On a highway map, Parkdale is at the junction of US 50 and County Road 3 (Copper Gulch Rd.). It is also where US 50 crosses over the rail line and the Arkansas River. There is a gravel/stone operation there which is served by Rock N' Rail. It is also the turn-back point for the Royal Gorge Route excursion train from Cañon City.
Controlled siding immediately west of the Royal Gorge itself.
RWM
Railway Man Pueblo-Canon City: UP owned, BNSF trackage rights (date way back), Rock & Rail trackage rights, UP dispatching, in service. Canon City-Parkdale: Joint Rock & Rail/Royal Gorge Scenic ownership, UP trackage rights, UP dispatching, in service. Parkdale-Gypsum: UP owned, out of service, used to store cars. Gypsum-Dotsero: UP owned, in service, used to access American Gypsum at Gypsum. RWM
Pueblo-Canon City: UP owned, BNSF trackage rights (date way back), Rock & Rail trackage rights, UP dispatching, in service.
Canon City-Parkdale: Joint Rock & Rail/Royal Gorge Scenic ownership, UP trackage rights, UP dispatching, in service.
Parkdale-Gypsum: UP owned, out of service, used to store cars.
Gypsum-Dotsero: UP owned, in service, used to access American Gypsum at Gypsum.
Help! My April, 1970 ORG lists Canon City, Royal Gorge, Fink, Texas Creek, Cotopaxi, Howard, Salida, Brown Canon, Nathrop, Buena Vista, Princeton, Malta, Vale, Tennessee Pass, Pando, Red Cliff, Belden, Minturn, Avon, Wolcott and Eagle*-but no Parkdale! Where is that?
*It's late, the print is small and I'm tired so I probably have several spellings wrong-but you get the point.
A few months ago I drove along the Tennessee Pass Subdivision between Minturn and Wolcott (sp?) Junction. Many of the signal line poles are gone and a lot of wire they once supported is missing. Some of the crossties are getting nicely bleached out, and weeds are sprouting everywhere. It looks like the lens of a block signal governing westward movements at Wolcott has been used for target practice. Seeing all of that heavy weight welded rail just sitting there rusting away is a haunting sight.
One of the last trains over that line was a westbound U.P. steam special chartered by either the N.R.H.S. or the N.M.R.A. a few years ago. One of the engine crew members later told me that he counted 32 slow orders on this line just between Pueblo and Minturn. With a killer 3% ruling grade between Minturn and the Tennessee Pass tunnel, that's a mighty expensive piece of railroad to run and maintain.
Or Calcite, Coaldale, Intake, Leadville ...
Railway ManPueblo-Canon City: UP owned, BNSF trackage rights (date way back), Rock & Rail trackage rights, UP dispatching, in service.Canon City-Parkdale: Joint Rock & Rail/Royal Gorge Scenic ownership, UP trackage rights, UP dispatching, in service.Parkdale-Gypsum: UP owned, out of service, used to store cars.Gypsum-Dotsero: UP owned, in service, used to access American Gypsum at Gypsum.RWM
Love some of the place names, like "Gypsum" mentioned and "Portland" between Canon City and Pueblo. One shouldn't have to guess too hard what was going on at Portland.
Active from Pueblo to Parkdale. Stored coal hoppers on sidings and main track between Parkdale and Texas Creek area. I don't know beyond Texas Creek. Wish it would come back - but not hopeful.
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