RGSrr.comRio Grande Southern RR - Route Summary (2) |
Below, in tabular form, is a summary of the route of the Rio Grande Southern, which ran from Ridgway to Durango in Colorado. Each milepost is listed, along with elevation, towns, bridges, sidings, spurs, branches, and anything else that seems interesting. Special thanks to W. George Cook for the many sawmill references in this list, and to some of those who helped him compile them - Mallory Ferrell, Gordon Chappell, and Bob Richardson.
Like the rest of this website, this summary is a work-in-progress. Suggestions welcome. Patience recommended. So sit back, cozy up to the window, and don't lean too far out when we round the curves.
Back to RGS home
Notes on the links:
Where possible, I've included additional links - including maps from the
RGS Interactive Map site, detail links from the
Narrow Gauge Circle, bridge & water tank links from
the RGS Tech page, photo links from the
Denver Library (which has many more photos than I've
linked here), additional detail, map and photo links from others as well. Ft. Lewis College in Durango also has many
photos available online.
So many folks have helped provide information for this site - I'm sure I'll miss thanking someone. In addition to the
websites above, David Dye has posted a number of interactive maps w/photos
from his hikes in the northern areas.
GhostDepot.com used to have many photo links and maps, which I previously referenced here, But apparently that site is gone; the
source DVD however is still available.
Have more links? Email
me at
Back to Ridgway
MP |
Elev. |
Station |
No. |
Notes |
Refs |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
66.2 | 8737' | Rico Dave's map & photos NGC pg (interactive map) Google Map ACME Map |
X66 |
Depot, frame, 71'x20' Photos: p1 p2 p3 s end s end2 n end n end from rear detail1 detail2 detail3 Pro Patria: Pro-Patria: p1 p2 Ted Klavern took a number of photos in 1973, of various remains: Depot remains: p1 Engine House: p1 p2 Tank: p1 p2 p3 p4 Boxcar sheds: p1 p2 p3 p4 Pro-Patria: p1 Mystery item: p1 Jerry Halbert took a number of photos in 1975, of various remaining bits of the area. Depot remains: p1 Tank: p1 Shop remains: p1 p2 Section house - foreman, frame Section house - laborer, frame, 20'x32' (station grnds pic) B&B outfit cars / section house(s?) (including 2 D&RG flat-top baggage cars; Jerry Albers notes that they were from the same era as the baggage car at Vance (which is now at CRRM), also 2 D&RG boxcar bodies? The 2 baggage cars at Rico, in later years, were in bad shape but restorable. The outfit cars were complete, except for trucks. Jerry had arranged to remove them w/ the Rico Argentine Mining Co, which was "cleaning up" the area, and they gave him 30 days. But, just a week later, the cars had been crushed and burned. Jerry did rescue some rail from the Rico enginehouse remains (although some had been stolen). The Mining Co was about to destroy the water tower, but Jerry convinced them to leave it intact if he fenced it (which he did). So close... Lorne Noyes posted a number of Rico yard photos from about this time, including the (then) still-standing outfit cars. Yardmaster's office (D&RG rpo body originally) Tool house, frame, 10'x16' Track scale, 44', 45 ton (later removed, siding used to store bridge timbers) Coaling station, 8-pocket, 3 aux bins, s of town (p1 p2 p3 ) Sandhouse, frame, 14'x33' RR photos: p1 p2 p3 p4 p5 p6 p7 p8 p9 p10 p11 faceN-1 faceN-2 facingS looking SE stub1 stub2 Town photos: overview above p1 p2-from S warehouse? North of Rico: p1? p2? Last ore train, Nov 17, 1951: p1 p2 p3 Siding, ?-car (just n of Rico) Double-ended spur, ?-car (just n of Rico) (p1 p2 ) (St. Louis Mine, Rico Power Plant, Pro Patria mill, track scale) 2 yard sidings, approx 24-car and 28-car (p1 n-end1 n-end2 n-end3 n-end4 s-end1 s-end2 ) The yard today, south of the tank: looking N looking S Scale siding, approx 16-car Depot station siding, approx 28-car 3-stall enginehouse spurs (n), approx 13-car, 12-car, 15-car Brick, 6 stalls, 60'x125' Photos: 3-way stub, looking S p1 p2 p3 p4 p5 interior int2 int3 int4 s-end1 s-end2 e-side n-end2 n-end3 near1 near2 3 spurs near enginehouse (n), approx 7-car, 6-car, 12-car (pic) Spur, 10-car (Stockyard, 1 pen, sheep) (p1 p2 p3 ) Wye, stem ---' (original, near original enginehouse, and used during construction) Wye, stem ---' (second, w of main between yard & coaling st, incl 2 bridges of dolores river) (destroyed in floods of 1911) Wye, stem 389' (3rd) (photos: p1 p2 p3 p4 p5 ) (1st wye was near original enginehouse, 2nd was west of main between yard and coaling chute, 3rd was east of main just north of 2nd's position) Coaling chute & spur, approx 13-car (just s of Rico) (look N, from top look N, near bottom ) Water tank (city fed) ( p1 p2 p3 p4 facing N look S look S2 look S3 remains looking N Dave's pics ) Atlantic mine (nearby): Mario photos (2004): p1 p2 p3 p4 |
Rgs v5, p335 Rgs v6, p229 Sun v2, p85 |
Bridge
67-AS, --' long, -' high (dolores river) (supported one leg of 2nd wye, west of main between yard and coaling chutes) (destroyed by flood of 1911) |
