Nostalgia & History > Rio Grande passenger train near its demise?

I bought this picture from someone many moons ago, and I'm not sure what this train was nor as to its location. I'd guess that it's the remnant of either #1 or #2, the Royal Gorge, or #9 or #10, the Yampa Valley Mail.

Con

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my guess is 1 and 2

This would be the Royal Gorge #2 train on it's return trip to Denver. It is difficult to tell with any real curtaincy with this B&W photo,
but my best guess is that the lead unit is either F9A 5774 or 5771 still in four stripe paint and the Alco PA is likley unit # 6003.
The Alco could also be 6011, but I doubt it. It is hard to guess the date, but I would guess it is close to the end of the of the
Royal Gorge operation which was on 7-27-67. But I think it was winter or early spring, being that the river is very low and the brush along the bank looks to be without any leaves. Someone with sharper eyes and better knowledge might be able to better identify the time
that this photo was taken.

The train is exiting the east end of the Royal Gorge Canyon and will be arriving in Canyon City Colorado moments after this photo was taken.

Attached, should be a photo I took at the same location in September of 2002 of the Canyon City & Royal Gorge tourist train.

The photo was taken from the edge and just inches above the surface of the Arkansas river. Behind the train you can see the same rock
formation that appears in the B&W photo.

Thanks for sharing your photo!

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