RGSrr.info
Rio Grande Southern RR - Route Summary
RGSrr.infoRio Grande Southern RR - Route Summary |
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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.
Notes on the spurs: If I can find the information, I've listed details on each spur, including the length (in car-lengths) and whether the switch was located at the north or south end of the spur. For example, "Spur (s), 12-car" means a spur with the switch at the south end (thus most easily switched by south-bound freights), that has a capacity of 12 cars.
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 GhostDepot, and 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, Tom Casper has provided lots of links to specific RGS locations on the
Terra Server site, and David Dye has posted a number of
interactive maps w/photos from his hikes in the northern areas.
Have more links? Email me at
Additional Info: There is some additional information on RGS facilities, by milepost, on the website of BHI/Rail Systems.
| MP |
Elev. |
Station |
No. |
Notes |
Refs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.00 | 7003' | Ridgway NGC pg GhostDepot pg (interactive map) (topo map) Aerial Map |
X0 |
Town Overview (1920's) (photos:
pic
Ft. Lewis pic)
Nearby photos: p1 p2 p3 p4 p5 nearby farm Depot (shared w/ D&RG) (photos: p1 p2 p3 p4 p5 p6 p7 p8 pic-1952) Depot outhouse / coal shed photos Roundhouse, brick, 5-stall (later 7) (built after 3-1906) (photos: p1 p2 p3 p3-back p4-1952) South of depot, looking north toward roundhouse & depot: p1 p2 p3 p4 p5 p6 p7 p8 p9 Ted Wiese 1952 photos: 455's tender crane back-wall back-wall2 west-wall Boiler house, frame, 14'x29' 50' turntable (pic from RH roof-1952) Coaling bins, timber, 10'x23' and 10'x46' Blacksmith shop, frame, 16'x36' Paint shop frame, 18'x30' Sandhouse, frame, 14'x24' Ice house, frame, 12'x24' Ice house, frame, 34'x70' Section house - foreman, brick, 24'x42' Car Repairer's house, frame, 12'x16' Tool house, frame, 10'x12' Coach body (section house - laborer) Boxcar body (section house - laborer) Boxcar body (tool house) (pic?) Boxcar bodies (oil house) Office/storage building, brick, 29'x36', 26'x32' (p1-1952 p2-1952 p3? p4 p5) Misc storage sheds / carbodies / goosebodies Track scale, 32', 40 ton 4 storage tracks, 108-car total (serv area pic from TT-1952 p3-1952 from RH roof-1952 p5 p6 p7 p8 p9 ) (incl 8-car stockyard spur, and 8-car wagon/LCL spur) 1 coal-loading track Water tank (city fed) (Photos: p1 p2 p3 p4 p5 p6 p7 p8 p9 p10 p11 p12 p13 p14 ) (info) (roofless from a fire sometime after 1941) Wye, stem on D&RGW Ouray branch (Photo: p1 p2 p3 p4 p5 p6 p7 ) |
Rgs v1, p72 Ssj Sun v2, p67 |
| 0.10 | Sawmill - S.J. Couchman - c1902 | W. George Cook | |||
| 0.2? | Original 5-stall roundhouse (burned 2-12-1906) 50' turntable Storage track, 743' Coach track, 350' (approx) Storage track, 1081' Ice house Water tank Sandhouse Coaling bin Blacksmith shop |
Rgs v1, p56 | |||
| 1.? | Bridge 2-A, 32' long, 6' high | Rgs v1, p161 | |||
| 2.97 | 7192' | Jays | X3 | Spur (n), 10-car (sawmill, later hay & grain) | Rgs v1, p162 Sun v2, p73 |
