Western Railroad Discussion > South Fork, Kolorado

The Denver & Rio Grande Historical Foundation continues to make progress. Hopefully they can start running some passenger trains soon. Alas, they can't enter the city limits of Creede, so I hope they just turn around and run back to a town that appreciates the tourist dollars.

They have placed this depot on a new foundation and added a nice metal roof. This site is at the West edge of South Fork. Parked very near by was a short train consisiting of the former Utah Central 44 ton GE and former D&RGW 01404 caboose, partly repainted. Both photos taken on Saturday, October 18th, 2008.

Anyone know where this building came from?

KK

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This was the Hooper station on the Valley Line between Alamosa and Salida.

DRGW483 Wrote:
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> This was the Hooper station on the Valley Line
> between Alamosa and Salida.


Fascinating!

Thanks,

KK

South Fork gets railroad depot
Posted: Monday, Apr 14th, 2008
BY: ROBIN JAMES

This old train depot was seen rolling down Highway 160. The depot’s stop was South Fork, where it has been re-located. The Rural Electric Cooperative helped out with power lines crossing the road, using a long pole, they pushed up low hanging wires so that the old building wouldn’t snag on them. Traffic was allowed to pass intermittently during the tedious move.

SOUTH FORK-- The Town of South Fork saw a unique sight last week with the arrival of a large train depot, riding along Highway 160.

So the question is, how did it get to South Fork, and what will it be used for in the future?

Built in 1893 in the town of Garrison (now Hooper, CO), it was built to replace the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad depot that burned down that same year. The building served as the depot until 1959 and was left in disrepair after the track was abandoned. The depot was then sold to a family who placed it on the corner of a farm. There it sat for years until, finally, owner Fred Machado decided to generously donate the depot to the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad Historic Foundation for the purpose of moving it to South Fork.

Don Shank, with the railroad, explained that the contractor to move the building was secured last year and the tedious task of moving the building was undertaken last week.

It was a sight to see, riding along at a snail's pace along the highway.

Moving it wasn't the only difficult part of the depot re-location operations. It took a 100-ton crane to lift the building off of the truck and place it onto the foundation at 0097 Ponderosa Drive in South Fork, where it will be opened up as a new location for the Denver and Rio Grande railroad service, which will go from South Fork to Creede.

Shank explained that they are currently working on the nomination package to place the building on the Historic Register, which will allow them to apply for grant money to restore the dilapidated old building.

"If you were around since 1893, you'd look a little worse for wear too," Shank joked. Railroad operations will start at the beginning of June. (Trains - no, motorcars ? in 2008).

At first, a lightweight passenger vehicle (motor car) will take travelers from South Fork to Creede and back and the depot will be the operating station.

Shank explained that they are currently re-habilitating the line and said there are a lot of things on the horizon for the stretch of railway from South Fork to Creede.

"We are excited about the project moving forward," he said, adding that the depot will employee a station agent in June.

Shank said the Denver and Rio Grande railway reached South Fork more than 100 years ago; however, it took around 120 years for the Denver and Rio Grande depot to arrive.

"We are thrilled to receive the depot," Shank said, adding that the company was very grateful to Machado for the generous donation.

Shank explained that the citizens in both South Fork and Creede have been very excited about this project, as well as very supportive.


Now you know some more of the story as it developed in April 2008. Progress is slow and the web offers little - no website.

>
> Shank explained that the citizens in both South
> Fork and Creede have been very excited about this
> project, as well as very supportive.


Creede???? Yeah right. If they were excited, they wouldn't have passed a law kicking the RR out of town. What morons! And the town really needs the shot in the arm that tourist dollars could bring.

>
>
> Now you know some more of the story as it
> developed in April 2008. Progress is slow and the
> web offers little - no website.

There is a web site, but it is a good 2+ years out of date! IT is not an official site, but gives some details.

http://www.wagon-wheel-gap-route.freehomepage.com/Default.htm

KK

Please, anyone who can keep us updated on the progress of Don's railroad efforts from Monte Vista to Creede please post anything and everything that is happening there. We vacationed in South Fork last year and this bit of history from the D&RGW was most impressive. Glad to see the engine and caboose, does this mean that the tracks from Alamosa to South Fork are clear of all of those miles of obsolete container skeleton cars so trains can now make it to South Fork?

Thanks!

Dan