Rgs v6, p235 | ||||
Bridge
67-ASS, --' long, -' high (dolores river) (supported one leg of 2nd wye, west of main between yard and coaling chutes) (destroyed by flood of 1911) |
Rgs v6, p235 | ||||
67.? |
Bridge
68-A, 157' long, 8' high (dolores river) (pile trestle) Photos? p1 p2 |
Rgs v6, p236/258 | |||
67.? |
Bridge
68-B, 32' long, 8' high (dolores river) (pile trestle, later filled in) |
Rgs v6, p236/260 | |||
? | Swan Spur | Spur, 3-car | Sun v2, p85 | ||
69.8 | Grade runs close beside the dolores river in a narrow, fairly steep canyon, passing thru a high rock cut and sharply curving to follow the river. There was little room here for the grade, and moving it higher would've required extensive bridge and rock work - deemed too expensive in the initial race to connect Durango and Rico in 1891. The railroad paid dearly as this section was prone to severe flooding and had many washouts. Budgets to add rock ballast and riprap rock to protect the grade never came, and the line between Rico and Dolores was usually build (and re-built, and re-built again) with just dirt and mud. Even cinder ballast was unavailable. | Rgs v6, 274/283 | |||
70.? |
Bridge
71-A, 226' long, 9' high (dolores river) (Montelores trestle) (crossed river at 45deg angle, and was particulary prone to wash-outs and flood damage, like this: pic) |
Rgs v6, p236/280 | |||
70.19 | 8454' | Montelores | X70 |
Photos:
p1
p2
p3
near
n2
n3
n4
n5
Scrapping photos: p1 p2 p3 p4 p5 near? n2 n3 Spur, 22-car (later 10-car, then 2-car-washed out; 5-car spur installed 10-6-1942) |
Rgs v6, p236/287 Sun v2, p91 |
70.? | Bridge 71-B, 16' long, 8' high (dolores river) | Rgs v6, p292 | |||
71.4 |
Bridge
72-A, 163' long, 8' high (dolores river) (pile trestle) |
Rgs v6, p294 | |||
71.51 |
Bridge
72-B, 157' long, 8' high (dolores river) (pile trestle) Photos: p1? |
Rgs v6, p295 | |||
71.70 | Garbareno |
Sawmill - Garbareno brothers Spur, 2-car (later replaced by longer spur for bridge & building cars) |
Rgs v6, p236 Sun v2, p91 |
||
71.? |
Bridge
72-C, 141' long, 8' high (old dolores river channel) (pile trestle) |
Rgs v6, p296 | |||
72.3 | Parkers | Sawmill - Enyart & Parker - c1899 to c1902 | W. George Cook | ||
73.? |
Bridge
74-A, 105' long, 9' high (dolores river) (pile trestle, filled in when river channel was changed) |
Rgs v6, p297 | |||
73.? |
Bridge
74-B, 163' long, 11' high (dolores river) (filled in when river channel was changed) |
Rgs v6, p300 | |||
74.52 | 8185' | Kings | X75 |
Named for the King family, local cattle ranchers Section house - foreman, frame, 18'x28' Secton house - laborer (boxcar body) Tool house, frame, 10'x10' Photos: p1 p2? bridge1 bridge2 Siding, 21-car |
Rgs v6, p237 Sun v2, p91 |
74.53 | Sawmill - Enyart & Parker - c1900 to c1901 | W. George Cook | |||
74.5? |
Bridge
75-A, 128' long, 9' high (dolores river)
Dave's details: Dave's Bridge pg |
Rgs v6, p301 | |||
74.? |
Bridge
75-B, 94' long, -' high (dolores river) (pile trestle) |
Rgs v6, p237 | |||
75.? |
Bridge
76-A, 125' long, 9' high (dolores river) (pile trestle) |
Rgs v6, p305 | |||
75.94 | 8095' | Rio Lado | X76 |
Section house Bunk house (car-body) Former site of Rio Lado Lodge, now the Circle K Ranch Photos: p1 p2 Michael Talcott, who has driven much of the roadbed and grew up near Durango writes: "This looks to me to be the Ophir Canyon just as the Telluride branch is pproching the bridge across the creek: i.e. Goose 4 has already passed through the Ilium switch on it's way up to Telluride. The Roadbed is pretty level while it's in the valley here; it drops well below the grade of the 3.5% going up to Ophir then kicks up the full 4% after it crosses the bridge and gets over to the side of the hill. Looks very much like this area: there was a Christian picnic/Camping area that we used to go to down there which may still be extant, which is what is called Ilium, these days. The photo is, oh about 1/2 mile or more up from the Ilium switch." |
Rgs v6, p305 Sun v2, p91 |
77.1? |
Bridge
78-A, 158' long, 10' high
(pic,
Washout 8-9-49?) (dolores river) (pile trestle) Many of the low bridges in this area, including 78-A, did not have guard rails |
Rgs v6, p317 | |||
77.7? |
Bridge
78-B, 127' long, 10' high (dolores river) (pile trestle) Photos: p1 |
Rgs v6, p318 | |||
78.00 | Priest Gulch |
Also called Priest Gulch Tank, or just 'Tank' Priest Gulch Campground and RV Park, and Priest Gulch Ranch Camp exist here today Photos: Water tank (gravity fed) (p1 p2 p3 p4 p6 ) |
Rgs v6, p237/320 Sun v2, p91 |
||
80.17 | 7861' | Bear Creek | X80 |
Photos:
p1
p2
p3
p4
p5
Toward Stoner (incl a derailment on 8-8-51): p1 p2 p3 p4 -derailed p5 -derailed Stockpens, 2 pens (cattle, 1200' n of the siding) Siding, 16-car |
Rgs v6, p337 Sun v2, p91 |
Tie camp - Woodruff & Huntley - c1902 | W. George Cook | ||||
Sawmill - Millard & Carter - 4/1912 to c1916 | |||||
82 | Ditchfield | W. George Cook | |||
83.50 | Red Rock | X83 |
The final spike connecting the north and south portions of the RGS during construction,
was driven just south of here, during a raging snowstorm on Dec 20, 1891.