| 3.0 | Sawmill spur 3-car - S.P. Gutshall - c1896 to 10-6-1898 (destroyed by fire) | W. George Cook | |||
| 3.? | Bridge 4-A, 111' long, 11' high (Dallas Creek) | Rgs v1, p163 | |||
| 5.21 | 7408' | Hagen | X5 | Siding, 31-car (hay & grain) Photos: p1 near1 near2 |
Rgs v1, p166 Sun v2, p73 |
| Sawmill - C.A. Dollarhide - c1901 to 1903 | W. George Cook | ||||
| Sawmill - S.P. Gutshall - c1903 | |||||
| Sawmill - Bruce & Dolphin - c1903 | |||||
| 6.? | Bridge 7-A, 156' long, 38' high (filled in 4-15-1909) | Rgs v1, p163 | |||
| 6.? | Bridge 7-B, 111' long, 19' high | Rgs v1, p163 | |||
| 7.30 | 7849' | Deti | X7 | Spur, 16-car | Rgs v1, p166 Sun v2, p73 |
| 7.? | Bridge 8-A, 125' long, 36' high | Rgs v1, p166 | |||
| 7.? | Bridge 8-B, 140' long, 36' high | Rgs v1, p166 | |||
| 8.0 | Spur(n), 7-car (Hillside spur, ties and lumber) | W. George Cook | |||
| 8.60 | Pleasant Valley | X9 | Section house, frame, 25'x35' | Rgs v1, p166 | |
| 8.? | Watchmen's bunkhouse, frame, 16'x16'
Bridge 9-A (org), 837' long, 140' high (incl 202' Howe truss) (pic) Fill w/4 sq ft culvert (build 1903, destroyed by flood 8-2-1908) (pic) Bridge 9-A (second), 182' long, 72' high (Pleasant Valley Creek) Photos: p1 (5-30-47) |
Rgs v1, p166 | |||
| 8.? | Bridge 9-A (??? need to correct this), 48' long, 8' high | Rgs v1, p176 | |||
| 9.60 | 8276' | Valley View | X10 |
Section house - foreman, frame, 24'x32' Section house - laborer, frame, 16'x24' Tool house, frame, 12'x16' Photo of temporary track (to recover 455), approx MP 11.2: p1 p2 Water tank (gravity fed) |
Rgs v1, p171 Sun v2, p73 |
| 12.3 | 8989' | Dallas Divide NGC pg (Ghostdepot map) |
X13 | (also Peak) Depot, frame, 12'x16' (as of 1893 - later removed?) Section house - foreman, frame, irregular shape Section house - laborer, frame, 18'x28' Tool house, frame, 10'x27' Section-car shed Repair shop Stockpens, 1 pen (Possible photos: p1 p2 p3 p4 p5 p6) (Similar photos from Cimarron CO: p1 p2 p3 p4 p5 p6 p7 p8 p9 p10 p11 p12 p13 p14 p15 p16 p17 ) Photos: p1 p2 p3 p4 p5 p6 p7 p8 p9 p10 p11 p12 p13 p14 p15 p16 p17 p18 p19 p20 p21 p22 p23 p24 p25 p26 p27 p28 p29 p30 south1 south2 buildings near1 n2 n3 n4 near road x-ing? just north? Site of 455's runaway wreck in Nov 1943, between Valley View and the top of Dallas Divide (about MP 10.3, or maybe 11.2), where temporary track was built down to the site, to aid in removing the damaged equipment: p1 p2 p3 p4 p5 p6 Goose 6 meeting 464 on 9-13-46: p1 John Maxwell (1963)-building 2, stock car 7303 Henry (Oct 1990)-p1 (stock pens) p2 (section hse to left) p3. Henry says they hauled water from a spring behind this house, which was about 1/4 mile from the section house. Scrapping (Nov 1952): p1 2 sidings, 52-cars total Wye, stem 120' (photos: p1 p2 ) |
Rgs v1, p200 Sun v2, p73 |
| Sawmill - Barnes & Co - c1902 | W. George Cook | ||||
| 14.6 | Noel | X15 |
Boxcar body (freight house) Spur, 4-car (hay) (Typical hay field, nearby?: p1 p2 p3 p4 p5 p6 p7 p8 p9 ) |
Rgs v1, p216 Sun v2, p73 |
|
| 14.? | Bridge 15-A, 32' long, 8' high (Leopard Creek) | Rgs v1, p219 | |||
| 15.? | Bridge 16-A, --' long, -' high | ? | |||
| 15.? | Bridge 16-B, 32' long, 9' high (Leopard Creek) | Rgs v1, p221 | |||
