We just returned from a trip which included driving from Farmington, NM north into Colorado. I know that the DRGW branch from Durango to Farmington was originally built SG and then rebuilt to NG. My question is about the operations of the line when it was SG since it was isolated from the national SG network. How did SG locomotives and rolling stock get to the line and was all of the freight transloaded in Durango? Any photos avaialable?
There are very few visible reamains now. Our trip also took us to South Fork, CO. Lots of stored coal hoppers on the fromer DRGW Creede branch line. I imagine the NIMBYS are not too happy.
Go to the Denver Public Librbary collection
http://digital.denverlibrary.org/cdm/railroad/
Search for "Durango standard gauge" and you will get a couple of photos.
As for the Creed Branch South Fork area, we were there about 10 years ago, and a lot of spine cars were stored. There were lots of gaps between groups of cars so the wildlife could get to the river.
The narrow gauge Farmington Branch was part of the last hurrah for profitability for the whole narrow gauge operation. Trainloads of pipe and other material for digging oil wells were transferred from standard to narrow gauge at Almosa. then two days later arrived at Durango, and on the third day arrived in Farmington for transfer to trucks. I think in the early 60s this occured two or three times a week. Often they were double-headed and also required a rear helper. But only one locomotive at a time was permitted across the high tresle at Lobato.
Road this in 1962. I think Brad Miller and I am sure Rudy Morgenfrue joined me in chartering the William Jackson Palmer office car on the Morie Kleibolt Chicago RR Club special. We obught provisions ini a Farmington supermarket, and enjoyed a Rudy Morgenfrue cooked excedllent steak dinner in car on the return. And two kid flew kites off the ear platform as we entered Durango.
Farmington is a prime example how a town missed the train completely! Imigine if the line to this scenic NM city had been preserved and you could board the narrow gauge cars there and ride all the way to Silverton and back. The ride would carry you from the desert beauty of New Mexico all the way up to the splender of what John Denver sings in Rocky Mountain High! Ironically, the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad is recommended in the New Mexico Tourist Guide, despite the fact it operates in....Colorado!!!
The Farmington branch was down to negligible service (tri-monthly, I think) after the oil boom faded. It's not surprising that it was abandoned by Rio Grande in 1968.
It would have been in the interest of tourism to both Colorado and New Mexico if they had purchased the entire ng lines at the time for future expansion and not just the "Track of the CATS" that only operates to Cumbres, railbanking the line to Farmington in the process.
CSSHEGEWISCH The Farmington branch was down to negligible service (tri-monthly, I think) after the oil boom faded. It's not surprising that it was abandoned by Rio Grande in 1968.
About the winter of 1964/65, a freight train encountered extreme snow conditions on Cumbres Pass. Instead of continuing on, it returned to Alamosa. The railroad closed the pass until Spring. Customers received freight via truck for the duration and that was the beginning of the end. Every Winter until abandonment, the DRGW shut down the pass until Spring. At the same time highways were being improved.
Somewhere one of my narrow gauge books has the number of freight train starts out of Alamosa. I would have to look, but it seems like the number of freight train starts in 1968 didn't even make it into double digits.
Jeff
Trinity River Bottoms Boomer It would have been in the interest of tourism to both Colorado and New Mexico if they had purchased the entire ng lines at the time for future expansion and not just the "Track of the CATS" that only operates to Cumbres, railbanking the line to Farmington in the process.
The National Park Service toured the line after it was shut down, and apparently passed on it. Interesting idea on rail banking. Although I don't think the term was used until the 1970s, it was effectivily done in the 1950s with the EBT. However, it might have remained rail banked, as Colorado has apparently reached the saturation point with tourist lines. I believe CATS is subsidized by NM and CO. The Rio Grande Scenic stopped their tour trains to Antonito that used to connect with CATS. The tourist line to Creede ("D&RG"?) is up for sale, and the town of Creede kicked it out of the city limits.
I fully agree with you MidlandMike in regards to Colorado being saturated with tourist railroads! A pity there isn't Amtrak Colorado funded by the state and feds to operate connecting service between the California Zephyr at Glenwood Springs and Southwest Chief at La Junta over the Grande's Royal Gorge Route. Pueblo would also benefit from the service. This would also help to promote and restore freight service to Leadville and other communities on the line which would be operated by a subsidized regional freight carrier.
Such and investment would be worth much more than funding any off the beaten track narrow gauge tourist operations like the C&TS regardless of the scenic beauty. There is an option: Appoint the D&SNG to become the operator of the line and close the gap between Cumbres and Durango! It is time to put the Can Do back into the American Dream again!
The ultiment tourist train would be a restored Rio Grande Zephyr between Denver and Salt Lake City on the Moffat Route. It would also make the Glenwood Springs connection with the Royal Gorge/Pueble/La Junta train as well. Kids of all ages from 9 to 99 still love to ride the train even if it is standard gauge!
All Aboard!
Three weeks ago we attended the NRHS convention in Denver, and rode a bus to Leadville to our chartered run on the LC&S. The bus ran along the Tennessee Pass route past Minturn. Landslides cover some of the track in the Eagle River Canyon. The Leadville tourist train went as far as the blockage across the track at the Climax moly mine. The mine has removed most of their trackage. The mine is back in operation, but apparently truck the concentrate to the existing loadout on the Moffat route at Kremmling.
Note that the D&SNG did oprate the C&TS for a year recently, but was not interested in continuing.
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