Photos - nearby: p1 Passenger shelter, frame, 10'x20', cinder platform Short spur (stone, vegetables) |
Rgs v6, p241 Rgs v6, p356 Sun v2, p91 |
|
Sawmill - George Ditchfield - c1895 to c1902 Spur (n), 10-car (5-car later) |
W. George Cook | ||||
83.6 | (Red Rock?) Log shipping - George Ditchfield - c1904 to c1907 Spur, ?-car |
W. George Cook | |||
83.? | Rock Quarry | Spur, 5-car | Rgs v6, p241 Sun v2, p91 |
||
83.? |
Bridge
84-A, 48' long, 11' high (Red Rock Creek) (Red Rock trestle, originally a pile trestle) |
Rgs v6, p241 | |||
85.86 | 7562' | Muldoon | X86 |
Photos:
near1
p2
p3
p4
p5
near
Scrapping photos (near washout): p1 p2 p3 p4 p5 p6 p7 p8 p10 p11 p12 p13 p14 p15 p16 p17 Cattle-loading chute Siding, 30-car (10-car later) |
Sun v2, p91 W. George Cook |
Sawmill - A.A. Rust - c1889 to 5/1896 | W. George Cook | ||||
87.38 | Stoner Creek | X87 |
Section house - foreman, frame, 26'x30'
(pic)
Section house - laborer, frame, 18'x28' Tool house, frame, 10'x20' Photos: p1 p2 p3 tank,sec-hse near1 near2 near3 -cattle guard near4 above washout near wash2 south1 south2 south3 south4 south5 Spur, 4-car (none by 1928) Water tank (gravity fed) (p1 p2 ) |
Sun v2, p91 | |
87.4? | Bridge 88-A, 64' long, 9' high (Stoner Creek) | Rgs v6, p391 | |||
88.0 | Sawmill - Carter - 7/1915 to ? | W. George Cook | |||
88.? |
Bridge
89-A, 203' long, 9' high (dolores river) (open-deck pile trestle) (originally a 48' Pony Truss w/pile trestles on either side, 49' on south, 95' on north) Rotary Plow 02 dropped thru the northern truss on 2-2-1914, w/minor injuries: p1 p2 Friends pic |
Rgs v6, p241 | |||
90.18 | 7361' | Raymond | X90 | Photos:
near1
n2
n3
n4
n5
Siding, 34-car (hay, from local ranches) |
Rgs v6, p241 Sun v2, p91 |
91.? |
Bridge
92-A, 284' long, 11' high (dolores river) (two 64' Pony Truss trestles, with a 156' pile trestle on south approach) (originally a 64' Pony Truss w/pile trestles on either side, 16' on south, 144' on north) |
Rgs v6, p243/426 | |||
92.? | Nothing of note on the RGS, but today is a subdivision known as Twin Spruce | Rgs v6, p425 | |||
93.2 | Line Camp | Rgs v6, p429 | |||
96.26 | 7152' | Stapleton | X96 | Photos:
p1
p2
near1
n2
n3
Siding, 30-car |
Rgs v6, p435 Sun v2, p91 |
97.2 | Hogg |
Siding, 10-car (runarounds) Spur (s connection) - 10 cars in 1906? - off the runaround track (sawmill) Sawmill - O'Bannon-Ditchfield Lumber Co - c1901 to 8/1/1902 |
W. George Cook | ||
Sawmill - Dolores Lumber & Supply Co - 8/1/1902 to mid 1915 | |||||
97.? |
Bridge
98-A, 63' long, 9' high (side creek) (pile trestle) |
Rgs v6, p442 | |||
97.82 | Rust (later) |
Jct - A.A. Rust Lumber RR to Bean Canyon - 1902 to 1906 A.A. Rust Lumber - 1902 to 1909 Spur (n), 3-car Crossing, 240' branch leading to Rust Logging RR (removed 11-1908) The logging railroad climbed two steep switchback to the mesa above Likely photo of where the mill spur was, or close to it: p1 |
W. George Cook Ssj p388 |
||
Spur (lumber) Rust Lumber & Merchandise Co - 1909 to 1915 |
|||||
100.3 | Rust (earlier) |
Rust Lumber Co (moved from Muldoon) - 1899 to 1902 Spur (n), 14-car (lumber) |
W. George Cook | ||
Sawmill - Chris Hoppe - 1897 to 2/14/1903 Spur (sawmill) |
|||||
99.? |
Bridge
100-A, 79' long, -' high (open-deck frame trestle, later filled in) |
Rgs v6, p243 | |||
101.? |
Bridge
102-A, 29' long, -' high (water-seepage bed) (pile trestle) |
Rgs v6, p243 | |||
