WeCo NRHS To Host UP Locomotive Engineer As Guest Speaker

The Western Colorado Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society (WeCo, NRHS) is bringing in a Union Pacific locomotive engineer for its February 4th meeting at 7 p.m. at the Glenwood Railroad Museum. This meeting is open to the public. Steve Wareham, 16 years an engineer for UP, has been active in Operation Lifesaver Colorado and will be on hand for a question and answer session.

Galloping Goose For Breakfast

Editor's Note: Happy 2009, everyone! Later this month, Colorado Railroads blog will celebrate completing it's 3rd year of posting news and items of interest to fans of Colorado railroading. Like you, I can't wait to see what the future holds!

Ronald Tallman, Executive Director of the Colorado Railroad Museum, made an appearance on Denver's 9News yesterday. He presented RGS Goose #7 and Goose #2 to early morning viewers and mentioned the Mother's Day Goosefest planned for May. Click above to play the video. Watch also for the dramatic helicopter shot showing Tallman by the restoration roundhouse on the museum grounds.

Having Galloping Goose For Thanksgiving

The news from Donald Tallman out at the Colorado Railroad Museum in Golden is that they're having Geese for Thanksgiving. Rio Grande Southern Galloping Goose No. 2, Galloping Goose No. 6, and Galloping Goose No. 7 will both be operating on the museum's loop of track on Thanksgiving weekend, with passengers allowed to ride in Goose No. 7. Special event admission applies, which puts the adults at $12 a person.

More details regarding the museum's flock of 3

Note: it was previously listed that only Geese 6 and 7 were operating, but Mr. Tallman says all three will be running.

Christmas Trains

I have updated the Colorado Railroads Special Events Calendar to include the Christmas trains slated to run this season. The Colorado Railroad Museum, the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic, the Rio Grande Scenic, the Manitou & Pikes Peak, and the Durango & Silverton all plan to run trains this year. Only C&TS's Cinder Bear train is scheduled to run during the day.

If you have kids ages 3 to 10, I'm sure they'll get a kick out of riding a Christmas train. Prices are much reduced from the regular season fares with many running at $10 per child and $20 per adult. Hear the sleigh bells yet? You will.

Finding Mears' Ridgway

The Ridgway of the days of Otto Mears is long gone, but local historians are getting down to doing some serious archeological work. Catch up with them in Original Ridgway Grew Up As A Railroad Town. If you're in the area, the museum is a must-see for anyone interested in railroads, history, or just the beauty and grandeur of the San Juan Range.

Rio Grande F-9, #5771 Photo Art

I don't know art, but I know what I like.

What is HDR, anyway?

RGS 20 Boiler Work Continues

The Colorado Railroad Museum continues to oversee the out-of-state repairs being done on Rio Grande Southern steam engine #20. Linn Moedinger reports in the Narrow Gauge Discussion Forum on the boiler work, complete with photos.

The museum continues to raise funds for the restoration. Donald Tallman, Executive Director for the museum states,

We have recently received a challenge donation of $250,000 to help defray the costs of the restoration. We have received nearly $30,000 in donations to meet the match, but we have a long way to go.

Those interested in helping the museum with this grant can call 303-279-4591 or 1-800-365-6263 with your pledge of support. Once restoration is complete, RGS 20 will return to steam at the museum for years to come.

Durango Railfest 2008

Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad's 10th annual Railfest concludes today. Both Galloping Goose #5 from Dolores and the 315 of the DRHS made appearances this weekend. Hopefully, someone will e-mail me with pictures I can link you to.

Durango Herald Online article

Trolley To Run August 9th At Denver Federal Center

According to Dave Schaaf, Rocky Mountain Railroad Club will be rolling out their trolley car 25 at the Denver Federal Center. Dave writes,

The public is invited to see and ride this beautifully restored antique railcar. Visiting hours will be on Saturday, August 9th, between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m at the Denver Federal Center. Enter the Federal Center at gate #1 from Kipling Street, between 6th Avenue and Alameda. Tell the guard that you would like to go to Building 78 for the trolley open house, and then follow the signs. Government issued photo IDs are required for all adults. Pets and firearms are not permitted, and there are no nearby restroom facilities. Rides are free but donations are gratefully accepted. Books and memorabilia will be for sale.

