Nostalgia & History > A D&RGW summer morning at Plainview in 1979.

Plain siding west of Denver has long been one of the closest and most accessible locations on D&RGW's former Moffat line.  On the morning of September 11th, 1979, I spent a few pleasant hours watching the action both here and at nearby Blue Mountain crossing.  Who knew these would be the now longed for good old days?

1)  Tunnel motor 5360 leads a mixed bag of power as they approach Blue Mt crossing with #704 for the first shot of the morning.

2) 5360 met the Rio Grande Zephyr at Rocky which gave me time to set up just beyond the Plain crossing and it wasn't long before the RGZ sped past.

3)  As usual, dome observation Silver Sky brought up the read as the onboard riders absorbed the dramatic vista of the Flatirons just ahead.

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4)   Hotshot #287 was running right on the heels of #17.  This entire train had come off the BN in Denver only a short time eariler.

5)  GP40-2 helpers lean into the rear of 287 as the assemblage highballs west.   A fun way and location to watch some trains go by.

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Four dome coaches and the two flat top coaches.  That's a heavy early fall RGZ - before the pilot was replaced on the 5771, and before the "bug eye" marker light housings were removed from the Silver Sky.  

Some nice ones there, Chuck.   Thanks!

Greg Stadter
Phoenix, AZ

Those are Beauties !  Glad you were there in the Good Old Days.

You have some wonderful images here, thank you for posting.

Jan Austin
Chico, CA
Photography by Jan G. Austin

Question for ya.In shot four Did BN deliver these trains to DRGW as a solid train, other than power and cab or was it a pick up that DRGW made there at Denver out of the N 31st St yard? Guessing they came up thru Prospect Jct and down the main to Utah Jct then west over the Moffat. Curious as to the how Grande got them. Thanks, Ben

Awesome photos Conch.

Bob Krieger
Cheyenne, WY

Excellent bunch.
JB

Lovely - my sweet spot time period.

First-class photos - Super scenes.
Bob

ns2557 Wrote:
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> Question for ya.In shot four Did BN deliver these
> trains to DRGW as a solid train, other than power
> and cab or was it a pick up that DRGW made there
> at Denver out of the N 31st St yard? Guessing they
> came up thru Prospect Jct and down the main to
> Utah Jct then west over the Moffat. Curious as to
> the how Grande got them. Thanks, Ben

They delivered in the yard and went back cab hop. DRGW did run over to the BN a couple timers a day with interchange traffic for the BN

ns2557 Wrote:
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> Question for ya.In shot four Did BN deliver these
> trains to DRGW as a solid train, other than power
> and cab or was it a pick up that DRGW made there
> at Denver out of the N 31st St yard? Guessing they
> came up thru Prospect Jct and down the main to
> Utah Jct then west over the Moffat. Curious as to
> the how Grande got them. Thanks, Ben

This came in as BN 163.  They'd drop the waycar and Denver business at 31st and the road power delivered to N Yard via Prospect. .  A quick power swap and 287 was on the move.  Usually a 187 was out in front after departing Denver around 5:30 AM.

Great photos.  September 1979.  That was one month after I moved to Colorado at Arvada about 12 miles down the hill.  Sure wish I'd have done more while I was there as all of these photos are truly fantastic.

Lee Hower
Sacramento

Love that first shot, but all of them are nice.

Tom