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Winfield Aid station will be well-stocked, LRS Staff, Medical personnel and volunteers will be onsite, DNFs or athlete that do not make the cutoff will be transported back to Leadville. Some are on display in Colorado, one mail car found its way to Nebraska, and some boxcars are on the White Pass and Yukon Route in Alaska. In order to alleviate our impact and continue to permit our event over Hope Pass and into Winfield, we have worked closely with the USFS on an updated plan: Winfield: No crew, spectators or pacers will be allowed in Winfield. The first passenger train arrived at Salida in 1880. He received it, and the Colorado Midland Railway ceased operations in 1918. West of Canon City, the Arkansas River cuts through igneous rock to create a gorge more than 1,000 feet deep. No camping allowed. Georgetown Loop Railroad. Proceed past Ivanhoe Lake and continue up the sweeping curve that is the railroad grade to the tunnel entrance. Present-day, the branch line is only 50 miles in length from Mojave, CA to Searles, CA. This is a very popular area for hiking, mountain biking, and running, so you'll likely encounter other people while exploring. Baltimore & Ohio's fleet of 4-8-2's (Class T) were used in heavy passenger service and occasionally on freight assignments. What was left of the former Denver South Park & Pacific between Denver and Leadville including the Alma and Keystone branches was removed in the Summer of 1938, excluding the 20-mile portion between Denver and Waterton and the 14-mile segment between Leadville and Climax. Map 2. You'll follow one of the first rail routes to Colorado's mining district in the silver rush days, the old Denver, South Park & Pacific and Colorado & Southern line. The Colorado and Southern Railway (reporting marks C&S, CS) was an American Class I railroad in the western United States that operated independently from 1898 to 1908, then as part of the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad until it was absorbed into the Burlington Northern Railroad in 1981. Lightning is hazardous, especially above the timberline. & Rio Grande the railroad only had one means of connecting Denver No matter the weather, DO NOT attempt the round trip to Hope Pass without adequate warm and protective clothing. If you are researching active or abandoned corridors you might want to check out the United States Geological Survey's (USGS) Historical Topographic Map Explorer. Elbert, Mt. The Denver, South Park, and Pacific Railroad (later called the Denver, Leadville and Gunnison Railway) was a historic 3 ft (914 mm) narrow gauge railroad that operated in Colorado in the western United States in the late 19th century. 66. Help us keep them pristine. A spectacular series of winter storms started on 24 Jan 1899, dropping feet of heavy snow onto the Hagerman Pass route. At the outbreak of the First World War, the road's chief mechanical officer proposed the immediate construction of a new class of engines to handle the surging traffic, but the state of the road's physical plant (which urgently needed both maintenance and upgrading) was such that he limited his proposal to a copy of the D&RGW's C-48 class locomotives, a design that was thirteen years old and approaching obsolescence. American-Rails.com collection. **NOTE: NEW LOCATION** Drop bags must be brought to the Leadville Retail Store: Leadville Race Series Charity Partner Program, Follow driving directions from the start here, National Forest Photography & Filming Request. Crews can provide food, drinks and supplies, Pets are allowed must be leashed and under control at all times. The railroad suddenly found itself handling a swelling volume of interchange traffic at Colorado Springs and Grand Junction. Built in 1881, the railroad connected Chama, New Mexico to Durango, Colorado and ran until 1968, when almost all the track was torn up. The next line to fall was between Silver Plume and Idaho Springs, in 1939. According to George Hilton's book, "American Narrow Gauge Railroads," its narrow-gauge railroads peaked in the 1880's at 2,199 miles; 1,673 miles was comprised of the Denver & Rio Grande alone. The waiver can be filled out at one of the official checkpoints above or you may print one. most main line across the country had converted to standard-gauge). 