| 16.12 | 8610' | Leopard Creek | X16 |
Photos:
p1
Siding, 10-car (hay & grain) |
Rgs v1, p218 Sun v2, p73 |
| 17.16 | 8482' | Sams | X17 | Spur (s), 7-car (or 10-car) Photos: near Sawmill - Barnes & Co - c1902 to c1903 |
W. George Cook |
| 17.2 | Spur, 12-car (logs) | Rgs v1, p223 Sun v2, p73 |
|||
| 17.? | Bridge 18-A, --' long, -' high | ? | |||
| 17.? | Bridge 18-B, --' long, -' high | ? | |||
| 17.? |
Bridge 18-C, 173' long, 16' high
(Leopard Creek)
Here's a photo from 1946 of a bridge between Brown and Dallas Divide - it might be 18-C but I'm not sure: p1 And here's another from 9-21-51; seems to be the same bridge: p2 John Maxwell photo, 9-2-51, bridge 18-C: p3 |
Rgs v1, p221 | |||
| 17.? |
Bridge 18-D, 94' long, 18' high
(Leopard Creek)
This bridge existed until fairly recently, but collapsed around 1998; nothing is left today. But, Jerry Halbert was there in 1986 and took this photo. |
Rgs v1, p223 | |||
| 18.? |
Bridge
19-A, 286' long, 45' high (Dead Horse Gulch)
Photos: p1 p2 p3 p4 p5 p6 p7 p8 p9 |
Rgs v1, p224 | |||
| 18.86 | Wade | X19 |
Photos:
near1
north
near3
Spur, 3-car (lumber) - 8/10/1915 |
Rgs v1, p223 Sun v2, p73 W. George Cook |
|
| 21.? |
Bridge 22-A (org), 264' long, 54' high
(Haskell's) Rebuilt 1914: 368' long, 58' high This trestle was located alongside the Green Mountain Ranch, and many of the photos of it were taken looking up at the trestle from the ranch's grounds. The concrete footings of the trestle are still there, as are a small ranch and several other buildings. Photos: p1 p2 p3 p4 p5 p6 p7 p8 p9 p10 p11 p12 p13 p14 A nice then and now comparison: pic My photos of 22-A's remains and nearby ROW (Jun '07): pics |
Rgs v1, p232 | |||
| 21.48 | 7834' | Leonard | X21 | (Haskell's spur) Spur(n), 10-car (logs, sportsmen camp area) Photos: near1 near2 near3 near4 near5 near6? near7? below |
Rgs v1, p230 W. George Cook |
| Sawmill - S.P. Gutshall - 1892 to 1902 | W. George Cook | ||||
| Sawmill - Bruce & Dolphin - c1892 | |||||
| Sawmill - L.C. Barth Lumber Co - 1898 to 1903 | |||||
| 22.22 | 7751' | Brown | X22 |
Section house - foreman, frame, 24'x34' Section house - laborer, frame, 16'x24' Tool house, frame, 10'x12' Ice house Section-car shed Photos: p1 p2 p3 p4 p5 p6 p7 p8 p9 p10 p11 p12 near1 n2 n3 south1 s2 s3 Siding, 24-car (photos: pic) Water tank (gravity fed) (photos: p1 p2 p3 p4 p5 p6 p7 p8 p9 ) |
Rgs v1, p243 Sun v2, p77 |
| Sawmill - Burt Dansford - late 1890s | W. George Cook | ||||
| Sawmill - S.P. Gutshall - c1898 to c1902 | |||||
| 24 | Tate | Spur, 5-car | W. George Cook | ||
| Hoosier Placer | Spur, 9-car | Sun v2, p77 | |||
| Wells & Egan Placer | Spur(s?), 61-car | Sun v2, p77 | |||
| 25.27 | Omega | X25 |
Tram house (loading chutes facing away from tracks)
Photo nearby? p1 Spur (s), 9-car, 1919 (carnotite ore) |
Rgs v1, p257 Sun v2, p77 |
|
| 26.0 |
Bridge 27-A, 47' long, 6' high
(Leopard Creek)
Photos: p1 p2 p3 |
Rgs v1, p260 | |||
| 26.? | 7321' | Placerville NGC pg (interactive map) (Ghostdepot map) Aerial Map |
X27 |
Spur, 30-car (stockpens, 4 pens, Texaco & Conoco oil distributors) Spurs (2) off the main spur (sawmills) |
Rgs v1, p263 Sun v2, p77 |
| 26.62 |
