Springs|access-date=2015-07-28|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306191918/https://coloradosprings.gov/cat/resident-services/communications/news-releases/historic-colorado-springs-locomotive-be-reborn|archive-date=2016-03-06}}

Restoration was completed in October 2019. The restoration project was headed up by Cumbres and Toltec Special Projects department and led by Assistant General Manager Efstathios Papas. The project cost $508,000 and took 27 months to complete. The railroad intends to use this engine frequently and put it into normal service as much as possible.Papas, Efstathios. Personal Interview. March 11, 2020

{{Gallery

|File:D&RGW 168 in 1909 2.jpg|

|File:D&RG 168, in 1904 - enlargement (2).jpg|D&RG 168 in the Black Canyon of the Gunnison, 1904

|File:DRGW 168 in 1923.jpg|Alamosa, 1923

|File:DRG 168 in Antonito Colorado.jpg|After restoration as seen in 2021 at Antonito

|File:D&RG 168, Class 47, T-12, Ouray, Colorado engine house.jpg|D&RG 168 at the Ouray, Colorado engine house, showing what it looked like in its early years with a diamond stack and wooden pilot (cowcatcher). (Friends of the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic RR collection)}}