We took the 330pm Royal Gorge train this afternoon (sold out of coach) and it was well worth the $39 per person fare and the 2 hours. I rode the open air car almost the entire ride, despite light rain at times. One marvels at the engineering involved with not only the track, but also the water line.
Water rights in Colorado intrigue me, perhaps due to the abundance of rainfall in the midwest. The systems of ditches and diversions in place are nearly as interesting as rail ROWs.
Coming down from Salida the old DRGW Tennessee Pass line was in view nearly at all times. The long grade from Canon City up to Tennessee Pass (elevation 5300 to about 10,200) seems incredible to this flatlander.
Was the eastbound grade 3%? If so, that certainly explains the reason those coal trains do not use that line (along with selling of UP line east of Pueblo).
All in all it was a great trip and we are now heading back home. Lots of great scenery and a few trains in the state of Colorado.
Thanks to all for suggestions.
Ed
Home again in Indiana after 8 days. It was a great trip to Colorado and we roamed the state and actually saw a few trains. Here is a summary:
1. Bailey Yard was well worth the time in North Platte. We also drove west on US 30 about 20 miles, seeing 3 UP trains.
2. Gore Canyon on the UP (DRGW) west of Kremmering is quite scenic, but we saw no trains. The UP 2015 calendar features a photo of the canyon on the June page.
3. Minturn to Leadville drive was scenic and the remnants of the Tennessee Pass were spectacular. Also did a little fly fishing south of Leadville adjacent to the tracks. Sad to see the line out of service. The rails and signals stand ready (with a little work and a lot of cash). What a trail that would be...no doubt the rail to trails folks are drooling over that.
4. Spotted a coal train on the North Fork Sub at Paonia and chased it to Hotchkiss and actually took a photo...not very good nor scenic. The mining activity seems down as only 1 mine on the line is active. The local organic farmers are very happy with that.
5. Followed the Arkansas River and UP Tennesee Pass line from Salida to Canyon City. Oh, what it must have been like to have had trains on that line.
6. Royal Gorge train from Canyon City to Parkdale. Rode the open car and had a great time. Picked up the book "Rails thru the Gorge" by Doris Osterwald. She is a railfan and geology teacher (retired?) and covers the history, geology, and operations quite well for $15.00 ... a value for 170 page softcover book.
7. Had hoped to explore the La Junta depot as I took the Chief out of there in 1966 but we made an executive decision not to spend the night in town, instead pushing to Lamar,co.
8. Great Bend, Ks seemed to be a hub for Kansas and Oklahoma RR. We passed thru town and 2 trains were working. I grabbed a quick photo of one. There is also an old coal tower and a Santa Fe depot....sure wish I would have taken 15 minutes for more exploration and photos.
A great vacation with a few trains and a super highlight...Royal Gorge ride. Thanks to all for suggestions.
I live near Hotchkiss and do contract work at one of the Mines, Bowie Resources. There are 2 working mines, Bowie Resources and the West Elk Mine. Bowie loads 3-4 trains a week. I think West Elk Mine is about the same. There is one local mix freight once a week from Grand Junction to Delta and up to Montrose. This train switches 4-5 covered hoppers of chicken feed in Delta. There are 6-8 tank cars of anhydrous ammonium fertilizer on the side track in Olathe. Also, Lumber products to Montrose on center beam flat cars. Loads going out, back to Grand Junction are 2 gondolas of scrap metal from Montrose. I noticed that about a year ago that Marble is loaded into gondolas in Delta. Large blocks 4-6 feet square or rectangle cubes. The Marble comes from the Yule Marble Quarry on the other side of McClure Pass. I wonder why they chose to truck the Marble to Delta which is a 72 mile trip over McClure pass ( Elev 8760 ) instead of the 41 miles to Glenwood Springs which is all down river. Union Pacific does not want to be bothered with loading single cars in Glenwood Springs ?
Steve
(1) BNSF can't touch it. (Glenwood no longer a team facility even though the track and dock exist)
(2) UP tries really hard to minimize having a road switcher stopping in Glenwood and possibly bind up through movements with Amthrax and the unit trains (choke point)
MP1731. Bailey Yard was well worth the time in North Platte. We also drove west on US 30 about 20 miles, seeing 3 UP trains.
Did you go into town to check out the Challenger and Centennial on static display at the Cody Park Railroad Museum?
Steve:Thanks for update. That is a gorgeous (getting tired of using that word lately) area. The valley thru Paonia seems like an interesting place. Good to hear they are loading more coal than I had thought. The local train would have been interesting to watch. Glad we didnt get behind the marble truck over McClure Pass.
Black Bridge Winery was outstanding...thanks Mudchicken for recommendation.
Already wishing we had time to return in October.
When I visited a friend who lived in Denver, we rode Georgetown Loop, short ride but very scenic. Leadville, Colorado & Southern was good one too, could see the highest peak in CO or so we were told. And definitely the Royal Gorge Route-that was awesome. I heard a train horn after we had walked across the bridge, ran to top of hill to look down and saw a train. I knew there had not been a train down there for years. So checked it out at my hotel and when I went back the following year, we rode RGR. To come into the Gorge and see the bridge high above and cross the Hanging Bridge and sit for a minutes was like something from a dream, I never expected to be able to do it since I knew D&RGW had stopped trains years before.
I did ride the Durango & Silverton years before with friends, when it was still operated by the D&RGW. That's an experience not to be missed either.
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