Western Railroad Discussion > How to Railfan Colorado

Despite having ten days to ourselves in Colorado, I've only been able to fill up about six of them with things to do throughout the state. So far the list includes...

Colorado RR Museum-Ride the Rails Saturday
South Park Rail Society @ Como-Day after Boreas Pass
Georgetown Loop-Still picking the day
Durango and Silverton-Pretty sure the fire will be out by August...I hope
Cumbres and Toltec-50th Anniversary Photo Freight
Royal Gorge Route-Conveniently between Chama and Denver

I'm pretty sure there are more tourist lines out there than can fill in the remaining four days, but I'm also interested in mainline railfanning, particularly on the Moffat Road while its still active, and even exploring abandoned railroad grades, of which there are many. If anyone has anything else in Colorado that can't be missed, let's hear it.

Thanks~

Palmer Lake for sure, you can follow the Joint Line from Denver to Palmer Lake using Santa Fe Dr south to Castle rock then I-25 south turn off at the Larkspur exit and go south or Sand Creek junction. Here is a helpful map

http://coloradorailfan.com/data/maps/map-detail.asp?p=122005

Getting a few photos at Plainview is still on my bucket list.

Spent too much time exploring and not enough time getting some straight forward photos. Beware of the traffic in the Denver area and the whole I-25 corridor, soaks up a lot of time.

I would also suggest riding the San Luis and Rio Grande RR between Alamosa and La Veta -- great ride over La Veta pass. They offer daily trips in the summer months

WP17

WP17 Wrote:
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> I would also suggest riding the San Luis and Rio
> Grande RR between Alamosa and La Veta -- great
> ride over La Veta pass. They offer daily trips in
> the summer months
>
> WP17

Not daily this year. The schedules for "scenic excursions", "Mountain Rails Live" and "special events" are here: https://www.coloradotrain.com/

Peter

Peter Varlien
Heimdal,

Leadville, Colorado & Southern Railway is well worth your consideration at Leadville, CO.

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Auto Traffic has gotten very bad.... Especially by the new housing west of Leyden. The Moffat is not that accessible unless your willing to hike. The best guard rail locations are probably Coal Creek Canyon and telephotos of the tracks along the Flatiron climb from highway 93....

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cozephyr Wrote:
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> Leadville, Colorado & Southern Railway is well
> worth your consideration at Leadville, CO.

The drive up to Leadville is very impressive. Gives an appreciation of the old rail roader's skills on those mountains.

Posted from Android

rantoul Wrote:
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> For an old grade, drive Highway 50 between Salida
> and Gunnison. Ex D&RGW Monarch Pass.

The RR did not go over Monarch Pass. there was a branch that went to the limestone quarry at Monarch.

The RR grade drive is over Marshall Pass the next pass to the south, which is a great drive on a nice gravel road, navigable by any car.

Score a ride across LaVeta pass if at all possible. Great ride in a dome car, and that company is not long for this world.

CATS is for me the best tourist RR in the US, bar none.

On the Moffatt Route, the motel at State Bridge is a great place to stay for a couple days. It's also a concert venue, thus overrun with music people on the weekends, but a neat railfan hangout (cabins facing the tracks) during the week.

+1 on the Cumbres & Toltec ride

Has someone who has railfanned more in Colorado than any other state outside of Pennsylvania where I currently live, here are my suggestions

Denver
Union Station
Moffat Station (near Union Station, not currently in a transportation function
Denver Chop House (former UP freight house, lots of UP photos and posters inside)
Denver's light rail system - the C line to Littleton/Mineral Point parallels the BNSF/UP Joint Line and offers views of the closed Burnham Shops
The Downtown Littleton station has an original Denver & Rio Grande Depot
Commuter Rail line A. A portion of the Denver A line parallels UP's Kansas Pacific Line. At the 38th & Blake Station you can catch some yard action. The station is also with walking distance of the Forney Transportation Museum (a bit of a walk).
Commuter Rail Line B. This line only goes one stop to Westminster, but affords views of UP's North Yard.
For views and sounds of a BNSF locomotive terminal, stay at the LaQuinta Inn Denver Central, just on the edge of Downtown Denver

Fort Collins
BNSF runs in the middle of the Mason Street through the city. The Colorado & Southern freight house now functions as a transit center and has some railroad displays inside.

Cripple Creek
Cripple Creek & Victor - This narrow gauge railroad is not as authentic or spectacular as other Colorado rail attractions, but I found the drive from Colorado Springs to Victor to be very scenic. A good place to go if you have any interest in mining and labor history.

Rio Grande Tennessee Pass Line - although inactive west of the track used by the Royal Gorge train, I have enjoyed seeing what remains in places like Salida and Minturn. Leadville is also along the Tennessee Pass and I heartily second a previous suggestion to ride the Leadville Colorado & Southern.

For the Georgetown Loop railroad, I recommend starting at the Silver Plume Station because it saves the uphill climb, which is highly dramatic, for the second half of the trip. Don't wait too much longer to make reservations.

Breckenridge - go to the edge of town to the High Line Railroad Park. Colorado & Southern #9 (which ran for a brief time on the Georgetown Loop Railroad) is on display.

Good list.

Don't forget the Buckhorn Exchange. Across from Burnham Shops, and dripping with atmosphere. Not recommended for vegans.

Posted from Android

pvarlien Wrote:
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> Not daily this year. The schedules for "scenic
> excursions", "Mountain Rails Live" and "special
> events" are here: https://www.coloradotrain.com/

As Peter points out, the La Veta trips aren't daily any more. Nobody knows how long they'll keep running passenger trips given IPH's difficulties elsewhere, so it's worth prioritizing a ride if you can. I'm extremely glad that I rode as much as I did when they first started running, and then started running steam.

Denver Rock Island in Commerce City. Also the DAIR operation little farther north on the UP main to Cheyenne.
Great Western in Windsor Johnstown.
Pueblo has a small museum next to the main line- DRGW/ATSF Yard’s and a U30C and ATSF 4-8-4.
The Cripple Creek in the morning and then a quick drive to Parkdale to catch the Royal Gorge exiting the west end of the 3:30 train for best light. May even have the F units running. Canon City has two depots and shortline Rock and Rail here. They park power at Portland next to the road evening light best.

Wow, thanks guys. I knew there were lots of things I would have to watch carefully, but you've given me lots to work with. So far the timetable is...

Sat Aug 18th-CRM, Railfanning in Denver
Sun 19th- Como, Exploring Boreas Pass to Breckenridge
Mon 20th-
Tue 21st-
Wed 22nd- Georgetown Loop
Thu 23rd- Royal Gorge, Drive to Durango via Salida, Marshall Pass, Gunnison and Montrose
Fri 24th- Durango & Silverton
Sat 25th- Cumbres 50th Charter
Sun 26th- Cumbres 50th Charter
Mon 27th- Forney Museum, Railfanning in Denver

Things that take less than half a day
California Zephyr Chase; Big Ten Curve-East Portal one day; West Portal-Kremming on another
Exploring accessible sections of Rollins Pass

Considerations
Leadville, Colorado and Southern-Operates once daily, indirectly next to Tennessee Pass
Joint Line-Most likely returning from Chama to Denver

Thanks for eliminating some of the guesswork guys! Keep going!

there is only 400 feet in Needles eye tunnel that isn't accessible on Rollins pass.