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Colorado Memories Of The Narrow Gauge Circle Krause & Grenard Soft Cover
Colorado Memories Of The Narrow Gauge Circle By John Krause & Ross Grenard
Soft Cover
Copyright 1979, 1988 SECOND PRINTING May 1988
130 Pages
Contents
Introduction to Narrow Gauge 4
Salida7
Monarch Branch10
Poncha Junction to Mears Junction 16
Mears Junction to the Valley Line 19
Marshall Pass Line 24
Gunnison 32
Crested Butte Branch 34
The Baldwin Branch38
The Sapinero Branch 40
Black Callon 44
Montrose50
Ridgway 53
Placerville 60
Vance Junction and the Telluride Branch 62
Ophir65
Lizard Head70
Rico 74
Dolores 75
Durango 81
Silverton Branch86
Farmington 94
Durango to Chama 98
Chama106
Antonito 117
Alamo sa 119
Equipment121
Journey's End 130
Colorado Circle Map 131
My end shall be my beginning" read the motto of Mary, Queen of Scots, and it is as applicable to the 675 miles of narrow gauge track that once served southwestern Colorado as it was to that tragic monarch. For the narrow gauge rails formed a circle extending from Salida and Alamosa on the east to Durango and Montrose on the west, with the 163 mile Rio Grande Southern forming the final link in the circle. Branches radiated to Ouray, Silverton, and Farmington, N. M.; up the San Luis valley, to the coal mines north of Gunnison, and to the limestone quarries atop Monarch Pass. Operating in an area where the minimum elevation was over 6,000 R. and encompassing a plurality of Colorado's 14,000 ft. peaks, it served places whose incomparable scenic beauty, vast mineral resources, and scant population created a setting unmatched on the North American continent and whose names even today connote the glories of both railroading and mining.
The narrow gauge circle physically comprised those lines of the Denver and Rio Grande left untouched in the great changeover precipitated by the construction of the standard gauge Colorado Midland in the 1880's. Since the Denver-Ogden line was standard gauged in 1890, less than a year before the RCS drove its last spike the circle could probably be considered obsolescent even at its birth. Those were prosperous years, but the repeal of the Sherman Silver Purchase Act and the subsequent Panic of 1893 marked the beginning of a static economy for southwest Colorado that would generate precious little rail traffic growth in the century to come.
Control of the RCS passed to the Grande in the 1895 reorganization and it was operated as a part of the larger system until 1929. After the turn of the century, the Rio Grande itself was consolidated managerially with the Missouri Pacific to the east and the Western Pacific to the west as a portion of George Gould's ill-fated transcontinental system. The narrow gauge was left largely intact and to a certain extent ignored save as a feeder line for the Missouri Pacific. It was to remain peripheral to the energies expended in the gathering conflict as Gould relentlessly poured the resources of his railroads into such efforts as the Western Pacific and the Wabash-Pittsburgh Terminal.
One result of the Gould control, particularly after the completion of the Western Pacific, was a concerted effort to lure transcontinental passengers away from the established Union Pacific and Santa Fe routes and Maj. Shadrack K. Hooper was entrusted with the task of marketing Colorado to the travelling public. One of his more successful efforts was the Narrow Gauge Circle, a four day tour starting in either Alamosa or Salida and offering a ride around the narrow gauge by daylight to view the wonders of Marshall Pass, the Black Cation, Lizard Head and the trestles of Ophir, plus such options as the Silverton Branch and a stage ride over the Red Mountain. Offered as either a side trip on transcontinental tickets or as a separate tour out of Denver, the summer only jaunt was well received and was a staple of Rio Grande passenger promotions until 1926. In that year the Curecanti Needle disappeared from the D&RGW herald to be replaced by the phrase "Royal Gorge Route", and although passenger service still operated over most of the narrow gauge lines, the efforts of the Rio Grande's passenger department would be more and more devoted to the standard gauge operations. The year 1926 was also significant for it marked the Beginnings of what was to become Rio Grande Motorway, with bus and truck operating rights paralleling most of the railroad, and the later stated intent of its president "to substitute highway service on branch lines operating at a substantial loss". This, of course, meant primarily the narrow gauge.
In 1929 the circle was severed for the first time when the Ames mud slide on the RCS between Vance Junction and Ophir neatly split that unfortunate carrier in twain. Since the RGS' operating costs now equalled 125% of its total revenues, the Rio Grande wanted out. President J.S. Pyeatt declared that clearing the slide would cost over $30,000 and could not be justified under existing conditions. A bankruptcy petition was instituted by the bondholders and Denver businessman Victor Miller was appointed receiver by the U.S. District Court in Denver. Miller succeeded in clearing the slide for $500 and went on to take other measures that insured the railroad's improbable existence for at least two more decades. Most notable among these was the replacement of the steam powered mixed trains with converted Buick and Pierce-Arrow motors that were to be known in legend as the Galloping Geese. These very effectively cut costs, improved service, and helped maintain the vital mail contract. Miller also began returning leased Rio Grande engines, performing shop work at Ridgway instead of having the Grande do the work at Alamosa. He also purchased freight cars and cut costs while otherwise improving service. His tenure ended in 1938 but he brought to the Rio Grande Southern a glimmer of its old spirit and vitality at its darkest hour since 1893.
Much has been written of the glory years of passenger service in the 1920's, but it is doubtful that there was much spillover to the narrow gauge as the equipment had been purchased in the 1880's and precious little modernization has occurred. Open platform coaches with kerosene lamps and leather or plush walkover seats were still the rule, and coal stoves provided heat. Food service was accomplished at 20 minute meal stops at Chama, Sargent, Gunnison, and Cimarron. Parlor car service was offered on the Alamosa-Silverton and Salida-Ouray runs. During the summers an open top observation car was operated through the Black Canon at a modest 25g additional charge.
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