News

Work Year 2005

Foundation volunteers has been busy moving a lot of the donated and purchased items to our offices in Monte Vista. Cleanup and organizing has taken much time. We expect to spend considerable time on the line this summer and Fall.

Work days will be posted here.

June 26, 2005 - Work Day

Speeder group from Denver spent the day cleaning up the track of fallen debris and had an enjoyable day with their speeders on the line. Other speeder get-togethers will be planned this summer.

June 2005 - Cleanup work

Time was spent cleaning up around the offices and on the line.

May 2005 - Move of materials

Additional donated materials were moved to the Foundation Hq. in Monte Vista

March 2005 - FEC # 148 Move

Again the FEC #148 took much of our time completing the move and unloading in Monte Vista. See section in this web site on the move...

February 2005 - FEC #148 Loading

Much of this month was planning for and time spent in Travers City MI loading our new steam engine.

Work Year 2004

South of Wagon Wheel Gap - a 1/8 mile of track was replaced. 35 new ties added and road bed cleaned.

April 2004 - The Offices in Durango were moved to Monte Vista, Colorado to an old D&RG Railroad warehouse that has been converted to Offices, Workshop and Museum for the Foundation, also some of the stored museum items, including the RGS Trout Lake Car have moved to this location.

2003 was a busy year on the line and with the many work days we did not keep up with the Web Site.

The D&RG RY HF received the donation of seven railroad cars. These will aid the Foundation in the rebuild and freight hauling on the line. Pictures are listed on the sight so go take a look. The addition included three box cars, one gondola, two flangers and one caboose. All of them are historic D&RGW items. Stay tuned for updates on the car dates and exact sizes.

Volunteers of the D&RG RY HF began clean up of both the line and the MOW equipment. Work crews were out on speeders cleaning up old ties and cleaning out additional rocks and trees close to the rail. Workers also began the clean-up and testing of the MOW equipment in South Fork. We are proud to say the Regulator, Scarifier and Spiker are running great. Plans are underway to begin major clean-up of the line this summer. All rock slides will be cleared back and some rail will be replaced where needed. Clearance should be made for all large equipment to be run up the line. Stay tuned for the progress reports. I would also like to thank Larry Franzen who has just about completed a brand-new engine for our powered bolt wrench. He has given a lot of time rebuilding items for the Foundation and we would not be where we are with-out supporters like him.

Volunteers of the D&RG RY HF began prep work on the ex-Southern Pacific #7863 Locomotive. The Locomotive arrived in South Fork last month. Work was done on clean-up and initial inspection. Plans are underway to repaint and re-letter the engine. The engine is in great shape and the wheels were turned just before the engine arrived in South Fork.

The ex-Southern Pacific #7863 Locomotive arrived in South Fork today. The engine will be repainted and will be used on the line for freight and passenger service.

The D&RG RY HF received it's certificate from both the State and Federal Government placing the South Fork to Creede railway line as a National Historic District. The Foundation has been working on this for some time. They felt this would insure preservation of this very historic branch for future generations to enjoy. It received approval on Nov. 27, 2002 finalized by the Federal Government.

I would like to thank Jim Eager of Toronto, Canada. Jim sent me the following information on some of the Foundation's rolling stock. Thanks for the information Jim....

D&RG 2359 - This car was built at the D&RGW's Burnham Shops as part
of the D&RGW 22200-22239 series and was later rebuilt with bulkheads.
It is 53ft-6in long over the end sills, or 48-6 IL

D&RG 2488 - This car was built by Bethlehem Steel Corp. If the 1960
built date is correct it was originally numbered in the D&RGW
22485-22534 series. It is 53ft-6in long over the end sills, or 48-6 IL

D&RG 2304 - This is a 53ft-6in car, not 74ft. I can't tell which
series it is from based on the photo.

D&RG 0132 - This car was built by Bethlehem Steel Corp. in 1949 as
part of the D&RGW 30100-30149 series. This car has an IL of 65ft-6in.

MKT 5134 - This car was built in 1968 by American Car & Foundry and
is one of the last 40-foot boxcars built.