Depot, frame
(photos:
p1
p2
p3
p4
p5
p6
p7
p8
p9
p10
p11
)
Depot photos from the Ridgway Museum (remains photo: NGc pic John H pic ) Freight house (John H photos: p1 p2 ) Flour/feed warehouse Ore storage (photos: p1 p2 p3 nearby near2 ) RR Photos: p1 p2 p3 p4 p5 p6 p7 p9 p9 p10 p11 p12 p13 p14 p15 p16 p17 p18 p19 p20 above above2 near1 near2 near3 Waiting for helper: p1 p2 Working the siding: p1 p2 p3 p4 p5 Town photos: p1 p2 Geyser park footbridge stage hotel 2000 If an operator or engineer needed to contact the dispatcher and wasn't near a depot, he'd often connect directly to the telegraph / telephone lines. Here's a couple photos of this being done near Placerville: p1 p2 Somewhere south of Placerville: p1 p2 Remaining ROW photo: NG Circle pic Siding (stockyards) Photos: p1 (main to right) p2 (looking down the siding from the switch, bridge 27-AS visible; see RGS Story v1, pg 262) Spur (near depot) (total siding & spurs, 45-cars) Wye, stem 85' (photos: p1 p2 p3 p4 p5) |
||||
| 28.0 | Sawmill - D.C. Revis - 1898 to 1899 | W. George Cook | |||
| 29.13 | 7486' | Fall Creek | X29 | Orginally Seymore, then Silver Pick, then Fall Creek Section house, log, 20'x30', 1.5-story Boxcar bodies (4) (section house - laborers) Tool house, frame, 10'x22' Photos: pic near1 near2 near3 near4 near5 above Siding, 28-car (later 7-car) (carnotite & silver ores) (pic1? p2? ) |
Rgs v1, p301 Sun v2, p77 |
| 29.70 | Primos | X29.5 |
Tramway - Primos Chemical Co. (built Dec 1916) (photos from 2007:
pics) Shelter (built July 1917) Spur, 13-car (Tramway terminal, from Fall Creek Mine) |
Rgs v1, p302 Sun v2, p77 Ft. Lewis archives |
|
| 30.31 | 7535' | Sawpit | X30 |
Photos:
p1
p2
above
below1
below2
Spur, 7-car (ore-processing mill) |
Rgs v1, p305 Sun v2, p77 |
| Sawmill - Wrench Lumber Co - c1898 to c1900 | W. George Cook | ||||
| Sawmill - Frank Hight - c1898 to c1900 | |||||
| Sawmill - L.C. Barth - c1898 to c1900 | |||||
| Sawmill - A. Hiett, Anderson Co - c1903 to 1907 | |||||
| 32.56 | 7723' | Wilson | X32 | Siding, 22-car
Photos: near1 near2 |
Rgs v1, p302 Sun v2, p77 |
| 33.00 | 7700' | Vanadium | X33 | Originally Newmire Passenger shelter, frame, 15'x30' Vanadium Corp. mill (extracted vanadium & uranium from carnotite ores) (p1 p2 p3 inside) For an extensive history, see Vandium history & info (you'll need RGS membership) Spur, 19-car (laid around 1909) Photos: pic1 near1 near2 near3 Remains today: (Don P pic) |
Rgs v1, p309 Sun v2, p77 |
| 33.? | Bridge 34-A, --' long, -' high | ||||
| 33.? | Bridge 34-B, --' long, -' high | ||||
| 33.? | Bridge 34-C, 32' long, 8' high | Rgs v1, p314 | |||
| 34.? | Bridge 35-A, 32' long, 7' high | Rgs v1, p314 | |||
| 35.00 | 7723' | Deep Creek | (or Tank Creek, originally Koen) Photos: maybe nearby? Spur (s), 3-car Water tank (gravity fed) |
Ssj Rgs v1, p317 Sun v2, p77 |
|
| 35.35 | Lime | X35 | Spur, 4-car (lime, mine timbers) | Ssj Rgs v1, p317 Sun v2, p77 |
|
| 36.36 | 8023' | Bilk | X36 | (South Fork before 1902) Stockpens, 3 pens Photos: p1 p2 p3 p4 p5 p6 p7 p8 near1 near2 near3 near4 near5 near6 Spur (s), 35-car (3-car by 1902, 9-car later) (lumber) |
Rgs v1, p323 Sun v2, p77 W. George Cook |