307 W. Sackett Ave. Salida, CO 81201. Colorado Pacific Railroad is owned by KCVN, which is owned by New York City high-rise developer Sheldon Solow and his son . It was originally built to serve coal, timber, silver, and gold although most of this (particularly the latter) had dried up by the 20th century and in its final days the narrow-gauge operations were mostly a tri-weekly service carrying mixed trains of people and freight. that reached Salt Lake City) and around the same time its original Calling Railroad Enthusiasts, we have updated the Colorado Train Map to include Canon City & Royal Gorge Route Railroad! We truly appreciate all that our great volunteers do to make our races run smoothly and to make the racers experience unforgettable. This special trip is full of humorous narratives about Leadvilles colorful past, as well as breathtaking panoramas across the Arkansas River Valley, seen from open-air train cars. CREW RULES: Crew must abide by Lake County & Chaffee County laws, race rules, listen and respect ALL Leadville Race Series Staff, Volunteers, and personnel in enforcement uniform or vests. If you are researching anything EMD related please visit this page first. One of the best train rides in Colorado, and arguably the world, is just 30 miles down the road from Winter Park and Grand Park . Crewing outside of these 4 locations is against official race rules and may result in disqualification of your runner. This unit was built as Florence & Cripple Creek #20 in 1899 by the Schenectady Locomotive Works. See the definition of chip time vs. gun time below. All written content, photos, and videos copyright American-Rails.com (unless otherwise noted). The future of Tennessee Pass may be altered drastically if a limited liability company, KCVN, LLC (and their subsidiary, Colorado Pacific Railroad) is successful in acquiring the 228-mile line from UP. Recommended. The information included on this page gives a brief background and overview of Colorado from its earliest history with trains to present-day operations. All or part of this operation is conducted on Public Lands under special permit from the U.S. Bureau of Land Management. Availability, departures and consists may change at any time without notice. To earn the coveted silver and gold of the Leadville Trail 100 beltbuckle, you must finish the race in under 30 hours for the small buckle and under 25 hours for the big buckle. There are 5 locations on course that you can send drop bags: Remember that other than Winfield, you will pass through each aid station twice. Note due to backcountry terrain, there may be lag time on SMS alerts based on cell signal availability. Timing Split SMS Updates In order to get SMS updates when an athlete crossing a timing split, please visit THIS LINK to sign up for alerts. YouTube user Charlie Dean Archives. Leadville temperatures in August vary from daytime highs in the upper 70s to nighttime lows in the upper 20s. The last narrow-gauge operation, between Leadville and the Climax mines, was converted to standard gauge to handle heavy traffic from World War II. Two roundhouses survive in Como, Colorado and Leadville, Colorado. Index Map of the Leadville 1 2 Quadrangle, Showing Major Geographic Features and Communities. The train by then was so well known that Amtrak did not hesitate to keep it in service when the Rio Grande finally did elect to relinquish the train in the early 1980s and even honored it by renaming it back to theCalifornia Zephyrin 1983. Tunnel transit at 7:42. A pacer must fill out a waiver prior to being on course. For more adventure, reserve a spot in the engine or caboose. 1. The shuttle locations are under 1 mile from the race start and will run efficiently and quickly to get you to where you need to be! One of Colorado's first tourist attractions, this spectacular three-foot narrow gauge, Georgetown Loop Railroad was considered as one of the engineering marvels of its times. This was due to overall impact in Winfield and congestion on Hope Pass. It is difficult to truly articulate just how much material can be found at this website. Quadrangle map: Leadville North Inventory number BH 11850 (Bridgehunter.com ID) Categories . Ride the Leadville scenic train, and step back in time to when mining and railroading were a large part of Leadvilles economy. route was a bit circuitous in that it headed north before returning to a There were efforts recently to revive the line but those appear to have fallen through. 2023 Summer Schedule, Prices, and Map Today this line is home to the likewise well known Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad. Massive, and the Arkansas River Valley. The legendary "Race Across The Sky" 100-mile run is where it all started back in 1983. Rio Grande GP30's #3017 and #3013 enter the Monarch Branch (which served the Colorado Fuel & Iron coal mine at Monarch) in downtown Salida, Colorado heading west with empties bound for the mine on November 6, 1975. Located only 45 miles (72.4 kilometers) from Denver, this ancient route is nestled high up in the Rocky Mountains. Hypothermia easily occurs with a combination of decreasing temperatures, wind and precipitation. The history of the Leadville, Colorado and Southern Railroad dates back to the Denver, South Park and Pacific Railroad, which was in operation from 1872 to 1889. Union Pacific last year declined Colorado Pacific's offer of $10 million. . Please place any waste in the proper bin. Please see the PACER & CREW INFORMATION tab, as well as the Aid Stations & Course Cutoffs Tab on our website for more info regarding where crews are allowed or not. 4. 