Nostalgia & History > Rio Grande Fs on the Ski Train

Here's an image of Rio Grande's ex-Zephyr-service Fs leading the Ski Train. The date: 4/8/84, shot west of Rollinsville, CO. The Fs, no. 5771, 5762 and 5763, only worked the Ski Train for the 1983-84 season.

RC Farewell

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Too bad they couldn't have kept the engines around long enough for them to power the present Ski Train. I guess after the 1983-1984 season, and the preceding years pulling the RGZ, the engines were worn out, ready for a Class C rebuild. I understand the 5771 is at the Rocky Mountain Railroad Museum (did I get that right?)...alas...stuffed and mounted, with no prime mover inside. I wonder what on earth they could have done with the primer mover? Used it to rebuild a GEEP with? Too darn bad.

But...the present Ski Train at least has the next best thing to covered wagons...beautiful F40's in Rio Grande colors. Who'd have ever thought that it would happen? That the F40 would become as rare and noteworthy on the head end of a mainline passenger train as a covered wagon?!? This means that I am getting old...that's what it means. You younger folks out there...you'll understand how I feel when you rant and rave about the last few surviving Genesis units in the land, and there will be news flashes and Trainorders postings galore (GENESIS unit leads a MAINLINE passenger train...catch it while you can!!!).

Bet that sounded SUH - WEEET!

Thanks for sharing, Rich.

James

Great shot Rich! Were the F's used on the Ski Train before or after their work train stint (such as the time when they ran across the desert on a slag train!)? Seems like it might have made sense to maintain them for the Ski Train (after the 83-84 season, that is) to save a few geeps or T-2's for revenue freight service during the winter months...

Kevin

The Colorado RR Museum has restored 5771 and 5762 (5763 remains in Cheyenne in UP's care). The duo are pristine! New side panels were installed and painted in DRGW 4-stripe pattern; 5771 got a pilot to replace the sheet steel unit fabricated by DRGW after a grade ctrossing accident ruined the original. Both units are complete and could be, in theory, fired up if you put a new set of batteries and fuel in them. Each year the two are polished, by hand (for real, I help in the effort) with Turtle-brand car wax to preserve their new paint.

Regarding the end of their revenue days, they were beat to death in work-train service hauling slag ballast around the system after the 1983-84 Ski Train service. As they began to have component failures they were sidlined at the Burnham Shops in Denver. There they sat (and slowly decomposed) until just before the UP / SP merger when a deal was accomplished to move two of the three to COORS Brewery for storage until movement and restoration funds became available by the CRRM. The rest is history.....

RC Farewell

I'm glad that the units are being well taken care of. This just sorely reminds me of when I was going to incorporate the "Rio Grande Zephyr" into a cross country train trip I took when I was 18...a graduation present. Sorry...it's sold out...I was told. I had a nice time on the Southwest Limited, though. But...just one year later, the train was gone.

So why does the UP insist on holding on to the last B unit?  I'm sure there really isn't room for it in Golden, but it would be idea to keep them all together.  If I recall correctly, the UP has a number of left over heritage B units in Cheyenne.

TG

UP was angry when they were donated when SP was in the last days, in 96  -  just what was mentioned, i know nothing