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Passenger Trains > Scenes from the last runs of the D&RGW ProspectorDate: 05/22/20 10:39 Scenes from the last runs of the D&RGW Prospector Author: Railvt I've posted a number of photos taken on the final west and east departures of D&RGW 7&8 in May, 1967--along with scans of the final dining car menus. They can be viewed on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/carl.fowler.7355/posts/2948238615272233
Date: 05/22/20 12:21 Re: Scenes from the last runs of the D&RGW Prospector Author: PHall You do know that there many folks here who do not do Facebook, right?
Date: 05/22/20 12:26 Re: Scenes from the last runs of the D&RGW Prospector Author: ATSF1129 PHall Wrote:
------------------------------------------------------- > You do know that there many folks here who do not > do Facebook, right? Yes, but it seems the original poster has made it publicly visible to those without a Facebook account. Date: 05/22/20 12:42 Re: Scenes from the last runs of the D&RGW Prospector Author: Railvt That is right. Reposting this has such complex format issues that it is beyond me.
Posted from iPhone Date: 05/22/20 13:56 Re: Scenes from the last runs of the D&RGW Prospector Author: MEKoch Great set of interior pics of DRG equipment!
Date: 05/22/20 15:32 Re: Scenes from the last runs of the D&RGW Prospector Author: PHall ATSF1129 Wrote:
------------------------------------------------------- > PHall Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > You do know that there many folks here who do > not > > do Facebook, right? > > Yes, but it seems the original poster has made it > publicly visible to those without a Facebook > account. Good for you and good for me but we do have more then a couple folks here who just won't do anything on facebook. Their loss not mine or yours. Date: 05/22/20 15:36 Re: Scenes from the last runs of the D&RGW Prospector Author: NYC4096 Nicely presented, Mr Fowler.
Date: 05/22/20 17:04 Re: Scenes from the last runs of the D&RGW Prospector Author: Hou74-76 MEKoch Wrote:
------------------------------------------------------- > Great set of interior pics of DRG equipment! I agree, the train looked very comfortable. It is dinner time right about now, I think I shall have the Rocky Mountain Trout tonite. Date: 05/22/20 19:41 Re: Scenes from the last runs of the D&RGW Prospector Author: jp1822 So what was the general schedule of the Prospector between Denver and Salt Lake City, and what was the general consist of the train? Appears that it had a diner, mid-train domes, rear-observation dome, etc. I would imagine this train carried more end to end passengers??? After the CA Zephyr was discontinued, the D&RGW ran a day-time train from Denver to Salt Lake City - the Rio Grand Zephyr. That train skipped the first entry phase into Amtrak, but later absorbed. Whatever happened to the passenger equipment of both the Prospector and Rio Grand Zephyr?
Date: 05/22/20 21:18 Re: Scenes from the last runs of the D&RGW Prospector Author: symph1 Thanks for posting. Back then, where was the Winter Park station? Base of the ski resort like the Ski Train? Fraser, like Amtrak uses now? Or somewhere in the town of Winter Park itself?
Date: 05/22/20 22:57 Re: Scenes from the last runs of the D&RGW Prospector Author: RRBMail jp1822 Wrote:
------------------------------------------------------- > So what was the general schedule of the Prospector > between Denver and Salt Lake City, "Over Night Every Night" Date: 05/23/20 05:56 Re: Scenes from the last runs of the D&RGW Prospector Author: Railvt The usual consist was a mail/baggage car, usually two coaches, the mid train diner-lounge car, and until fairly near the end two 6 section, 6 roomette, 4 double bedroom sleepers. After 1965 there was often only a single sleeper. The train left Denver about 530pm and arrived Salt Lake City at 800am. Eastbound times slightly varied 515pm/755am. Classic dinner to breakfast overnight service.
