Western Railroad Discussion > DRGW Burnham Shop Demolition July 2025

All Star Environmental has been busy this summer demolishing the former Denver & Rio Grande Western RR Burnham Shops, Denver, Colorado.  Union Pacific RR acquired the DRGW in 1996 and closed the Burnham Shops 14 February 2016.  Here's a look at the demolition work as it continues demolishing the car shop.  2nd view shows where the coach shop built in 1901 was standing next to the transfer table.  The coach shop was gutted by fire August 31, 2021.  This location might become the future Broncos Football Stadium.

The Denver & Rio Grande Railway opened the Burnham Shops 1871-72 at West 6th Avenue and Osage.  It grew considerably over the years.  It once contained a large roundhouse, car shops, power plant, back shops, coach yards and rip track.  Also, locates south of Burnham is 4th Avenue Yard which included a wye.  This was the main yard for the Denver & Rio Grande Western RR for many years until North Yard was built in 1949.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/26/25 16:36 by cozephyr.

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Sad to see this, but thank you for posting it.  I never visited the D&RGW, but did see them on trips.  Everything I've ever heard about the Burnham Shops was that they did excellent maintenance of their EMD engines.  In fact, after the merger, I read how their engines were sent to the SP because "they worked."  Then Burnham had to start dealing with old SP engines not well cared for.

A great workforce, a great shop, excellent maintanence and performance----all gone now.  Seems to be a common American story these days, especially on railroads.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/26/25 15:24 by coach.

Awful!!! The steel car shop dates back to 1924.

1 - Union Pacific's Burnham Shops back on 6 December 2015 as the last days of operation wound down.

2 - UP main generator area inside the main shop building at UP operated Burnham Shops, Denver, CO, December 2015.

3 - Transfer table outside one of the wheel shop buildings.  The old coach shop would be behind photographer.


Many good men and women were affected by the abrupt November 2015 announcement that Burnham Shops would be closed 14 February 2016.



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 07/26/25 15:42 by cozephyr.

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It’s always sad to lose a beloved RR landmark… 😟

Posted from iPhone

Not unusual, SP and UP didn't learn a thing about keeping up equipment maintenance from the Rio Grande.

Posted from Android

Buckhorn Exchange Restaurant evidently will out last the former DRGW Burnham Shops.  The restaurant opened in 1893 is known for their exotic menus and having the first alcoholic license.

The Buckhorn Exchange Restaurant derives its name from the Rio Grande Railroad Yards that were directly across Osage Street to exchange their paychecks for gold.  In return, owner "Shorty Scout" Zietz handed each man a token good for free lunch and a beer.  After all, who ever heard of a railroad man stopping after downing only one beer-?

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Thanks for the post. I read they also sold the lead off the main to shops. Is that true? Bill Webb

Back when, my Dad had a friend who was a "higher-up" in the D&RGW corporate office on Stout St. in Denver.  He gave my Dad written permission on company letterhead for us to "self-tour" Burnham Yard and shops.  He stipulated that we do it on a Sunday, as the shops and yard were somewhat less busy on Sundays at that time.  So, one Sunday we went to Burnham.  Only a couple of employees asked what we were doing there, and, when my Dad showed them the letter from corporate, they told us that we could look anywhere we wanted, but just to be careful.  I remember wandering among dozens of idling locomotives, including some brand new SD45s, still with fresh paint (that tells you how long ago this was).  I remember seeing those SD45s, GP9s, GP30s, and a lot of Fs.  I remember seeing a dead line with several pretty well-wrecked Fs.  I had a cheap Brownie camera then, and I still have some photos from that trip.  We looked in several of the shop buildings, including the locomotive shop, but my old box camera was not up to taking indoor photos.  They say that smells "imprint" on one's memory even more than sights and sounds.  I can still remember the mixed smell of cresote, diesel fuel, lubricating oil, and diesel exhaust from those 2-cycle idling EMDs on that long-ago Sunday.  My Dad passed away over 30 years ago, so remembering Burnham from that day also brings back my memories of going to see the shops and yard at Burnham with my Dad--and now Burnham is just a memory, too.

spider1319 Wrote:
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> Thanks for the post. I read they also sold the
> lead off the main to shops. Is that true? Bill
> Webb

believe CDOT purchased the the line, recently, after the Broncos thing had already been talked about, to preserve a line for passenger rail?   The 8th ave viaduct may also be closed, permanently?   it was supposed to get an overhaul, as it is in the center of the property?

RMRRC got us a tour, and went to a couple auctions there, as well as working for the ski train, busy place in the early years of SP control by Anshutz as well.

Currently, the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) is the owner of the former Denver & Rio Grande Western RR Burnham Shops property.  They subcontracted All Star Environmental to do the building demolition work over the weekend of July 26 & 27, 2025.

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