It began its service on the D&RG at Alamosa, Colorado, was leased to the Rio Grande Southern in 1926-27, and then spent most of the next decade on the Gunnison Division, in Salida, on the line to Montrose, and on the branch to Ouray.

315 spent several periods in the Alamosa shops during the early 1940s, notably with a broken main rod and then later for flue work and to replace its pilot with a switch engine pilot when it was assigned to yard switching duties at Durango, Colorado.

315 was officially leased as a static display, presented to the City of Durango at Brookside Park on the 22nd of September, 1950.

315 to the Durango Chamber of Commerce in June 1968 while other efforts related to disposing most of the Narrow Gauge System took place.

315 because of the lease they made to the City of Durango, but he insisted using the 315 and posted a $1,000,000 bond to the D&RGW that the locomotive would be returned in one piece.

315 had received some cosmetic maintenance for the first time since it was placed back on display in Brookside park after the filming of Around the World in 80 Days.

Mosher had intended to do something about it and wanted to see the locomotive in its original condition, but was diagnosed with cancer later that year, and passed away in 1997.

The project was assisted by the D&SNG's Museum Curator Jeff Ellingson who redid the lettering and also evaluated No.

Later on the SJLS' Board of Directors decided the project would be too big to perform under the club name, and formed the 315 Committee.

Later in 1999, the committee reconsidered the end goal of the restoration and also decided to reorganize as a non-profit organization under the name of the Durango Railroad Historical Society.

The locomotive first ran at the D&SNG after fixing some minor issues and having to borrow D&RGW 223's tender trucks.

315 was added to the National Register of Historic Places as Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad Locomotive No.

By the end of the C&TS 2021 season in October, the locomotive was required to receive its FRA federally mandated 1,472-day boiler inspection and overhaul.

When the locomotive isn't out running on the D&SNG or at the C&TS, it is stored in the original Silverton Northern Railroad Engine house.

[13] The DRHS has currently restored: Media related to Denver and Rio Grande Western 315 at Wikimedia Commons