UP 361139 - this car was built by the UP's car shops.

As we come to a new year I would like to wish all of the supporters, members and visitors of this web page a safe and Happy Holiday and New Year. I hope everyone this coming 2003 year will try to help support some of the non-profit railroad museums and operations across the US. As we all know the market was less than friendly during the 2002 year. Keep in mind many of these museums and operations operate off of your financial and volunteer support. Try to donate your time, money or historic items and help keep the railroad history alive for many future generations. Thanks and Happy Holidays, Matt Cutter....

Volunteers of the D&RG RY HF will be hosting a table at this years Durango Convention. The Convention will run from Thursday, November 07th to Sunday, November 10th 2002. If you are coming out to the Convention or if you plan to be in the area, please stop by and say hi. The Volunteers would love to show you what progress has been made and what future plans are in store for the railroad. This table was donated to the Foundation by the wonderful people at RCC. They are the builders of some of the finest railroad MOW equipment.

I have received a bunch of emails from supporters who were wondering what has been going on recently. The biggest thing has been paperwork. Everyone is trying to get ready for the end of the year and as any group goes, there is always a lot of paperwork. The dry conditions this year slowed down the Foundation from doing any major tie replacement. Lets hope for a green year next year to allow for a lot of work sessions.

Volunteers of the D&RG RY HF focused on the latest addition to the Foundation. Known as RPB-1 - Railroad Party Barge, this former U.P. personnel carrier was constructed out of a Nordberg Spiker frame with a 4 cyl. Detroit diesel motor, hydraulic drive system and air brakes. It has seating for twelve and room for a bunch more. Volunteers did some clean-up and engine repair and it fired right up. The motor car ran for almost two days straight without a problem at all. Volunteers had to remove additional rocks and brush due to the much larger size of this unit. The line is now open to Creede for larger equipment.

The D&RG RY HF is in the process of upgrading two crossings in South Fork. The crossings are being upgraded with new ties, rail, OTM, ballast, signs and planking. This upgrade is the first step on upgrading all of the crossings along the line. The Foundation will keep working its way up the line this year and next year upgrading all of the crossings. Hopes are to have the crossings in South Fork re-opened by this weekend. UPDATE (09-14-01)- One crossing is upgraded and the other one will be finished and re-opened on Monday.

The D&RG RY HF was loaned a ex-Union Pacific / Southern Pacific Locomotive. The Locomotive is a 1979 GE B-30-7. It is a ex-Southern Pacific #7863 Locomotive. The engine is in excellent condition and ready to operate. It features a 3000hp engine and will aid the Foundation in movement of freight on the line. The engine is in Denver and will be shipped to South Fork shortly. Stay tuned for updates on its move.

The D&RG RY HF received the donation of a 1947 Pullman built sleeper. It was built for the New York Central originally as a 22 room car. The car was named "Caminada Bay." The car was eventually sold to CN. The car was converted in the 1970's to a "daynighter." The first class coach has 54 seats. It was last used in the 1990's. The Foundation would like to thank Daniel Quiat of Marcus Rail for the donation.

The equipment purchased at the Union Pacific's auction arrived in South Fork today. The Foundation also received one of the donated narrow gauge flat cars out of Wyoming. The Foundation had received the donation of three cars, but donated two of them to the Boulder County Railway Historical Society. The car will be added to the Foundation future museum.

The Union Pacific's auction went well for us this year. We picked up a few items that will make a difference this year and for years to come. The Foundation purchased a spiker machine, motor car, trailer and a few other items. The equipment should arrive in South Fork next week. As a side note, the Foundation received the donation of two car loads of long haul seats for the upgrade of our passenger equipment. These will also be arriving next week.

The D&RG RY HF started up on-line operations this week. This is due to the rains the area of South Fork has now been receiving. The Foundation started by reworking hill sides and clearing away brush and rocks. Although the line is open from South Fork to Creede, clearance is needed to allow large motive power down the line. The Foundation will start on road crossing rebuilds first, then start with a tie replacement program.

