D&RGW K-28 is a product of the American Locomotive Works (ALCO). It was delivered to the Denver & Rio Grande Western in 1923. A total of ten K-28's (470-479) were purchased to assist the very successful by now severely overworked K-27's.

Since the delivery of the K-27's in 1903 the technology and complexity of steam locomotive had advanced considerably. Therefore the K-28 although similar in size to the K-27 is a much more advanced piece of equipment. A long “leisurely visual tour” of your new Accucraft K-28 will allow you to spot many of these advanced features all faithfully modeled on your new locomotive.

When delivered these locomotives were assigned to the Gunnison Division, and although they did occasionally pull freight trains, they were most often found at the head of a "varnish" or passenger train. During World War II, seven of the K-28 class were requisitioned by the U.S. Army and shipped to Skagway Alaska to run on the White Pass and Yukon Railroad. After the end of the war these locomotives were returned to the states of Washington and Utah to be scrapped.

However, the good news is that three (473, 476 & 478) of the original D&RGW K-28 class are still in existence and are now under the ownership of the Durango & Silverton Railroad. They are still running over the same rails as they did almost eighty years ago climbing towards Silverton along the banks of the Rio de Las Animas Perdidas.