And the West is History: D&RGW ‘Bumblebee’ Engine No. 268 – 1952

Built in 1882, Denver & Rio Grande Western locomotive 268 arrived at the 1949 Chicago Railroad Fair with an unusual Aspen Gold paint scheme. The engine later starred as “Cinder-Ella” in the 1952 Denver & Rio Grande movie, filmed on the Silverton line. It returned to active service on the narrow-gauge line between Gunnison and Salida, featuring the distinctive bumblebee paint scheme until its retirement in 1955. Locomotive 268 is now on static display at the Gunnison Pioneer Museum. – Ed Horvat for Animas Museum, edhorvat@animasmuseum (Catalog Number: 16.15.7 from the La Plata County Historical Society Photo Collections)