| 36.? | Bridge 37-A, --' long, -' high | ||||
| 36.? | Bilk Trestle Bridge 37-B: (orginal), 86' long, 27' high (Howe truss) (rebuild 1911): 144' long, 31' high (p1 p2 p3 p4 p5) |
Rgs v1, p332 | |||
| 37.80 | 8116' | Vance Jct NGC pg GhostDepot pg (interactive map) (topo map -1953) (topo map -1945) |
X38 | Beginning of 4% 7.3 mi Telluride branch Depot (body of coach 254, wrecked in 1895) pic_1948 Accessory building (body of RPO/baggage car 150) Roadmaster building (body of D&RG sg boxcar 13680) Section house, frame, 26'x32', 2-story (photo: pic) Section-car shed Bunk house, frame, 18'x27' Coaling station, 8-pocket Photo after abandonment, John Maxwell 1958: p1 p2 Photo of remains, Mario Rapinett 2004: p1 p2 p3 p4 p5 p6 This coaling station is being restored, at least enough to stablize and preserve it. For a restoration update and more photos, see my Remains page. Photos: p1 p2 S of Vance, scrapping scrap2 scrap3 scrap4 scrap5 Somewhere north of Vance: p1 p2 spur N of Vance? Nearby: p1 p2 p3 p4 p5 Ted Klavern took a number of photos in 1973, of various remains: Coach / depot remains: p1 p2 Coaling station: p1 p2 p3 p4 p5 p6 Various boxcar-sheds: p1 p2 p3 p4 Photos of area remains: Mario Rapinett 2004: p1 p2 p3 NG Circle: pix Ted Wiese: p1 p2 p3 Henry Valdez: (Oct 1990): p1 p2 p3 p4 Sidings (2), 78-car total (40-car by 1933) Spur (coaling chutes & trestle) |
Rgs v1, p336 Rgs v3, p13 Sun v2, p77 |
| Sawmill - Barnes & Co - c1902 to c1904 | W. George Cook | ||||
| 38.19 Tel br |
8140' | Illium | AQ38 | Section house Bunk house Spur, 8-car (Western Colorado Power Co hydroelectric plant) Photos: p1 p2 p3 Keystone hill hill2 hill3 hill4 Wye, stem 120' (photos: p1 p2) |
Rgs v1, p365 Sun v2, p81 |
| 38.65 Tel br |
8140' | Anderson | AQ39 | Siding, 22-car (later 25-car) | Rgs v1, p368 Sun v2, p81 |
| 38.? Tel br |
Bridge 39-A, 203' long, 14' high (photo: p1 ) | Rgs v1, p379 | |||
| 41.? Tel br |
Bridge 42-A, 109' long, 28' high (photos: p1 p2? p3 ) | Rgs v1, p396 | |||
| 41.76 Tel br |
8658' | Keystone | AQ42 | Spur, 10-car (later 19-car) (gravel & locomotive sand)
The remains of the tender from RGS #19 still exist here: Photos from 1965: p1 p2 p3 p4 p5 p6 p7 Photos from 1975 (Jerry Halbert): p1 p2 p3 Photos from 1984: p1 |
Rgs v1, p394 Sun v2, p81 |
| 41.? Tel br |
Bridge 42-B, 576' long, 10' high Keystone trestle (over old placer-mining reservoir) |
Rgs v1, p404 | |||
| 41.? Tel br |
Bridge 42-C, 141' long, 17' high (San Miguel river) pic? | Rgs v1, p412 | |||
| 43.? Tel br |
Bridge 44-A, 32' long, 11' high | Rgs v1, p412 | |||
| 43.? Tel br |
Bridge 44-B, 32' long, 6' high | Rgs v1, p413 | |||
| 43.79 Tel br |
8720' | San Miguel | AQ44 | Siding, 22-car Photos: near |
Rgs v1, p404 Sun v2, p81 |
| Sawmill (water operated) - P.D. Rice - 1902 to c1904 | W. George Cook | ||||
| 44.? Tel br |
Bridge 45-A, 78' long, 7' high (San Miguel river) | Rgs v1, p413 | |||
| 44.? Tel br |
Bridge 45-B, 78' long, 7' high (San Miguel river) | Rgs v1, p413 | |||
| 45.09 Tel br |
8756' | Telluride NGC pg GhostDepot pg (interactive map) (topo map-1955) Aerial Map Mine listing |
AQ45 |
Depot, frame, 1-story, 24'x116' (still exists!)