The D&RG RY HF purchased at auction the oldest D&RG duck-billed combine in existence. Combine #211 was purchased and will be moved to either the Foundations location in South Fork or in Durango. The car was last used on the Lake City Branch. Stay tuned for updates on the car.

The D&RG RY HF received a donation of 44 ton GE diesel locomotive #1244. The engine was used by the Utah Central Railroad. It was sold to Omni-Trax out of Loveland, then sold to the individual that donated it to the Foundation. This will be a great addition to our Foundations growing collection of memorabilia and operating equipment. The engine will be sand-blasted, repaint similar to #40's D&RGW scheme and renumbered #44. The engine is in running condition but needs to be blue carded. It will be used to aid in the rehab of the line and switching service. Stay tuned for updates on the engines history and arrival date.

The D&RG RY HF voted to stop all on-line operations till the fire danger stops. This is due to the super dry conditions Colorado and surrounding areas have had. South Fork and Durango have been hit with fires and the Durango fire is still burning. The Foundation felt that fire fighters are so busy right now, there is no need for workers to be out on the line. Once the area starts to receive rain, work will resume. Right now volunteers have been focusing on the clean-up of car #36 and the rebuild of all of the Foundation's M.O.W. equipment. Fire fighting equipment has been acquired by the Foundation and will be used during maintenance operations on the line. receiving. A decision should be made in a week or two. Stay tuned for updates.

Volunteers of the D&RG RY HF began repair and clean-up of both the Friendship and Business Car #36. The Friendship received a fresh coat of paint, gold trim and a silver sealed roof. Car #36 received a silver sealed roof, rewiring, new glass and additional clean-up. The car is in need of fresh carpet and a few other additional repairs. Workers spent the nights relaxing on the platform (sadly watching the fire) and most got a chance to sleep on board. Ultimately, it will provide official Foundation offices in which to greet guests visiting the railroad. Stay tuned for updates on the grand opening of our new South Fork offices.

The D&RG RY HF offices received news from residents that a fire has started in the South Fork area, just north of town. The fire has been growing in size rapidly due to the dry conditions currently existing in Colorado. The town of South Fork has been evacuated and no one is permitted to enter the area. So far, none of the D&RG RY's equipment is known to be damaged or lost. The Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge has severely restricted the mileage traveled by their trains due to a massive fire in that area. The Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad has stopped operating due to the extremely high fire hazard condition that exists. Our prayers go out to the residents of South Fork, Durango and surrounding areas.

The D&RG RY HF lifted the oldest D&RGW diesel locomotive off of the bulkhead flat and down to live D&RG rail. #40 has been sitting in the flat since its move down to South Fork from Brighton, Colorado. It took two cranes to lift the little engine off the flat. It was slowly set down on rail where volunteers will begin its restoration. The Foundation is working on a grant for the sandblasting and repainting back to its original colors. Stay tuned for updates.

The D&RG RY HF, with the aid of four large cranes, two tractor trailers and a large group of volunteers, lifted the 83' Pullman Standard-built ex-Santa Fe business car from its resting place in Aurora (Denver area) and trucked it down to South Fork, Colorado. The car was prepped before its long journey and it took a day to load and transport and the next morning to unload back onto its trucks on the Foundation's siding. The car is in the process of being cleaned up. Once finished it will allow the Foundation to have offices in both Durango and South Fork. Power, gas and water are in the process of being connected. The car's roof is being resealed and a new coat of paint will be added to the exterior. The exterior will remain silver but will have the addition of a Rio Grande gold stripe and Denver & Rio Grande Railway lettering. The car features an observation room and platform, four bedrooms, dining room and a full galley. At this time, the car is on a pair of dual-axle D&RGW trucks. Volunteers are working at locating a set of three-axle trucks, which are the correct type for a heavy-weight business car. The Foundation hopes to have the car ready for use in the next few months.

Workers over the weekend installed new glass in the R.P.O. Although not all of the new glass made it into the car, the last few pieces should be installed by next weekend. Clean-up of the car is underway to turn it into a temporary museum. Stay tuned for updates on this and other car restorations.