102.34 | 6957' | Dolores (interactive map) NGC pg Google Map Dave's map & photos |
X102 |
Depot, frame (
p1
p2
p3
p4
p5
p6
p7
front rear rear2 s end ) Current photos (replica depot): Mario (2004): p1 p2 p3 RailsProject (2006): p1 p2 p3 p4 p4 Freight house, frame, 24'x96' (pic ) Stockpens, 5 pens (single- & double-deck cars) (p1 p2 near1 near2 ) Section house - foreman, frame, 18'x28' (p1 ) 2 section houses - laborers (boxcar bodies) (pic ) Tool house, frame, 10'x16' (p1 p2 p3 ) Videos: There's some nice footage of Goose #3 at the end of this short video from 1935, discovered by Chris Weiser and highlighted by the Ridgway Museum's newsletter from Jan 2015. Toward the end, there's a nice shot of the Goose pulling into the Dolores depot: video Photos: overview view2 view3 p1 p2 p3 p4 p5 p6 p7 p8 p9 p10 p11 p12 p13 p14 p15 p16 mail truck near near2 near3 near4 near5 near6 near7 north1 north2 south1 Town photos (past): Main St -RGS park / depot grnds on left Town photos (current): p2 p3 p4 p5 p6 p7 p8 p9 p10 p11 Spur, 20-car (stockpens) Sidings & other track (128-car total) ( 3-way pic stub2 stub3 stub4 20 at 3way1 20 at 3way2 Warehouse N end? N end2? ) Servicing tracks (for loading coal into tenders, from gondolas), next to the depot: ( p1 ) Wye, stem 176' (p1 RGS truck! ) (the Dolores Star reported on 10-13-1905 that the RGS had begun work to move the wye from it's location in the residential part of town to an area near the river being used as a ball field). Water tank (city fed) (pic ) |
Sun v2, p91 |
Sawmill (team loading) - A.A. Rust Lumber Co - 5/14/1896 to 1909 | W. George Cook | ||||
Team loading - Rust Lumber & Merchandise Co - 1909 to after 1930 | |||||
Branch to McPhee begins just sourth of Dolores ~3.5 miles to McPhee, ~43 miles to end-of-track (No engineering drawwings exist, so MPs are approximate) Construction started in March, 1924. Rail as 40lb and 45lb on 'main', with some 30lb for sidings and yards. I have a couple of pics of the grade (from Jun '07); at dusk (sorry!): pics |
Rgs v7, p224-8 | ||||
+3.5 McPhee br |
6820' |
Bridge, ---' long, -' high (dolores river) (just off branch main, on track leading into McPhee) |
Rgs v7, p223 | ||
+3.8 McPhee br |
6820' | McPhee | (tentatively named "Ventura" intially) Photos: p1 p2 Spur, ?-car (box plant) Siding along yard, ending in wye Mill drying yard (4 yard tracks, 3 thru, 1 stub) Spur, ?-car (planing mill / sorting platform) 2 Spurs, ?-car (lumber warehouse) Siding, ?-car Spur, ?-car (timber dock) Spur, ?-car (water tower / 5-stack power plant) Siding, ?-car Spur, ?-car (mill pond skidway) Spur, ?-car (enginehouse / machine shop) Spur, ?-car (storage warehouse) 2 Spurs, ?-car (loading dock) Wye leading into town, stem ? Wye / yard lead, stem ? |
Rgs v7, p223 | |
+7.6 McPhee br |
7040' | Bean Canyon Trestle, ---' long, -' high 9 deg curve |
Rgs v7, p224 | ||
+11.5 McPhee br |
7320' | Horse Camp |
Log chute Water tank Wye |
Rgs v7, p224 | |
+12.1 McPhee br |
Trestle, 150' long, 25' high (gully below Railroad Reservoir) |
Rgs v7, p229 | |||
+18.2 McPhee br |
7960' | Turkey Creek Trestle, --' long, -' high (Turkey Creek) 14 deg curve |
Rgs v7, p252 | ||
+19.5 McPhee br |
~8000' | Rock Creek Trestle, 496' long, 65' high 7 deg curve (Rock Creek) |
Rgs v7, p224 | ||
+21 McPhee br |
8040' | Coal Mine Wye | Wye, feeding a .75 mi spur to the company coal mine | Rgs v7, p253 | |
+25.25 McPhee br |
~8000' | Beaver Camp |