(p1
p2
p3
p4
p5
p5-1940
p6-1949
p7-1949
p8-1974
p9-c2001
Mario 2004: p1 p2 p3 ) Section house - foreman, frame, irregular Section house - laborer, frame, 18'x28' Boxcar bodies (2) (section houses - laborers) Tool house, frame, 10'x12' Coal shed & wharf, wooden, 16'x54' (photo: p1-c1949 ) Wye, stem 259' Water tank (city fed, later replaced w/standpipe, E end of siding) (photos: p1-c1949 p2 p3 p4 p5 ) Water standpipe (nearer the depot, used instead of tank) (photos: p1-c1949 p2 ) Siding (track #15), 1504' (Conoco bulk oil, private coal sheds) Siding (track #14), 520' (Track scale, 32', 40 ton) Siding (track #13), 1637' (102-cars total) Abandonment photos: p1 p2 tank RR photos: facing E p1 p2 facing E Town photos: p1-2000 p2-2000 color-1900 bw-1900 overview1 ov2 ov3 ov4 ov5 ov6 ov7 panorama far far2 far3 nearby road? Town buildings photos, c1940s: Hotel Shore Sprinkler wagon House Yards Bank b2 b3 house h2 h3 h4 h5 h6 School Light fixture L2 Boarding hse City hall D&RGW 453 Mario 2004, canyon photos: p1 p2 Enginehouse spur (w) (track #12), 379' Enginehouse (w) (track #10), 491', frame, 18'x120' Enginehouse spur (w) (track #11), 197', w/2 spurs) Spur (e) (track #16), 408' (private coal shed, Tomboy Gold Mine shipping station) p1 p2 (in later years, the Tomboy facility became a Goose barn) Spur (e) (track #17), 680' (elec supply & merch warehouses, Nukckolls Packing Co, hay shed) Spur (e) (track #18), ---' (paint/roof & meat warehouses, McMahon Lumber Co) Spur (w) (track #19), 305' (wood storage, coal shed, paint & carpenter shops) Spur (w), ---' (North Alder street) |
Rgs v2, p67 Sun v2, p81 |
| 46.1 Tel br |
Spur (w) (Liberty Bell mill) pic | Rgs v2, p245 | |||
| 46.3 Tel br |
Siding (Mayflower mill) | Rgs v2, p245 | |||
| 47.60 Tel br |
9007' | Pandora Aerial Map |
AQ48 |
Black Bear mine switchback:
pic
Photos: near1 near2 leaving p1 p2 w to Telluride basin1 basin2 basin3 basin4 Mill / Mine photos: misc Bear Creek Falls Mt. Sneffels Wilson Peak Smuggler: p1 p2 p3 p4 p4 p5 p6 guard hse road r2 Tomboy: road terminal lower terminal (unknown gold mill, abandoned, from Sep 1940): remains1 p2 p3 p4 p5 tailings1 tailings2 screen another mill Wye photos: p1 Siding, 112-car (coal), in 1896 |
Rgs v2, p65 Sun v2, p81 |
| 47.? Tel br |
Spur (w), 3-tracks at w end | Rgs v2, p245 | |||
| 47.? Tel br |
Bridge 48-A, ---' long, --' high | Rgs v2, p245 | |||
| 47.? Tel br |
Sidings (2) (Sheridan Incline ore house, late 1890s) (pic) | Rgs v2, p327 | |||
| 47.? Tel br |
Spur (w) (Bullion Tunnel aerial tram ore bins) (early 1900s?) (
p1
p2
) Various sidings & spurs (Smuggler-Union mills) (later years) (p1 p2 p3 p4 p5 ) |
Rgs v2, p245 | |||
| 47.? Tel br |
(end of track) |
Photos:
pic
Wye, stem 85' |
Rgs v2, p65 | ||
| 40.? | Bridge 41-A, 16' long, 5' high | Rgs v3, p76 | |||
| 40.? | Bridge 41-B, 15' long, 5' high | Rgs v3, p76 | |||
| 41.? | Bridge 42-A, 47' long, 12' high | Rgs v3, p76 | |||
| 41.31 | 8690' | Ames
Map/Photos: Ames to Ophir Map/Sat/Route imageOphir area map |
X41 |
In April 1929, a huge slide occurred near Ames, severing the RGS in two and nearly ending the RGS.
Receiver Victor Miller's first task, when he took over, involved finding a creative solution to
clearing this slide - by removing the bottom of it and letting it all slide further down! The
center of this photo shows
the location of the slide. Ames trestle (43-A) and tank, and then Vance Jct, are just to the right of
the photo, while Windy Pt is just beyond the left edge.
