Passenger Trains > Rio Grande Scenic Dome 511 to Denver

Rio Grande Scenic (AKA San Luis & Rio Grande RR based at Alamosa, CO) shipped full length dome RPCX 511 - Nenana - to Denver, CO, on Union Pacific's Pueblo, CO, to North Yard, Denver, train arriving November 6, 2009. The DV68 job with UPY GP15-1 625 took the dome to Denver Union Station November 6, 2009.

ATSF 511 was built by Budd in 1954. It was used by Autotrain, numbered 523. The car was sold December 1981 to Dick Reynolds/Great Western Tours of San Francisco, CA, leased through partner Neil Ferguson to the Eureka Southern RR at Willits, CA, for operation on their "North Coast Daylight". The car operated as Sierra Western 523 - window band painted orange - car was named "Donner Pass" (inside car only). Car was sold about August 1986 to Westours (Holland America Cruise Line - assigned Amtrak number 800124) - began service 1987. Listed for sale as "excess" July 2003. Sold to San Luis & Rio Grande RR November 2007.

Ana had her first showing in Denver along South Santa Fe Drive at First Night Out. I was impressed with her waterfalls near Ouray, CO. She works with the Lakewood Police as a detective. Her hikes into the Colorado Rockies and other places around the world has resulted in an impressive portfolio.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/07/09 06:04 by cozephyr.

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Okay color me confused.
Is this car going to the Rio Grande Scenic or did they sell it and move it to Denver?

Also what does the girl have to do with the coach?

More info is needed with these images.
Greg Scholl

The car was supposed to be refurbished for PV service and get Amtrak certification. It appears they took the swamp coolers off the roof.

Adam

Who cares what the girl has to do with the car...she's nice to look at!

Keystone1 Wrote:
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> Who cares what the girl has to do with the
> car...she's nice to look at!


agreed....one of the reasons most of us like to look at cozephyr's posts. He has good info and women.

Any idea where the car will be heading to next...via Amtrak I suppose? Just curious if it would possibly be in Denver in January; but I doubt it.

hopefully it will be on the ski train!

they removed the a/c units on the roof in a bid to make it amtk compatible.

Road in one of these Great Domes on the Rio Grande & San Luis Valley line between
Alamosa and Antonito two summers ago. The dome section was unbearably hot on the afternoon
return run, so I and the only other passenger spent our time in the lower lounge section.

No crew shared the car with us -- we had to let ourselves off upon arrival in Alamosa, listening
for the engineer's single horn blast to inform us that the brakes were set when we stopped near the station.

Two summers ago I was in Antonito with the 315 and the Goose and watched the dome arrive at the Cumbres & Toltec Narrow Gauge station. Only one passenger got off that day. The dome was disconnected and the diesel went about switching freight down near the perlite plant.

They might have a few more passengers if the third rail is relaid back into Alamosa.
(just dreaming, folks!)

I worked with this dome while it was on the Eureka Southern...great car but we never called it the "Donner Pass"...it was always just the dome. Nice to see it's still kicking around.

Ski Train kick off party in the making?!? Dome car 511 at Denver Union Station.


Thanks dan for your observation.

Ana needs her glass refilled.

She looks very "Arresting". (someone had to say it) and I'm not talking about the dome.

Nudge

Fill her glass and she might make your day...