Update: Darren Hadley with Railroad Adventures captured this picture of the car at the presentation.

Colorado Railroad Museum Needs Volunteers For Day Out With Thomas

The call is out for volunteers in the Denver area for the Colorado Railroad Museum's Day Out with Thomas event. The last three weekends in September, each Saturday and Sunday (no Fridays this time), the museum will host what Executive Director Donald Tallman calls "our most important fundraiser of the year."

Thomas & Friends has been on television since 1984, making the series 24 years old. While not every railfan enjoys the little blue engine, Thomas has introduced many a toddler to railways, Brittish railways but railways nonetheless. What the Day Out With Thomas event does is bring out people to the Colorado Railroad Museum who would not otherwise have cause to visit. Each year, those visitors are exposed to the museum and its presentation of Colorado's unique and storied railroad history, including children who have never heard of Galloping Geese, rotary snowplows or garden railways. What starts out with a little blue toy could end up as a life-long love of all things railroad and a special fondness of the railroad museum. The event itself is the key and it can't happen without volunteers.

"This event has been successful in the past due to the outstanding volunteers we have had. It takes nearly 100 volunteers per day to run the event. We can't do it without volunteers," Tallman says. Contact Kelvin@crrm.org for more information or to sign up to help with the Day Out With Thomas event. You can also call 303-279-4591 and ask about volunteering. You can even tell them Colorado Railroads let you know about it.

Here is a YouTube video of an early Thomas event at the museum. Be warned, however, that if you don't like bouncy, happy children's songs sung by children with English accents--and really, who doesn't?--it's best that you mute the audio.

Cheyenne Frontier Days Special Train Tops Summer Weekend In Colorado

This is just a reminder to everyone about the activities tomorrow. Any time you're looking for updated information on Colorado railroads, be sure to drop by the Special Events Calendar.

First, we have the Cheyenne Frontier Days Special Train run by Union Pacific between Denver and Cheyenne. The train runs again tomorrow. While the tickets have been sold out, there's likely to be a spot or two open on the photo line. This will be the last scheduled run of UP steam on the Front Range this year, seeing that the 2008 State Fair Express is already canceled.

Second is the Colorado Railroad Museum's 4th annual Wine & Cheese Train. An historic narrow gauge passenger train powered by a steam or diesel locomotive will run at approximately 20-minute intervals between 10 am. and 4 p.m. on the museum grounds.

Third and last is the Colorado Wildflower Special on the Leadville, Colorado & Southern. The train is scheduled to leave the station at 10:00 a.m. The tickets run $40.00.

Have fun this weekend, and don't forget to check the weather!
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Chris May's Photos of the Cheyenne Frontier Days Special

UP Has Change Of Heart Toward Grand County Club

In follow up to last month's post Grand County Residents Scramble To Save Buildings From UP Wrecking Ball, it now appears that Union Pacific has decided to step in and help the club. According to Ski Hi News' Tonya Bina,

The railroad has offered to pay for the removal of the building, Bumgarner relayed to commissioners Monday, rather than have the small club bear the cost of demolition. It also has offered to reimburse the railroad club for improvements it made to the building since last summer when the club acquired it through a county treasurer’s sale for $100.

This is terrific news for the small club, which recently got word that it is likely going to receive a 99-year land lease from the county near Kaibab Park. The group is planning a two-story structure with park facilities and a museum on the ground floor and a large model railroad layout on the second floor. The club is applying for a $100,000 grant from--of all sources--the Union Pacific Railroad.

Moffat Road Exhibit Opens In Steamboat Springs

The Tread of Pioneers Museum in Steamboat Springs has opened an exhibit called “Cows, Coal and Commerce: 100 Years of the Moffat Railroad in Steamboat Springs.” Read the article...

RGS Galloping Goose No. 4 Restoration Underway

Trainboard.com member JCater visited Ridgway recently and took some photos of Rio Grande Southern Galloping Goose #4, under restoration by the Ridgway Railroad Museum. It looks like the volunteers there have split the car body from the cab. Their plans are to survey the car and record its condition extensively before beginning any repairs.