Langston spur Spur Wye Water tank nearby, at about +24.25 |
Rgs v7, p224 | |
+27 McPhee br |
7920' | The Crossover | Rgs v7, p224 | ||
+42.75 McPhee br |
End-of-track | Rgs v7, p224 | |||
102.? |
Bridge
103-A, 169' long, -' high (two 64' Howe Truss spans on pilings, center concrete pier) (possibly replaced c1915) Brandon (Amarillo TX) writes: "As a kid I remember fishing off the pilings but the bridge was long gone. It was about 2 blocks west of the 4th St Bridge. Or across from the the old Sewer pond (New Park). Even today (c2007) you can look at aerial pictures of Lost Canyon, Dolores Canyon Jct you can see the rail bed leading to the river bed. |
Rgs v8, p14,79 | |||
103.36 | 6955' | Lost Canyon | X103 | Photos:
p1
p2
p3
p4
Siding, 36-car |
Sun v2, p91 |
108.5 | Lost Canyon | (or possibly Smalley) Sawmill - R.O. Smalley - 5/1917 to c1920 Spur, 6-car (sawmill) |
W. George Cook | ||
109.00 | Smalley | X109 | Spur, 1-car | Sun v2, p97 | |
Sawmill - R.O. Smalley - 7/12/1917 | W. George Cook | ||||
? | McKinley | Siding, 3-car | Sun v2, p97 | ||
111.5+ | Lost Canyon Creek | Sawmill - W.E. & N.C. Carver - c1892 to 9/1902 | W. George Cook | ||
111.65 | 7358' | Glencoe | X112 |
Post office originally known as Arloa From 10-24-1887 thru 5-4-1891, it was called Morgan Jct - Montezuma Lumber RR - 1906 to 1914 Logging line climbed 3 switchbacks to the mesa, and extended to 25 mi by 1913. The line used 6 different locomotives (not necessarily at the same time), and sometimes used RGS crews & locos as well. An enginehouse existed to service the lumber railroad. RGS's locomotive #23 was tried by the company at some point, but didn't work well and was returned (I assume back to the RGS). Stockpens, 2 pens Section house - foreman, frame, 24'x37' Section house - laborer, frame, 18'x28' Tool house, frame, 10'x15' (pic) Photos: overview p1 p2 p3 Siding and spur(s), 25-car total Wye, stem 113' |
Ssj p392 Sun v2, p97 W. George Cook |
Sawmill - Montezuma Lumber Co - 9/2/1902 to 4/1915 | W. George Cook Ssj p393 |
||||
112.75 | Barnes | Sawmill - Barnes & Co - 1892 to c1902 | W. George Cook | ||
113.50 | Soulen | X113 | Spur, 10-car | Sun v2, p97 | |
113.54 | Sawmill - George Soulen - 7/8/1916 to 1918; 1928 to c1930 | W. George Cook | |||
113.7 | Field | Sawmill - Moore-Field Lumber Co / MLCo - 8/1/1901 to c1902 | W. George Cook | ||
Sawmill - Turkey Creek Lumber Co - 11/22/1913 to 1934 | |||||
115.55 | 7652' | Millwood | X116 | Photos:
p1
p2
p3
near1
near2
near3
near4
near5
near6
near7
Scrapping train near Millwood, 11-6-1952: p1 p2 p3 p4 p5 p6 p7 p8 Siding, 36-car |
Sun v2, p97 |
Sawmill - A. Hayes - 4/1907 to 1907; 1911 | W. George Cook | ||||
Sawmill - Millwood Lumber Co - c1916 to c1926 | |||||
116.27 | Graden | Sawmill - T.C. Gradens Merchandise Co - c1890 to c1892 | W. George Cook | ||
Sawmill - Mancos Lumber Co - c1892 to 6/1898 | |||||
Sawmill - Stubbs & Jakway Lumber Co - 6/1898 to 6/3/1903 | |||||
Sawmill - Montezuma Lumber Co - 6/3/1903 to fall 1903; 1911 | |||||
117.65 | Bell | Sawmill - J.N. Bell - c1907 | W. Geoge Cook | ||
118.90 | Long | Spur, 4-car | Sun v2, p97 | ||
Sawmill - C.E. Herr - 1898 to 1903 | W. Geoge Cook | ||||
Sawmill - George Long - c1910 to c1912 | |||||
FF RR | Cherry Creek | Sawmill - Cherry Creek Lumber Co - c1906 to c1911 | W. Geoge Cook | ||
119 | near Bauer Lake
Nearby photos: pic-MP 120.5 |
John Maxwell | |||
122.50 | 7008' | Mancos NGC pg Google Map |
X123 |