Photos: side above near near2 Photos from 7-27-1950 slide: p1 p2 p3 p4 p5 p6 p7 p8 Spur (n), 12-car (14-car later) |
Ssj Rgs v3, p64 Sun v2, p81 W. George Cook |
| 41.3 |
Bridge 42-B, 13' long, 5' high
(frame) (main track only) |
Rgs v3, p76 | |||
|
Bridge 42-BS, 16' long, 5' high
(pile) (spur track only) |
|||||
| 41.45 | Bridge 42-C, 30' long, 8' high | Rgs v3, p76 | |||
| 41.5 |
Water tank
(gravity fed)
Photos: p1 |
Rgs v3, p64 | |||
| 42.1 |
Bridge 43-A, 254' long, 80' high Ames Gulch trestle (photo) (Photos from 1977, by Scott Turner: p1 p2 p3 ) |
Rgs v3, p76 | |||
| 43.5 | Windy Pt, a sharp and rather windy turn just before
Butterfly trestle.
Photos: p1 p2 p3 p4 p5 p6 p7 p8 p9 p10-distant p11-distant pic? near? near2? rotary nearby? #74 nearby 5-29-49? Photos of remains: Facing Ophir 2 Ted Wiese 1968: pic1 pic2 pic3 stringers stringer2 bent channel Russ Sperry Sep 1 or 2, 1968 (483 prj): color Bob Hyman - Jul 2000: pic |
Rgs v3, p84 | |||
| 43.91 | 9096' | Butterfly | X44 |
Mill - Butterfly-Terrible Gold Mining Co Photos: p1 p2 p3 near Spur (s), 15-car (1-car in 1919) (mill) |
Ssj Sun v2, p81 W. George Cook |
| 43.9? |
Bridge 44-A, 338' long, 60' high
(Lake Fork) Butterfly trestle (abandoned until about 1971, then deemed a hazard and dismantled) (was length actually 368' - panels were 16', and 44-A had 23 panels... a typo?) Photos: p1 p2 p3 p4 p5 p6 p7 Ted Wiese pix of remains (1968): photo1 photo2 Yahoo photos Jerry Halbert pix (1975-76): pic1 pic2 Bob Hyman pix of remains today: Pics |
Rgs v3, p117 | |||
| 44.85 | 9236' | Ophir NGC pg GhostDepot pg (interactive map) (topo map '45) (topo map '55) Aerial Map Photo panorama |
X45 |
Photos:
below1
below2
below3
below4
road
loop1
loop2
loop3
above1 above2 above3 across1 across2 across3 across4 across5 across6 across7 from below Remains (panorama): pic-2000 Mario Rapinett 2004: p1 p2 p3 Lower line (from above): p1 p2 Upper line (from where? which bridge?): p1 Town photos: p1 p2 p3 p4 p5-distant p6-road thru town p7-nearby? p8-mill? p9 p10 2001 Town buildings: Ophir General Merchandise Mrs. Skillens Store Hotel? Gilton club 2002 Other photos: color overview overview mtn-2000 fall-2001 view up valley valley2 near Bob Hyman: Ophir Needles from Windy Pt Jerry Halbert (1975): Gilton club Bridge 45-A, 476' long, 96' high (Howard Fork) Ophir Loop trestle Photos of 45-A: p1 p2 p3 p4 p5 p6 p7 p8 p9 p10 p11 p12 p13 p14 p15 p16 p17 p18 p19 p20 p21 p22 deck deck2 deck3 deck4 deck5 south1 south2 south3 north above above2 Some drawings of the bridge: Yahoo files Rocky Mtn RR Club on 5-30-47: photo Photos of dismantled 45-A remains: John Maxwell (1958): Jun photo Aug photo Ted Wiese pix (1971): photo Steven Haworth pix (2007): photos Jerry Halbert pix (1975): photo |
Ssj Sun v2, p81 Rgs v3, p217 |
|
Depot, frame, irregular
(p1
p2
p3
p4
p5
p6
p7
p8
p9
c1940
c1948
1951
Depot photos from the Ridgway Museum ) Hoist house: (pic) Tramway bin at depot: (p1 p2 ) Silver Bell Mine (nearby): (pic) Spur, 6-car |
Ssj Sun v2, p81 |
||||
|
Bridge 45-B, 108' long, 24' high
(Howard Fork)
Photos: p1 p2 p3 p4 |
Ssj | ||||
|
Site of original Ophir depot (destroyed by a slide) Siding, 21-car |
Ssj | ||||
| 45.? |