The D&RG RY HF purchased ex-Santa Fe business car #36. The car interior is in great shape and will give the Foundation needed office and board room space. The exterior will remain silver but will have the addition of a Rio Grande gold stripe and Denver & Rio Grande Railway lettering. This will allow the Foundation to have offices in both Durango and South Fork. Power, gas and water will be plumbed in the near future. The car is located in Denver at this time and has been prepped for its move down to South Fork. If all goes well, the car should arrive Thursday the 13th. Stay tuned for pictures and updates of the car's move.

The D&RG RY HF will receive the use of a custom built 1924 railcar. The custom built D&RG motor #1 will aid the Foundation in the restoration of the line. Although the restoration of the motor car is underway, it will take a few more months for its completion. The builder / owner has loaned its use to the Foundation. The upgrades on the motor car will give better safety, reliability and performance. Pictures of the restoration will be featured on the web site. Stay tuned for updates.

The D&RG RY HF received the sixth tractor trailer load of M.O.W. equipment today. There are two more trucks left that will bring down the final loads of mostly hardware O.T.M. Work crews looked over the recently acquired equipment and began part replacement to bring the items up to full operational use. The equipment will be repainted and will aid in the tie replacement and crossing rebuild over the summer.

The D&RG RY HF received five tractor trailer truck loads of M.O.W. equipment today. Most of the equipment is fully operational but needs a few fixes here and there. The equipment was loaded in Denver early in the morning and arrived in South Fork late that afternoon. A total of thirteen pieces of equipment were removed by crane and set on rail. This will give the Foundation 99% of the maintenance equipment needed to rebuild and maintain the line for years to come. Pictures of the equipment and freight cars are listed in the equipment section of this site.

Over the past month the Foundation has been trying to finish up on paper work. This will allow the summer to be free so the Foundation can focus on the railroad line rehab. Plans are to start tie replacement and crossing rebuilds this year. The Foundation was blessed with the addition of two freight cars, one passenger car and a pile driver. Shipping dates are still being worked out. They should be moved to South Fork in the next month. The Foundation also picked up a large amount of M.O.W. equipment to help aid in the rebirth of the line. The equipment will be in South Fork next week and will be gone through and repainted. This will give the Foundation 99% of the maintenance equipment needed to rebuild and maintain the line for years to come. Pictures of the equipment and freight cars are listed in the equipment section of this site. Stay tuned for updates on the tie replacement program underway this year.

Due to the warm weather Colorado has received over the winter, workers began the early clean-up of the Budd-built Railway Post Office car. The car was loaded with equipment purchased at the last U.P. auction. Workers spent three days clearing various items from the car. Plans are to strip the interior and repaint and varnish. The Foundation would like to return the car back to its original configuration when it rolled out of the Budd factory. Stay tuned for updates on the car's progress.

The Denver & Rio Grande Railway Historical Foundation, (D&RG RY HF) under contract with the Union Pacific, had the first stainless steel passenger train brought to South Fork today. The train consisted of the Budd round end observation, the Budd railway post office car, a D&RG bulk head flat, a D&RG flat, a D&RG gondola, an ex-KATY box car, an ex-U.P. double door box and the D&RG #40 center cab engine. The train was assembled in Monte Vista and began its move to South Fork around 9:30 in the morning. Many people stopped along the route to take pictures of history in the making. The train arrived in South Fork around 11:00. The cars were separated and placed on the spur track and siding in South Fork. Plans are to repair and repaint the equipment this summer. The freight equipment will be used both on the D&RG line and other carriers for freight movement. The passenger equipment will be restored for service on the D&RG line. The locomotive will be sand-blasted and repainted back to its original colors when it was used to move locomotives around the Denver shops. The #40 is the oldest D&RGW diesel locomotive in existence. The locomotive will be used by the Foundation for the rehab of the line and car movement. The non-profit Foundation is looking to everyone out there to help support these worthwhile restorations of the freight equipment and the historic locomotive. If you would like to help, please contact the D&RG RY HF at 970-259-9498 or write the Foundation at 1474 Main Ave., Suite 223, Durango, Colorado, 81301-5195. Your contributions are tax deductible.