JCater's gallery
Colorado Railroads blog post: RGS Galloping Goose No. 4 To Be Restored In Ridgway

Windsor Railroad Museum Reopens After Tornado

The Windsor twister that destroyed buildings and caused one death May 22, 2008, left its mark on the Colorado community, but there are signs that life is slowly returning to normal. One such sign is the Windsor museums re-opening at Boardwalk Park. Although there was damage to a beet shanty showing home life for immigrant sugar beet farmers, several other buildings--including the railroad depot and exhibits--went largely undamaged. The museums will be open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays this summer.

Volunteer At the Colorado Railroad Museum June 28th

For those in the Denver-Golden area on June 28th, the Colorado Railroad Museum will be hosting its first all-Museum work day. Volunteer coordinator Kelvin Harr says that there will be mini-restoration projects, landscaping projects, track projects, and office projects that volunteers start and finish that day. Have fun, get your museum fix, and end up with a real sense of accomplishment. Contact Kelvin@crrm.org if you would like to help out!

On a side note, several mechanically inclined volunteers are needed at the Colorado Railroad Museum to put the No. 50 Switcher back together. They need a Project Leader and individuals to work on installing the transmission, clutch, air brake rigging and running gear. If this is your cup of tea, contact Kelvin Harr at the link above.

Grand County Residents Scramble To Save Buildings From UP Wrecking Ball

The news from Granby is not good. After purchasing a pair of railroad structures to model the historic Denver & Rio Grande Western's Moffat Route from Denver to Craig, the Grand County Railroad Club is being forced to abandon their building by the railroad's current owner, Union Pacific. They must remove the building from UP property or it will be demolished by the Union Pacific. Being more expensive to move it than to start over, the GCRC may simply salvage what they can and start over in their search for a home.

Similarly, the Grand County Historical Society is seeking to save the Granby Depot from the same wrecking ball. Ideally, the depot would be removed to a donated tract of land. If not, the society could possibly place it on existing land but it would be "jam-packed."

Entreaties by the Middle Park railroad afficianados to the railroad's central offices in Omaha have thusfar gone unheeded and unheard. The demolition move by the UP is part of their effort to make the railroad property from Denver to Glenwood Springs more presentable.

Meet Phil Johnson, CMO of the CRRM

Here's a good little article on Phil Johnson and his work as the CMO (Chief Mechanical Officer) at the Colorado Railroad Museum in Golden.

On a side note, I'm glad to see the Denver Leadville & Gunnison engine 191 is finally getting some attention. For years, she's stood as a shadow of what she once was. Will she steam again? I don't know, but with all the steam power coming on line in the last few years and the current projects in the works, anything is indeed possible.

RGS Galloping Goose No. 4 To Be Restored in Ridgway

The Telluride Watch is reporting that Galloping Goose #4, the only goose that has not undergone a major restoration since the demise of the Rio Grande Southern, has been placed at the Ridgway Railroad Museum for just that purpose. Goose 4 is going to be restored to a complete but non-operating condition for it's owner, the Telluride Volunteer Fire Department. Many hands have had a part in getting Goose 4 this far, but Mary Ann Gaston of Telluride figures prominently in the article.

Stirrings Of Summer This Weekend

Despite the previously mentioned canceled work session, this first weekend in May is shaping up to be a busy one for railroads in Colorado. Tomorrow (Friday), Durango will be having their Annual Narrow Gauge Day with BBQ and western music by the Bar D Wranglers out in front of the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad depot. This ceremonially kicks off the summer runs to Silverton, which will increase to four trains a day from June to August to accommodate the demand for the black engine and yellow cars so symbolic of southwestern Colorado and of narrow gauge railroading.

On the Front Range, the Colorado Railroad Museum will open it's doors wide to the public on Saturday, offering a free admission day. For families strapped for cash, this is a nice break on the price, although the museum can always use more support. Trains will not be running Saturday. A list of their scheduled steam ups are available at the museum site and are listed on the Colorado Railroads Calendar.

Finally and most importantly, this is the weekend of the La Veta Pass Explorer expedition from Trains Unlimited. According to their site, steam engine #18 is going to make its first revenue run over La Veta Pass with this excursion. Obviously, this trip is sold out, but there is no limit on photographers on the photo line. Good luck and good hunting, gentlemen!