3. Leadville is a Statutory City that is the county seat of, and the only municipality in, Lake County, Colorado, United States. We do offer a military discount for active and non-active military . Please note athletes must be 18 years or older on the day of the race to participate in the Leadville Trail 100 Run. When A.E. The information includes original numbers, serials, and order numbers. To alleviate this issue the D&RG began looking at the prospect of A popular pastime for many is studying and/or exploring abandoned rights-of-way. January 3, 2022. American-Rails.com collection. Georgetown Loop Railroad and Mining Park. Leadville Trail 100 MTB Race Option 2: Defer into the following year, pay a deferral fee of $395. Majority is on forest trails with some mountain roads. Drive from Aspen to Leadville. Check out our volunteer page for more info and how to sign up. (However, the standard gauge segment still exists today to serve the Coors Brewery.) Parking and overall congestion in Leadville will continue to be a crucial topic for everyone this season and for our presence in Leadville moving forward. At the Continental Divide northwest of Denver, the Denver and Rio Grande Western completed the famous Moffat Tunnel in 1928, some 6.1-miles in length and bypassing the torturous Rollins Pass, over 11,000 feet in height! The best times to visit this trail . Even after the boring of the Busk-Ivanhoe Tunnel, much of this trackage was above nine thousand feet, in a district of Colorado where the snow often does not melt entirely until June. In 1931 the D&RGW took control of the Denver & Salt Lake Railway whose claim to fame was constructing the massive 6.21-mile Moffat Tunnel that had opened in 1928. Pacers can pick up their runners at any point on course beginning at Twin Lakes inbound at mile 62. Georgetown Loop Historic Mining and Railroad Park. The narrow gauge rail into town was completed on June 22, 1878, and shortly after, a train full of . That's because the narrow gauge tracks that it rides on snake . It ran from Colorado Springs to Leadville and through the divide at Hagerman Pass to Glenwood Springs and Grand Junction. Unfortunately, this attempt also ultimately fell through and the corridor still remains under Union Pacific ownership. For 200 athletes, partners, friends and fans, an evening at FREIGHT, Leadvilles premier event venue. Today, there are tens of thousands of miles scattered throughout the country. Mosquito Pass was the original very rough road into Leadville in the late 1800s, and provides a history lesson and incredible views in the middle of the Colorado Rockies. In 1908 the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad bought control of the C&S. In 1890, the Union Pacific transferred U&N Engines No. Freight was indeed diverted all through the remainder of 1897 and 1898, leaving the Busk Tunnel Railway without any source of revenue. In 1945 the then Denver & Rio Grande Western constructed a new tunnel at around the same altitude as the original. The Rio Grande's Tennessee Pass, north of Salida and Leadville, Colorado, was a means for the railroad to Many were pulled up in the 1970's and 1980's although others were removed long before that. . In 1998 a gentleman by the name ofAndre Kristopans put together a web page highlighting virtually every unit out-shopped by General Motors' Electro-Motive Division. The Rio Grande had a sprawling network of main and branch lines throughout Colorado and Utah. E-mail: ahra@state.co.us. Fly from Denver (DEN) to Aspen (ASE) DEN - ASE. railroad to reach Leadville. You may have as many pacers as you wish, although only one pacer at a time (until mile 99). Union Pacific apparently had no interest in this group operating the long dormant line. Our races aim to be Zero Waste. Today, when riding the Leadville, Colorado and Southern Railroad it operates on a route that rises over 1,000 feet from the Arkansas River Valley, travels through Freemont Pass and provides for views of Colorado's two largest mountain peaks, Mt. If unsuccessful in the lottery process and you still wish to participate in the LT100 Run, please check out some of the options below: 2. It began in February, when Colorado Pacific Railroad filed an application with the Surface Transportation Board, asking it to force Union Pacific to sell the Tennessee Pass Line for $8.8 million. These segments will be primarily chosen based on the fullest extent of the Rio Grande system. This makes using the railroad's own designations impractical, since routes were continuously being moved between divisions or whole divisions consolidated. The company believed its annual revenue will not exceed $5 million and will aggressively pursue interest in freight and passenger service along the route. The branch originally ran for 150 miles to Lone Pine, CA until in the early 1980's when SP filed for abandonment of roughly 100 miles of the line from Lone Pine, CA to Searles, CA. Guests can expect exceptional