I would like to thank Hilton, Jenny and Rebekah Fitt-Peaster, publishers of The Colorado Directory, Inc., for the great update article on the D&RG HF. The publication provides both tourists and locals up-to-date information and facts about every style of tourism in Colorado. To find out more about what Colorado has to offer visit their web site at www.colorado-directory.com or call 888-222-4641....

As of Tuesday, the D&RG RY HF shop facility has been torn down. It will be moved to a storage location until funds can be raised to put the building back up. If you would like to contribute to the building fund, please contact the Foundation.

The D&RG RY HF received the donation of two ex-DRGW freight cars. The 74 ft flat car renumbered as the D&RG 2304 and the 66 ft dropped-end gondola renumbered as the D&RG 0132. Both cars will greatly aid in the collection of additional equipment, upgrade of the line and later freight operations.

The D&RG RY HF received the donation of a ex-B&O club car. The car is approximately 70+ feet. It will be refurbished and become our temporary museum until our depot is up and operational. The car is not on live track but sits about 30 feet from it. It will be craned over to live rail and will be shipped to South Fork in the next month.

The D&RG RY HF's ex-D&RG 44 ton GE diesel #40 will receive its final tie-down tomorrow and be ready to begin its trip from Brighton, Colorado to its new home in South Fork, Colorado. The engine required a bunch of cabling to secure it to the bulkhead flat car. Once the cabling is complete it should take two to three days to arrive in Monte Vista. From this point it will join our consist of cars in Monte Vista and be shipped to South Fork.

The D&RG RY HF received the donation of two ex-DRGW freight cars. The two cars are a flat and a dropped-end gondola. Additional information on the years and exact models will follow. Pictures of the cars should be up on the site by next week. They should arrive and join our consist of cars in Monte Vista and be shipped to South Fork in the next week or two. So far the D&RG RY HF has been blessed in the new year with monetary and equipment donations. But as any non-profit group goes, we can always use your support.

The D&RG RY HF purchased a 100' x 55' foot building at the middle of last summer. The building was used at the old lumber mill in South Fork. The building is now in the process of being torn down and will be moved to its new location along the right-of-way. Although the location is being kept quiet, the structure should be up and track work into the building should be done by the end of the summer. The completion of the engine/car shops hinders on the amount of donations the Foundation receives this year. If you would like to help with the financial side or provide needed items for the building, please contact the Foundation.

The Union Pacific picked up the two recent additions to the D&RG RY HF. The 1969 UP Steel 60 ft Double Door Box (#361139) and the 1968 MKT (Katy Lines) Steel 40 ft Single Door Box (#MKT5134) are on their way to Monte Vista. At Monte Vista they will join up with the round-end observation car, the RPO and the #40 on the bulkhead flat. They will then journey their way over to South Fork. We hope all of this will happen in the next few weeks. Keep a watch here on the web site for updated information. UPDATE (12-18-01)- All the freight and passenger cars are in Monte Vista. The cars are scheduled to be moved to South Fork this Thursday. UPDATE (12-20-01)- The U.P. work crews were unable to open the line in time for the movement of the cars today. The cars are scheduled to move to South Fork at the first of the year. I will post pictures and additional information as I receive it.

The D&RG RY HF volunteers headed to Brighton to load the donated ex-D&RG 44 ton GE diesel #40. This engine was purchased by the D&RGW and used in the Denver yard until 05-14-54, when it was sold to the Great Western Sugar Company. This move incorporated the use of the Foundation's 1950 D&RGW Steel 50 ft bulkhead flat (#RGAX22359) and a very large 120 ton crane. A special thanks goes out to the management and employees of Amalgamated Sugar, Winslow Crane Service, the Union Pacific and the volunteers for their help in the loading and shipping of this engine.

The Union Pacific's auction went well for us this year. We picked up a few items that will make a big difference this year and for years to come. One of the biggest was a backhoe, which will aid in the clearing of large debris and the digging out of needed drainage ditches. We plan on picking up the tractor and other items on the 13th and begin their voyage back to Durango. Once in Durango they will be cleaned up, repainted and prepped for next year's work season.