Depot, frame
(p1
p2
p3
p4
p5
p6
front
f2
door
end1
end2
) Stockpens, 5 pens (single- and double-deck cars) Section house - foreman, frame, 25'x37' Section house - laborer, frame, 18'x28' Tool house, frame, 10'x24' ( p1 p2 ) Photos: p1 p2 p3 p4 p5 p6 p7 p8 p9 p10 near1 near2 near3 near4 near5 near6 near7 last-train last2 scrapping Sidings and spurs, 55-car total Wye, stem 335' Leo Croonenberghs photo - 1930s? w/#20: p1 Water tank (city fed) (p1 p2 p3 p4 p5 p6 p7 p8 ) |
Sun v2, p97 |
Sawmill - Mancos Lumber Co - c1892 | W. George Cook | ||||
Sawmill - Heibler & Co / Heibler & Buck - c1901 to c1912 | |||||
? | Sawmill - Lost Canyon Lumber Co - 12/24/1901 to ? | ||||
124.57 | Buckley | X124 | Spur, 5-car (disconnected 1911) | Sun v2, p97 | |
Sawmill - Heibler & Hamlin Manuf. Co - c1893 to 4/22/1898 | W. George Cook | ||||
Sawmill - Montezuma Lumber Co - 4/22/1898 to 11/10/1902 | |||||
Sawmill - The Montezuma Lumber Co - 11/10/1902 to c1915 | |||||
125.31 | 7314' | Menefee | X125 | Photos:
p1
p2
p3
p4
bridge
Spur, 16-car |
Sun v2, p97 |
Sawmill - Heibler & Hamlin Manuf. Co - c1893 to c1895 | W. George Cook | ||||
Sawmill - Buckley & Weston Lumber Co - c1897 to 4/22/1898 | |||||
Sawmill - Montezuma Lumber Co - 4/22/1898 to 11/10/1902 | |||||
Sawmill - The Montezuma Lumber Co - 11/10/1902 to 1912 | |||||
127.4 | Gradens | Sawmill - T.C. Gradens Merchendise Co - 1890 to 1892 | W. George Cook | ||
129.26 | 7774' | Brayton | X129 | Photos:
pic
Siding, 10-car |
Sun v2, p97 |
Sawmill - Stubbs & Jakway Co - c1891 to 1893 | W. George Cook | ||||
130.61 | 7915' | East Mancos | X131 |
2 section houses - laborer (boxcar bodies) Tool house (boxcar body) Photos: pic Photo of tank remains: NGC pic Water tank (gravity fed) (pic Dave's pics ) Dave Grandt writes (11/08) that East Mancos didn't have a section house per se, only three (1923) or four (after 1931) carbodies used for bunk houses. The Ex-RPO was Structure #4, the other carbodies were numbered 5.7 and 8, the tank was #6. |
Sun v2, p97 |
132.88 | 8135' | Grady | X133 | (or Mesa) Photos: p1 p2 p3 p4 p5 p6 p7 p8 p9 p10 Scrapping: Overview Crum_handcar Crum2 Crum3 near1 near2 Siding, 18-car   ( p1 p2 p3 ) |
Sun v2, p97 |
Sawmill - Gibson Lumber Co - c1907 to 1909 | W. George Cook | ||||
Sawmill - J.E. Craig - 1912, 1914 | |||||
136.46 | 8220' | Kane | X136 | (formerly Dix) Section house - laborer, frame, 12'x16' 2 section houses - laborer (boxcar bodies) Tool house, frame, 8'x12' Siding, 17-car |
Sun v2, p97 |
136.6 | Sawmill - Mancos Lumber (Stubbs & Jakway) - c1894 to c1896 | W. George Cook | |||
Sawmill - H.M. Davis - c1917 | |||||
137.3 | Starvation Creek |
X137 | Sawmill - J.B. (Doc) Moore - c1907 to c1909 | Sun v2, p97 W. George Cook |
|
138.80 | Sponsel | X139 | Spur, 6-car | Sun v2, p105 | |
141.35 | 8600' | Cima | X141 | Photos:
p1
p2
p3
near1
near2
approach1
approach2
approach3
Siding, 16-car |
Sun v2, p105 |
141.9 | 85--' | May Day | X142 | Beginning of 3.78% May Day branch, which was built in 1906 and abandoned in 1926. Here's a picture of Leo Croonenbergs, that is thought to have been taken at this location, in 1914. | Ssj Sun v2, p105 Crum, p95 W. George Cook |
143.8 May D br |
8600' | (branch was 1.97 miles) Mine (gold) - May Day Spur, 13-car (mine) |
Ssj Sun v2, p105 |
||
145.? |
Bridge
146-A, ? long, 18' high (La Plata River) (Bridge was a bit north of the Hesperus depot) Photos (looking west): p1 p2 p3 |