food from the Silver Dollar Saloon (sensitive to dietary needs and prepared with race performance in mind), an open bar with excellent drink, live music, and a brief program highlighting the incredible social impact that the Leadville Trail 100 has had over the years through the Leadville Trail 100 Legacy Foundation and Life Time Foundation. It ran from Colorado Springs to Leadville and through the divide at Hagerman Pass to Glenwood . Clearly label bags in large letters with the following info: Unclaimed drop bags will be donated to local charities the next day. Colorado railroads arrive rather late to the game in comparison to other states, as the state's first railroad did not appear until 1867. There will be recycling/compost containers at all full aid stations and at the start/finish line. Home; Schedule; Specials; Groups; FAQ; History; Contacts; BOOK NOW. The Morrison Branch was removed in 1926. It would later merge into the Burlington Northern Railroad in 1981. Videos Home; Videos; Take a Video Journey of the Railroad. One of the Rio Grande's giant 2-8-8-2's (L-131), #3607, is seen here between assignments at the Minturn, Colorado terminal on August 14, 1954. Do You Have A Senior Discount? These include the: Lastly, if you are planning a trip to Colorado to either railfan or enjoy the sites and sounds of the state's many museums and tourist railroads don't forget to stop by beautiful Denver Union Station in downtown Denver. If you are going to be in town for the LT100 Run, we would love for you to join the family and pitch in. Alas, in 2013 the site closed. It shouldn't be surprising then that mountainous operations also define the state's railroads. After the inauguration of the United States Railroad Administration in late 1917, the government managers redirected much of the trans-Colorado traffic that was previously carried by other railroads onto the Midland, which was ill-equipped to deal with the sudden upturn in business. You will give the mountain respect, and earn respect from all. A popular pastime for many is studying and/or exploring abandoned rights-of-way. Pro tip: send 2 bags together one to be used for inbound and outbound. Enter your goal finish time and see approximate race times, split times, and split paces required at various segments of the course for that desired finishing time. Mayqueen For 2023 and beyond, no crew & spectator parking will be allowed at Mayqueen. Today, she is operable at the Virginia Museum of Transportation. The Royal Gorge Route Railroad has been shuttling passengers through the stunning Royal Gorge canyon along the Arkansas River since 1879. The next line to be ripped up was between Garos and Buena Vista. One hundred miles of extreme Colorado Rockies terrain from elevations of 9,200 to 12,600 feet. The railway began as the consolidation of bankrupt railroads in 1898. Colorado's 3-foot lines are legendary, names like the Denver & Rio Grande, Rio Grande Southern, Colorado & Southern, and Denver South Park & Pacific. Enjoy a scenic train ride through the San Isabel National Forest, then zipline down to base camp with Top of the Rockies Zipline. This page was last edited on 17 October 2022, at 03:39. For all the details on the selection process for the LT100 100 lottery, head on over to our lottery page here. However, the route gained new importance after the Southern Pacific merger of 1988 due to the increased traffic coming from western points like the ports of California. If you are a doctor, nurse, or EMT and would like to help in this capacity, please email Chris Yeager of Lake County Search and rescue for more information and to sign up as a medical volunteer. This recently-delivered set of Chicago, Burlington & Quincy FT's (#103-A through #103-D) lead a 126-car freight westward near Keenesburg, Colorado on May 31, 1944. Trains magazine named this one of America's . One of the B&O's original streamliners, the Abraham Lincoln, operated during its brief ownership of the Alton Railroad in the Midwest. Community Field & High School/Middle School lots to: Village of Twin Lakes Shuttles: If you intend to drive to Twin Lakes, there will be spectator shuttles to bring you from various parking locations to the village of Twin Lakes. 1-866-386-3936. Located just off I-70 and only 45 miles west of Denver, the Georgetown Loop Railroad and Mining Park is one of Colorado's most authentic living museums and historically immersive experiences. Many were pulled up in the 1970's and 1980's although others were removed long before that. The mileage would include the Dotsero to Parkdale, Colorado segment as well as trackage rights into Pueblo. Route of the Colorado Midland Railway Across Hagerman Pass via the Hagerman Tunnel. Pacers are not allowed to push, pull, carry or tow the runner. Today's Royal Gorge Route Railroad was interestingly not built by the Rio Grande. The railroad makes access open for freight, ore, consumers and passengers to Georgetown. Colorado Scenic