As the year passes the Foundation and I, would like to thank all the people that made this year such a success. Guys like Larry Franzen, who spent his evenings rebuilding the Foundation's small engines, the Friends of the Denver & Rio Grande RY who work with the community, our supporters along the line who bring out to our workers a bite to eat or cold glass of pop as they work along the railroad line, the men and women who donate their hard-earned dollars to help save a very important piece of railroad history, the companies and individuals who donated railroad equipment and cars, the Union Pacific who helps us in everyway possible, and the millions of others who make this all possible. I hope everyone out there will sit back in his chair, put aside any outside thoughts and really look at what this Foundation is trying to do. Think of the countless positives that this railroad is doing not only for railroaders and historians but also the ones that truly make this all worth while - our future generations. Now you can see why the volunteers and supporters of this Foundation are so driven to make this line more than succeed. Won't you join in next summer for a few days of fun working on the line or, if you're not that limber, the Foundation is always in need of financial support. I hope you all will come and join us in any way possible.

The D&RG RY HF is the proud owner of three new pieces of rolling stock. The Foundation received the donation of a 1969 UP Steel 60 ft Double Door Box (#361139), 1950 D&RGW Steel 50 ft Bulk Head Flat (#RGAX22359) and a 1968 MKT (Katy Lines) Steel 40 ft Single Door Box (#MKT5134) They have current air date and are equipped with roller-bearing trucks. These cars will aid the Foundation greatly in storage and service on the line. They are en route from different locations via the U.P. They should arrive in Monte Vista in the next week or two. Once they all arrive, they will be moved over to South Fork.

As anyone knows, operating and rebuilding a railroad line costs a lot of money. You can help preserve this historic piece of railroad history with a monetary contribution or by purchasing an item or two from the merchandise page found here on this web site. The Foundation has been working hard at supplying the railroad community with some very nice merchandise for both summer and winter use. Every dollar you contribute will go a long to help save this line for future generations to enjoy. Remember, the Foundation is a 501-C-3 Non-profit group, so everything you contribute is tax-deductible.

As workers began the cleanup of the 1939 Budd built Lounge/Observation car, they were surprised to find almost 80% of the car still had its original flooring. The flooring was a linoleum tile that was still in very good condition. This was mainly due to it being covered for many, many years. Because of the upgrade the flooring was removed, but a few pieces were saved for both the museum and car owner. As of September 28, the car was fully stripped and we are awaiting new FRA glass. Once this arrives, the car will begin its transformation to a Private Car.

The Union Pacific pulled the 1939 Budd Lounge/Observation car into Alamosa this morning. It was then shipped over to Monte Vista later that day. The car will sit a few days awaiting the arrival of the Budd Stainless RPO. We felt this would give railroad onlookers a special chance to take pictures of history in the making - the first stainless steel train en route to South Fork. I will post on the website the date that it will make this historic run so stay tuned.

The first work session to re-lay track in Creede began today. Volunteers installed a frog and began the re-laying of rail. Volunteers opened about 1000 feet of main line rail that was covered with weeds and grass. Volunteers also recovered rail, switch stands and other railroad related items that were removed by the City of Creede and stored in their city yard. The main line is now open to the last highway crossing that CDOT is working to re-open.

Don Shank, President of the D&RG HF, purchased the old lumber mill spur track in South fork from the Union Pacific. This siding will be loaned to the Foundation and will house the fleet of Budd cars on their way to South fork. The siding crosses U.S. Highway 160 and then parallels the highway on the south side. Its original purpose was to serve the lumber mill which has now closed its doors. This siding will allow people to see up front the cars being prepped for use on the line. It will also give the Foundation a great location for temporary offices.

The 1939 Budd Lounge/Observation car, which was the tail car for the Silver Meteor, will be shipped by rail to South Fork Thursday. The car has been put on loan to the Foundation and will serve as the tail car for the train. The car is in the process of being converted to a Private car (2 master bedrooms, galley, dining room & lounge). It will be polished and painted in Rio Grande Gold then renamed "Wagon Wheel Gap". It will be combined with the recently acquired Budd Stainless RPO which will be converted to a Freight/Concession car. Plans are underway for the purchase of a stainless steel diner, passenger car and an open-air passenger car.

