The Steam Era: Mines and Mountains
Railroads were instrumental in shaping the state of Colorado from the mid-to-late 19th century and into the early 1900’s. Although you won’t see steam billowing through many canyons anymore, their legacy remains in the form of the roads we drive on and the towns we pass.
Upon the discovery of gold in the late 1850’s, prospectors flocked to the state with the slogan “Pikes Peak or Bust.” The railways soon followed to transport the rich ore and capitalize on the new wealth. Before long, railroads began snaking up the valleys and through the mountain passes to the gold fields.
Most railroads through the mountains used narrow gauge track to reduce costs and make sharper turns through the valleys. Between the 1880’s and ’90’s these narrow gauge trains were a common sight throughout the region. By the 1900’s however, the railroads began a slow decline. Due to high operating costs, reduced mining profits, and the rise of automobiles, many companies were forced to abandon their lines or merge with more powerful railroads.
The Golden Age: Main Line Through the Rockies
The 20th century saw the golden age of rail travel as tourists clambered aboard for scenic excursions into the mountains of Colorado. The Denver & Rio Grande rose to power as one of the largest railroads in the Rocky Mountain region adopting catchy slogans such as Through the Rockies not around them, Main Line through the Rockies and Scenic Line of the World.
“Vista-Dome” cars were pioneered by Cyrus Osborn of General Motors Electro-Motive Division while traveling through Glenwood Canyon on a Rio Grande locomotive. These observation cars consisted of a raised seating area with windows overlooking the top of the train and offering 360-degree views of the scenery.
Although the glory days are now in the history books, special excursion trains operate on remaining portions of Colorado’s historic railroads and rides are offered on several heritage railroads throughout the state such as the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad, Georgetown Loop Railroad and the Royal Gorge Route.
Colorado Railroad Museum
The Colorado Railroad Museum, established in 1959, contains one of the most impressive collections of trains in the region. The museum houses over 100 locomotives and rolling stock ranging from narrow and standard gauge steam and diesel locomotives to passenger cars, railroad post office (RPO) cars and cabooses. The 15-acre railyard even contains its own roundhouse and turntable as well as a 0.3 mile narrow gauge loop for operational trains.
One of the more unique items in the collection is the “Galloping Goose.” Developed in the 1930’s by the Rio Grande Southern, these locomotives were built to carry passengers and mail when the more expensive traditional steam trains were not required. The Geese consist of a freight box mounted to an automobile frame with train wheels and a cowcatcher. The swaying motion of these Motors (as they were officially dubbed by the railroad) resembled geese waddling down the tracks and lending them the popular nickname. The museum owns three of the original seven geese, all in operating condition, and runs them on certain weekends and special days.
Additional equipment from Colorado’s railroading history includes a Manitou & Pikes Peak steam engine with a cog wheel system to pull it up the famous mountain, a rotary snow plow which maintained the mountain passes in winter, and a diesel switcher and boxcars used by the Coors brewery adjacent to the museum. The museum also holds special events with live steam trains, Santa Clause and wild west reenactments.
Source: Colorado Railroad Museum, DRGW.net, Denver.org, VistaDome.com
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