Dog Houses on the D&RGW ?

[mudhen]

Does anyone know why, #453, K-27 was the only engine, in this class to have a Dog House on its tender. I have not found any photos to prove otherwise.
I believe you got it right Backmann, on your engines. You must have done the research on this.
Can you shed any light on this ?

[Chuck N]

A very interesting observation.  I have just checked my books and agree.  The oldest picture I can find of #453 was taken in 1940 and it has the doghouse.

There are pictures of 9 of the 10 K-27s at the following website:

http://www.ghostdepot.com

Look under rolling stock, then locomotives and then the 1939 roster.  Lots of pictures, only  #455 is missing and I saw a picture of it in a book, no doghouse. None of the others have one.

I vaguely remember reading somewhere that #453 was the yard engine (switcher) in Durango.  Maybe it has something to do with that.  The one picture I found showed a switching pilot rather than a road pilot on #453.  The switching pilot is identical to the stock pilot that came with #453 from Bachmann.  I have since replaced mine with a road pilot.

Chuck

PS I just found the picture of 453 switching in the Durango yard.  It is the  June picture in the COLORADO NARROW GAUGE 2013 calender.  The picture was taken in 1951 and it still has the doghouse.