As this month quickly passes us, the Foundation has had a lot of positive news. We first attended the UP auction in Denver where we purchased another MOW trailer, a huge dual spiker machine and bunch of other items. The good old Lord has been really helping us on finding the items we need at a price we can afford. As we wrapped up this auction we went back to Durango to pick up our truck and trailer to go retrieve the items in Denver. We left the truck and trailer in Denver and headed to Omaha for the next auction, which was a few days away. This auction also went well for us. We picked up a Budd Stainless Steel RPO, 2 million pounds of bolts (well it seems like it when you have to move all of them), car springs, FRA glass and a lot of other great items for the restoration of the Friendship. We had a great time meeting and revisiting friends we have worked with at the Union Pacific. Plus a few of them made plans to come out next summer and put in a few days on the restoration of the line. Although it was a long month with a lot of miles put under us, we picked up a lot of items of which we were in need and we are that much closer to the full operation of the line.

The line from South Fork to Creede was officially opened today. Motor cars and maintenance equipment can now operate non-stop from South Fork to Creede, although additional work is needed to open the less than 1 mile stretch left (south to north Creede). This proved that a group of dedicated volunteer workers can make things happen. For quite sometime the Foundation had heard that this would be an almost impossible task, but I am proud to say WE DID IT. The Foundation hopes to be to the depot in Creede by this fall. The Foundation is still working with Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) to rebuild the last highway crossing in Creede. Once this last crossing is cleared we will be in eyesight of the depot.

The line from South Fork to Creede had a few problems that were limiting the Foundation's travel. The two big ones were rocks that were pushed off the highway down on the railroad tracks and paved-over railroad crossings on the highway. CDOT was called on the carpet for these items and were more that gracious to get out and address the problems at hand. So many times you hear the negatives about Government but we want to tell you about the positives. CDOT officials gave the green light and had more people and equipment down in a very short period of time to correct these problems than I had seen in a long time. In a matter of days the crossings were milled down, repaved and opened for both rail and auto traffic. Although there are a few minor things to get done, this allowed the Foundation a clear non-stop run to Creede. I would like to express my gratitude to the Governor, CDOT Officials in Denver and the local and state crews that came in and admitted to a past problem and took care of it. You all should be greatly commended.

The 4th of July will be one special day for the Foundation members. The line from South Fork to the south end of Creede was cleared totally of rock. This work was done by both Foundation Volunteers and aid from the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT). This allowed the volunteers to take a ride by motorcar from South Fork up past Wagon Wheel Gap. CDOT was still working on the crossings so we ended the ride at this point. We were then invited in for one GREAT breakfast provided by our strong supporters at Blue Creek. Thank you Blue Creek for the great meals and friendship you have shown us throughout the years.

I would like to thank Jason Midyette, publisher of The Colorado Time Table for the great articles and coverage about the D&RG HF. His publication has been great on providing up-to-date information and facts about the Foundation and all other railroads in Colorado. You can subscribe to The Colorado Time Table for $18 per year. Call them at 303-652-1428 for subscription information. It's well worth it....

The first work session began today. Volunteers started the first maintenance on the line with a tractor loaned to the Foundation. Workers cleared debris which had fallen down on the line over the winter. Rock was also cleared further back from many areas. Work sessions are planned thoughout the summer and fall.

The D&RG HF received a donation of the ex-D&RG 44 ton GE diesel #40. This engine was purchased by the D&RGW and used in the Denver yard until 05-14-54, when it was sold to the Great Western Sugar Company. Great Western, now Amalgamated Sugar Company, used it for switching in their yard till it was put aside after a break-down. The management of Amalgamated Sugar was kind enough to offer it to the Foundation. This will be a great addition to our growing collection of memorabilia and operating equipment. Plans are underway to first repaint #40 back to its D&RGW logo then a full rebuild to operating condition. It will be used to aid in the rehab of the line. A special thanks goes out to the management and employees of Amalgamated Sugar.