Before 1965 the train picked up a dome coach transferred from the Royal Gorge at Grand Junction. These were the unique dome coach observation cars built for the C&O’s Chessie which ended up on the Yamoa Valley Mail after the Royal Gorge service was cut west of Salida. Posted from iPhone Date: 05/23/20 06:02 Re: Scenes from the last runs of the D&RGW Prospector Author: Railvt The Winter Park station building was across the tracks from the ski runs, but still right by the slopes. It wasn’t used by the SkinTrain riders. They detrained from the left side of the train and could hop right on the lifts.
Lift tickets were actually sold on the public cars on the Ski Train. By the 1960s most ski train riders belonged to youth ski clubs, and had reserved coaches but the Rio Grande always kept a combine and one coach for public riders. There is a shot of the real Winter Park station in my Yampa Valley Mail post. Posted from iPhone Date: 05/23/20 06:08 Re: Scenes from the last runs of the D&RGW Prospector Author: Railvt The sleepers from the Rio Grande Prospector ultimately I believe went to Mexico. The combine cars were retained by the Rio Grande. The coaches, diner-lounge cars and one of the grill-lounge cars (of C&O design) that had run on the Royal Gorge when it connected before 1965 to the Prosoector went to the Delaware and Hudson.
Posted from iPhone Date: 05/23/20 06:24 Re: Scenes from the last runs of the D&RGW Prospector Author: Topfuel Thanks for posting those terrific shots. I am not on facebook either but was able to access the photos no problem. As already noted, some very rare interior shots in the group, including a few of one of the diner-lounges on the D&H.
Date: 05/23/20 06:26 Re: Scenes from the last runs of the D&RGW Prospector Author: Electroliner Thank you for posting, Mr. Fowler. Exquisite!
Date: 05/23/20 06:31 Re: Scenes from the last runs of the D&RGW Prospector Author: Railvt This was a real pleasure. Like most of us I have nothing but time now. Why not visit great memories?
Posted from iPhone Date: 05/23/20 08:47 Re: Scenes from the last runs of the D&RGW Prospector Author: jp1822 Railvt Wrote:
------------------------------------------------------- > The usual consist was a mail/baggage car, usually > two coaches, the mid train diner-lounge car, and > until fairly near the end two 6 section, 6 > roomette, 4 double bedroom sleepers. After 1965 > there was often only a single sleeper. The train > left Denver about 530pm and arrived Salt Lake City > at 800am. Eastbound times slightly varied > 515pm/755am. Classic dinner to breakfast overnight > service. > > Before 1965 the train picked up a dome coach > transferred from the Royal Gorge at Grand > Junction. These were the unique dome coach > observation cars built for the C&O’s Chessie > which ended up on the Yamoa Valley Mail after the > Royal Gorge service was cut west of Salida. > > Posted from iPhone Thanks you! And thank you for posting!!! Date: 05/23/20 22:25 Re: Scenes from the last runs of the D&RGW Prospector Author: davew833 Most of the Rio Grande Zephyr equipment is still around, some of the domes are in use on tourist railroads like Grand Canyon Railway, some equipment is in museums, some is in poor condition languishing in various places still waiting for restoration/reuse. As a condition of Rio Grande finally joining Amtrak in 1983, the majority of the RGZ equipment was turned over to Amtrak, but by then Amtrak didn't want anything to do with 35-year-old non-HEP Heritage equipment, so it was sent on to other owners. None of the RGZ equipment ever wore Amtrak colors or turned a wheel in Amtrak service. A couple of the domes went to Alaska RR. VIA Rail Canada bought the Silver Sky dome lounge observation and Silver Shop dome dorm lounge with the intention of overhauling them for use on its Canadian and other trains, but the funding was cut before the work was ever complete. They were both returned to the States in partially stripped condition and were both for sale by different owners at last report. The most tragic loss was the Silver Banquet diner which ideally should have gone to a museum, but it was scrapped by Amtrak due to a cracked center sill which needed repair. The repair was feasible, but again, Amtrak didn't want to mess with it.
Date: 05/24/20 05:45 Re: Scenes from the last runs of the D&RGW Prospector Author: Railvt I knew the diner from the RGZ was cut up and about the domes Going to Canada, but I did not know the domes came back. Thanks for the update.
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