Rgs v9, p144 | |||
145.51 | 8125' | Hesperus NGC pg | X145 |
Depot/freight house - frame, 20'x37' (burned May 4, 1940) Stockpens, 3 pens (single- and double-deck cars) Section house - foreman, frame, 25'x37' ( pic ) Section house - laborer, frame, 18'x28' Tool house, frame, 10'x22' Photos: General: p1 p1 - looking N; spur to Porter mine at left; passing siding at Hesperus begins on right. p2 - looking S; spur to Porter on right; RGS main on left. p3 - looking N; coal-loading siding on left, just N of Hesperus at MP 145; it's Oct 8, 1951 and RGS #20 is still wearing her Ticket to Tomahawk paint. p4 - looking N; just a little south of p3. p5 - switching the 10-car livestock spur; caboose is on main. p6 p7 p7a p8 - north of Hesperus, 1941. p9 - near a cattle guard, south of Hesperus, 1941. p10 - west of Porter, 1941. p11 - looking N; ex-coach 255 is the new 'depot', parked on the old spur to Porter. p12 - same angle, closer view; here's a close-up of 255 p13 p14 stock5803 Overview of Hesperus in 2001: School house (Jerry Halbert, in 1975): p1 Wreck of #40 on 9-21-1943: p1 p2 Scrapping train, 9-11-1952: p1 p2 p3 Nearly the end - more scrapping w/Goose #6, 6-16-1953: p1 p2 p3 p4 p5 p6 Water tank (gravity fed) (photos: p1 p2 ) Coal-loading spur (s), ???-car Livestock spur (s), approx 10-car Other sidings and spurs, 254-car total Mine (Porter Fuel Co) ( pic other pics ) |
Ssj Sun v2, p105 Rgs v9, p130ff. |
145.? |
Bridge
145-ASS, 40' long, 6-' high (La Plata River) (This bridge was on the spur to the Porter Coal mine, and was a bit west of Hesperus proper) |
Rgs v9, p156 | |||
145.? |
Bridge
146-B, --' long, --' high (irrigation ditch) (Bridge was just north of the Hesperus depot) Photos: p1? |
Rgs v9, p156 | |||
146.80 | 8125' | Ute Jct | X147 |
Beginning of the steep, 1.87 mi branch to the Ute coal mine Coaling chute, 8-pocket (original, burned July 7, 1922) Coaling chute, 2-pocket (replacement) Photos: coal chute chute2 Ute Mt Mt2 Mt3 Dave's pics Old roadbed (of branch?): roadbed1 roadbed2 Sidings & spurs, 73-car total Wye, stem 224' (stub_pic) |
Ssj Sun v2, p105 |
? Ute br |
Branch was 1.87 miles long; constructed 1892; abandoned prior to 1909. Scale track 50' turntable Siding (run around) 3 sidings (coal tipples) 3 spors (empties storage) Mine (coal) - Ute |
Ssj Rgs v9, p144 |
|||
148.8 | Ft. Lewis | X149 | Passenger shelter, 11'x16' | Sun v2, p105 | |
150.50 | Denby | X150 | Spur, 3-car | Sun v2, p105 | |
154.15 | 7267' | Pine Ridge | X154 |
Photos:
p1
p2
p3
p4
p5
p6
p7
p8
near1
near2
near3
Last train to Dolores, 12-19-1951: last1 last2 Scrap train, 9-11-1952, between Porter - Pine Ridge: near1 near2 near3 Jerry Halbert (recent): ROW looking toward Porter Cattle guard on ROW Siding, 30-car |
Sun v2, p105 |
156.? | Bridge 157-A, 48' long, 11' high (Wildcat Creek) | Rgs v9, p256 | |||
156.? | Bridge 157-B, 48' long, 15' high (Wildcat Creek) | Rgs v9, p259 | |||
156.? | Bridge 157-C, 48' long, 15' high (Wildcat Creek) | Rgs v9, p260 | |||
156.? | Bridge 157-D, 48' long, 10' high (Wildcat Creek) | Rgs v9, p262 | |||
156.? | Bridge 157-E, 48' long, 10' high (Wildcat Creek) | Rgs v9, p264 | |||
156.? |
Bridge
157-F, 48' long, 9' high (Wildcat Creek)
Photos: p1? |
Rgs v9, p280 | |||
157.02 | 7024' | Porter | X157 |
The Porter Coal Company at this location was destroyed by fire (due to arson) in 1910,
and the yards serving it were dismantled in 1912 (Rgs v9, p271).