Rails. Leadville, Colorado & Southern Railroad 2013; . Option 1: Receive a 50% refund on the entry fee. See untouched wilderness! Author's collection. This five-hour tour is perfect for adults and children. The Georgetown Loop Railroad is a 3 ft (914 mm) narrow gauge United States heritage railroad located in the Rocky Mountains in Clear Creek County, adjacent to Interstate 70 in Colorado.. The Midland (as it was colloquially known) was an extraordinarily difficult railroad to operate, in large part because it had very little level track. Intentional littering on the course will be grounds for disqualification. The map below outlines parking locations and shuttle pickup spots. While it still serves Amtrak'sCalifornia ZephyrandSouthwest Chief, the station's future include it becoming the city's hub of its ever-growing commuter rail system. Please discard any waste in an appropriate container. The Royal Gorge Route Railroad; Pikes Peak Cog Railroad; Leadville, Colorado & Southern Railroad; Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad; . Breckenridge Gold Mine Outdoor Escape Room. The line had neither the motive power nor the physical facilities to deal with this sudden change, and yards and even on-line sidings rapidly filled with cars waiting movement to one of the terminals. The Railroad map can be used for transportation through schematic diagrams presenting the routes. This will remain unchanged in 2023 and no pacers OR crew will be allowed access to Winfield. southern Colorado and northern New Mexico. One of the Rio Grande's giant 2-8-8-2's (L-131), #3607, is seen here between assignments at the Minturn, Colorado terminal on August 14, 1954. While effective in opening a American-Rails.com collection. All written content, photos, and videos copyright American-Rails.com (unless otherwise noted). This event is held on the San Isabel National Forest under a special use permit. Come up and see us this summer - season opens Saturday, May 23. It again declared bankruptcy April 21, 1917, and was sold at auction to Albert E. Carlton of Colorado Springs. Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area Visitor Center. You are permitted to park along Highway 82 and shuttles will pick up at these 3 locations and drop off in Twin Lakes Village: We will transport all runners in need of a shuttle from Winfield back to Twin Lakes. Leadville is the highest incorporated city in North America and has a rich history of mining. Incorporated in 1867 it was designed to link Denver by rail after the Union Pacific elected to bypass the Frontier town on its way to meet the Central Pacific. For the meantime, I've broken things down into two basic categories: Narrow Gauge Lines. Hop aboard the Leadville Colorado and Southern Railroad for the most relaxing and scenic Rocky Mountain experience. Grande, is one our country's most famous railroads. to its narrow-gauge status, thus limiting the amount of traffic which Just keep going past the trail to the east portal, go through Hagerman Pass, come back down to the Colorado Midland Railroad grade, turn left ( you will probably have to drive a few yards down the grade to find a place to turn around). interchange lucrative traffic. Rio Grande Southern 4-6-0 #20 lays over along the D&RGW at Alamosa, Colorado in 1952. 220 Westwoods Drive. The dual-gauge third rail that had allowed narrow-gauge trains to run between Denver and Golden was also removed. Massive and Mt. Railroad tunnel under Tennessee Pass north of Leadville on closed Union Pacific RR. several miles of the D&RGW's former narrow-gauge trackage in The narrow gauge operations had four distinct portions: the Platte Canyon Line from Denver to Como, the Gunnison Line from Como to Gunnison via Alpine Tunnel, Highline between Como and Leadville, and the Clear Creek rail line from Denver to Silver Plume. If you have any problems or questions regarding your purchase please contact us at 719-486-3936 or 1-866-386-3936. Not surprisingly the train was an instant hit with the public and did so well that the Rio Grande elected not to include it in Amtrak in 1971 and would rename the train theRio Grande Zephyr. per group (up to 4) Half-Day Upper Colorado River Float Tour from Kremmling. In the late A map of Tennessee Pass (highlighted in blue) from the Rio Grande's 1952 system map. Note: Belt buckles will be given away in the finish chute & f. Hang tags should be visible and will have your bib number on it. Photo by: Steven Martin. The 2023 lottery will open on December 1st, 2022 and run until December 15th, 2022. Then known as the Denver In 1980 route-miles had dropped to 678 but ton-miles had ballooned to 7,230million ton-miles (10,560milliontkm): Powder River coal had arrived. Map 1. Quickest way to get there Cheapest option Distance between. As such the Tennessee Pass Tunnel and route southward through Leadville became the railroad's secondary main line to Denver. The railroad reached its final length in 1884 when it chartered the