We at the D&RG HF have received a tape from our friend and supporter Les at Railway Productions. Les has just finished a tape that I think most everyone would enjoy. The tape is called "Colorado's Scenic Train Rides". Here is what the film is about - Colorado's Scenic Train Rides! For just $ 19.95 you can pay a visit to some of the most fantastic train rides in the entire world! The colorful state of Colorado is home to several interesting and scenic trains, and you'll ride them all in this video. You'll see Colorado's fantastic scenery the way it should be seen, through the window of a train. And what trains they are! You'll see and ride everything from steam-powered narrow gauge trains to modern Superliners. The railroads that you'll see in this video are:"California Zephyr" and "Southwest Chief", the Canon City & Royal Gorge, Colorado Railroad Museum, Cripple Creek & Victor, Cumbres & Toltec, Denver RTD Light Rail, Denver & Rio Grande, Durango & Silverton, Ft. Collins Municipal Railway, Georgetown Loop, Leadville, Colorado & Southern, Manitou and Pikes Peak, Platte River Trolley. If you liked our America By Rail series, then you will LOVE this tape, made in the same ABR style with music once again composed by PBS composer Michael Lynch. A great video for both the scenery and train lover. Includes on-board and lineside shots, lots of natural train sounds as well as beautiful music and interesting narration. From Railway Productions. 90 minutes. You can visit them online at www.A-trains.com.

The "Friendship" finally arrived in South Fork, CO on Friday afternoon. It seems there was concern on whether it would fit though the tunnels going up over La Veta Pass. Crews were worried over its large size and length. After a few days of delay and a few measurements it was cleared to make the climb. The "Friendship" is scheduled to receive a new coat of paint and have the interior cleaned and refurbished over the next few months. Once completed, the offices in Durango will relocate to South Fork.

On Thursday and Friday crews opened a major rock slide area. This area was the worst section on the 21.6 miles of rail. Although a lot more work needs to be done in cooperation with Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) to finish off the slide, this clearing will allow motive power to run further down the line. At this time, the D&RG RY HF has over 20.2 miles of the 21.6 miles open. Plans in the next month are to focus on a few other rock slide areas and we hope to have the whole rail line open to Creede before the end of October.

The 1929 private car named "Friendship" left California last week and is en route to the D&RG RY. It is scheduled to arrive Wednesday of next week. The car is going to be repainted and used as temporary offices for the railroad. Negotiations are still underway on a permanent site for the South Fork depot.

On Wednesday evening a local Creede support group invited Don Shank, President of the D&RG RY HF, to speak and answer questions regarding railroad issues. This group was coordinated by Barbara Kipp and a few other Creede locals. Over 90+ people were in attendance. Don spoke for over two and a half hours about the railroad, answering many questions and putting a lot of rumors to rest. The local Support Group was formed to help those who support the train or who just want to be better informed on railroad issues. To read more about this meeting see the article, "More than 90 hear Shank speak", in the 09-08-2000 ALAMOSA VALLEY COURIER.

Our volunteers returned from their long drive out to the 20th Narrow Gauge Convention in St. Louis. Response at the Convention was fantastic. We would first off like to thank those people who took over a week off from their jobs and busy lives to help support the Foundation.

During the Convention we had available handouts about the Foundation along with pictures and a video provided free by Railway Productions. We had for sale railroad ties, shirts, mugs and car seals.

Most of the people with whom we had a chance to meet were overwhelmed by the progress just a few people had made on the opening of the 19.5 miles of rail. The video was also a big help giving people an instant view of the line from the railcar and of what great scenery this line will offer the public.

Wagon Wheel Gap Route

***This section was put together to keep you up to date on the latest issues regarding the* *D&RG RY HF.***

Also see our History of San Luis Valley & it's Railroads web site:

This is not an official web site of the D&RG Ry. Historical Foundation.

It is a private informational site by Richard Cutter who is solely responsible for content and

content is not submitted to, approved nor controlled by the D&RG Historical Foundation.

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Photos, Videos and Text are Copyrighted by Richard Cutter

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Last updated: July 03, 2005