Photos: p1 p2 p3 p4 p5 p6 near1 near2 near3 near4 near5 west of above Wildcat canyon: p1 p2 p3 p4 p5 Wildcat canyon - last freight into Dolores on 12-19-51: p1 Near the end, 12-17-1951 - between Porter and Franklin jct? p1 p2 Last train to Dolores, 12-19-1951 - between Hesperus and Franklin jct? p1 Scrapping train, 9-11-1952: pic1 Section house, frame, 28'x32' Section house - laborer, frame, 18'x28' Tool house, frame, 10'x16' Water tank (? fed) (removed between 1910 and 1919) Siding, 41-car ( west end ) Wye, stem 96' |
Ssj Sun v2, p105 |
Sawmill - W.R. Bowman - c1902 | W. George Cook | ||||
157.? |
Bridge
158-A, 48' long, 14' high (Wildcat Creek)
Photos: p1 |
Rgs v9, p292 | |||
157.? |
Bridge
158-B, 96' long, 15' high (Wildcat Creek)
Photos: p1 p2 p3 p4 p5 p6 |
Rgs v9, p284 | |||
157.? |
Bridge
158-C, 288' long, 18' high (Wildcat Creek)
(later filled in) |
Rgs v9, p297 | |||
159.3 | 6800' | Franklin Jct
Dave's map & photos |
X159 |
Branch was 4.7 miles long; constructed 1901; abandoned Dec 1926. This branch was built by the Boston Coal and Fuel Company in 1901, to serve a large coal mine at Perins Peak (which was local landmark, and visible from downtown Durango). RGS #35 was purchased for the new line and renumbered #1. The line was leased back to the RGS in Dec 1906, and operated until abandonment in Dec 1926. Photos: p1 p2 p3 p4 p5 mine1 mine2 near spur Nearby: p6 p7 p8 p9 p10 p11 p12 p13 p14 p15 p16? Jerry Halbert took a number of photos in 1975, of various remaining bits of the area. Coal Chute: p1 Jct switch: p1 p2 Scales: p1 Yard: p1 Section house - laborer (boxcar body) Section house - laborer (boxcar body w/lean-to) Tool house, frame, 10'x12' Scale track (near junction to Triangle Coal Co) Water tank (smaller, only 12' diameter, 12' high) Pump house, frame, 14'x16' |
Ssj, p137-138 Sun v2, p105 Tom Casper |
159.? |
Bridge
160-A, 352' long, 54' high (Lightner Creek)
Photos (before rebuild): p2 p3 p4 p5 p6 p7 p8 p9 p10 p10 Photos (after rebuild): scrap-train p2 p3 p3 p4 p5 Photos (nearby): just north? |
Rgs v9, p313 | |||
? Calumet br |
7720' | Perins Peak | BB-5 |
Track scale, 42', 60 ton Mine (coal) - Perins Peak Various yard tracks Wye (loop) |
Ssj Sun v2, p106 Tom Casper |
160.47 | Bell | X160 | (also Brickyard) Photo - either at 160.2, or maybe near Stoner / Rust Sawmill spur: p1 Spur (s), 8-car (in 1911) |
Sun v2, p106 | |
161.? |
Bridge
161-A, --' long, -' high (Lightner creek)
Photos: p1 p2 p3? w/2nd #25 |
||||
? | ? | West Durango | (Miller's Temporary terminal) Photos: p1 p2 p3 Scrap track in 1938: p1 RGS #3 Enginehouse Goose barn ? tracks How 'bout a snow slide partially over a bridge - where? when? p1 And a rockslide in winter - where? when? p1 |
Sun v2, p106 | |
161.53 | 6520' | (Connection w/the D&RG)
Photos: NG memories site |
Sun v2, p106 | ||
162.60 | 6520' | Durango NGC pg (interactive map) Google Map (track plan -1937) |
X162 |
Photos:
p1
p2
p3
p4
p5
p6
p7
p8
p9
p10
p11 p12 Flanger 01 flanger2 near_bridge Yard: Looking N S end Just downgrade of the yard: p1 p2 Leaving Durango: p1 p2 p3 p4 p5 p6 p7 tank_train Callboard -Oct 1965: pic1 Arriving at Durango: pic1 Nearby Goose advertisement: pic1 West of Durango: p1 p2 Last freight to Dolores on 12-19-51: p1 p2 Scrapping train (arriving?) 9-11-52: p1 Engine #42 in 1953 (the very end): p1 p2 p3 p4 p5 p6 Structure photos (see below also, for shots from the 60s and 70s): Depot (photos: p1 p2 p3 p4 p5 p6 p7 Dec-1960 Dec-1961 ) Freight depot (pic1 ) Coaling tower (p1 p2 p3 p4 p5 p6 p7 p8 p9 p10 ) Sandhouse (pic1 pic3-1957 p4 p5 p6 p7 ) Car Shop (interior outside ) Roundhouse (p1 p2 p3 p4 p5 p6 p7 p8 ) Turntable (p1 p2 p3 p4 p5 p6 nearby ) Water tank (city water fed?) ( p1 p2 p3 p4 p5 p6 Jan-1960 1960 ) Town photos: overview n of depot coaling dock Nearby stockyards -Oct 1962: p1 Weidemann sawmill -Aug 1967: p1 p2 John West took a couple photos in the 60s: Looking north: 1965 Sep-1965 Aug-1967 May-1968 1968 RGS approach: p1 Jan-1960 Hart Corbett took a number of photos in July 1960, of various structures and bits in the yard. Jerry Halbert took a number of photos in 1975, of various remaining bits of the yard. Ashpit foundations: p1 p2 Carshop: side Depot: p1 Ice House: p1 Roundhouse area: front sign storage tracks Sandhouse: p1 p2 p3 Here's some additional information about the large smelter across the river from Durango, whose tailing were radioactive in later days. These tailings were later removed to Bodo Canyon in the mid-1980s; this map shows both locations. |
Ssj |
Sawmill - Sunset Lumber Co - 4/10/1909 to ? | W. George Cook |
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Revised 12-9-23 | Back to RGS home | Silence now reigns |
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