Georgetown, Breckenridge & Leadville Railway to stretch west of Georgetown and the small mining town of Graymont. All buckle times are based on individual runner chip times, as they have been in years past. Leadville, Colorado & Southern Railroad - Leadville, Colorado. This article briefly highlights where you can take a train in Indiana to view the fall colors each autumn. No crewing outside of official crew locations Outward Bound, Pipeline & Twin Lakes, Mayqueen. The Colorado Midland Railway ( reporting mark CM ), [1] incorporated in 1883, was the first standard gauge railroad built over the Continental Divide in Colorado. While the first line would not appear in Colorado until over 40 years after the Baltimore & Ohio was incorporated the state's rail network rapidly expanded after this time. 12 in ( 1,435 mm) standard gauge. The Uinta Basin Railway project is still in the planning stages. President Robert Bach stated: We look forward to engaging in the transportation planning work already underway to determine how the Tennessee Pass Line might play a role. Moffat Tunnel Subdivision: Former Denver and Rio Grande Western mainline west through the Rockies running to Grand Junction and eventually over Soldier Summit into Salt Lake City. over the years but after the Union Pacific merger of 1996 it redundant During the state's heyday with trains it featured a rail network consisting of over 5,000 miles and a half-dozen classic "fallen flags". Eventually the route of the D&RG would be amended and added to as new opportunities and competition challenged the railroad's expanding goals. If you've ever headed west on U.S. Highway 24, you've followed the same route as the first standard gauge railroad built over the Continental . Awards shipping can be purchased here. Understandably then, these segments will be more biased towards the later, standard gauge network. 326 E. 7th Street PO Box 916 Leadville, CO 80461. We have updated our deferral policies for the 2023 Leadville Trail 100 Run. Segments of the railroad were then sold to the Midland Terminal Railway; the rest of the line, mostly west of the Midland Terminal connection at Divide, was abandoned. Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps. 4 ft 8. Wes Barris's SteamLocomotive.com is simply the best web resource on the study of steam locomotives. More Videos Quartz to Gunnison survived until 1936 and the Baldwin Branch lasted until 1954. In crossing Colorado, the line made three summits at Hayden Divide, west of Colorado Springs, at Trout Creek Pass, and at Hagerman Pass on the Continental Divide. A former silver mining town that lies near the . Notes: The Leadville Railroad reserves the right to delay or cancel trips for any reason and not be held liable. The value of the line ebbed and flowed Rocky Mountain Scenic Train Rides. Do not attempt to drive a personal or crew vehicle to Winfield, you will be turned around. Rio Grande GP7 #5106 in Pueblo, Colorado during the 1970s. Royal Gorge Route Railroad - Canon City, Colorado. Montrose, and Grand Junction in 1883. Will loop continuously from community fields to the expo, Shuttles will also be moving along HWY 82 to bring spectators/crews safely to Twin Lakes village . The group originally offered $10 million for the line (its liquidation value) but UP has balked at the proposal. Along with the Class I railroads the state is also renowned for its bucolic and breathtaking narrow-gauge railways. Spectacular railroad trip in the Rocky Mountains. In September 1890, Hagerman sold the railroad to the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway, which operated the railroad as a subsidiary and changed the name to the Colorado Midland Railroad. Narrow gauge. 3222 Bryant & Daley, Leadville, CO 80461 is a lot/land. We established a new parking plan in 2022 and the 2023 plan will be very similar. Alas, in 2013 the site closed. Business dropped off precipitately, and Carleton was forced to apply for permission to abandon operations. Even more famous than the tunnel was the introduction of a joint passenger train by the Burlington, Rio Grande, and Western Pacific in 1949 known as theCalifornia Zephyrdeliberately routed through the mountains so that passengers could witness the stunning beauty offered over the Rio Grande's main line through the Rockies. In May 1941 the last of the Clear Creek lines began being torn up between Golden, Colorado and Idaho Springs. heading north of Leadville and following the Colorado River. 1. Today, the line lies We know that with your help we can be great stewards of this community. It is an excellent resource with thousands of historic maps on file throughout the country. The railroad was difficult to operate at the best of times, and in winter it was often nearly impossible: the 1899 blizzard closed the line over Hagerman Pass for 77 days and cost the company more than $73,000 (approx $2 million in 2013). Reserve a booth in the new lounge cars, for a cozy and private ride. Track gauge.