Bridge 46-A, 62' long, 30' high Photo: p1 p2 Ghost Depot remains photos: p1-2000 p2-2000 |
Rgs v4, p58 | |||
| 45.? | Bridge 46-B, 102' long, 35' high | Rgs v4, p67 | |||
| 45.? | Bridge 46-C, 151' long, 42' high | Rgs v4, p68 | |||
| 45.? |
Bridge 46-D, 354' long, 76' high Photos: p1 p2 p3 p4? p5? p6 p7 p7 near postcard |
Rgs v4, p78 | |||
| 45.? |
Bridge 46-E, 216' long, 26' high
Photos: p1? p2 p3 p4 p5 p6 p7 deck-winter Rocky Mtn RR Club on 5-30-47: photo Rocky Mtn RR Club on 5-29-49: photo Goose 4 trip in 1951: photos from the Ridgway Museum |
Rgs v4, p114 | |||
| 45.? |
Bridge 46-F, 172' long, 21' high
Photos: p1 p2 p3 p4 (w/some of 44-A?) p5 p6 p7 p8 near I think this is another view: p6 p7 Rocky Mtn RR Club on 5-29-49: photo John Maxwell, 8-1958: photo |
Rgs v4, p124 | |||
| 46.? | Bridge 47-A, 187' long, 51' high | Rgs v4, p138 | |||
| 46.71 | 9477' | Matterhorn | X47 | (Orginally San Bernardo) Section house - foreman, frame, 25'x35' (photo: pic) Section house - laborer, frame, 16'x24' Tool house, frame, 12'x16' Town photo: pic RR photos: p1 p2 p3 p4 p5 p6 p7 p8 p9 p10 above1 above3 near1 near2 Spur, 15-car (Montezuma Lumber) Spur, ~8-car (Bernardo Mill) (current photos: Mike's Ted's mine ) |
Ssj Sun v2, p81 Rgs v4, p139 |
| 47.? | Otto's Puzzle (so named when Otto Mears was hired to re-build this section after it was destroyed by the floods of 1909. Otto worked without professional surveyors, and had to work around the flood's destruction, resulting in a very curvy section of railroad) Photo just south: pic Photo nearby (just below Trout Lake dam): pic |
Rgs v4, p161 | |||
| 48.8 | Foot Log | W. George Cook | |||
| 49.03 | 9802' | Trout Lake
NGC pg GhostDepot pg (interactive map) (topo map -1945) (topo map -1953) (topo -current) Map/Photos: Trout Lake to Lizard Hd |
X49 |
Siding, 25-car Water tank (gravity fed) Photos: p1 p2 p3 p4 Photos: outhouses lake1 lake2 lake3-c1900 lake4 dam area dam2 siding1 side2 side3 side4 near1 near2 winter winter2 distant d2 d3 d4 d5 d6 Goose 4 trip in 1951: photos from the Ridgway Museum Current photos: Henry-1990 lake-2000 Mario-2004 Tank remains: NG Circle pg: p1 p2 p3 p4 p5 p6 David Dye: pics Mario (2004): p1 p2 p3 GhostDepot: p1 p2 p3 frame center joist footing spout Dave Grandt writes (11/08) that the concrete footings under the Trout Lake Tank were a post-abandonment change. The original footings were Stone. |
Ssj Sun v2, p85 |
| 49.? |
Bridge 50-A, 220' long, 20' high
Possible photos: p1 p2 p3 |
Rgs v4, p209 | |||
| 50.1 | Heibler | Spur | W. George Cook | ||
| 50.4 | Spur (n), 4-car (c1893) | W. George Cook | |||
| 50.? |
Bridge 51-A, 109' long, 35' high
Photos: pic? Photos of remains: NG Circle: TL pg p1 p2 p3 p4 p5 p6 Bob Hyman: side Mario Rapinett: p1 p2 This bridge is being restored, at least enough to stablize and preserve it; it is one of the very few RGS trestles still standing. For a restoration update and more photos of this bridge, see my Remains page. |
Rgs v4, p217 | |||
| 51.? |
Bridge 52-A, 32' long, 5' high
Here's an undated picture of what I think are the remains of this bridge: pic It's been replaced by a road bridge today, on the dirt road between Trout Lake and Lizard Hd. |
Rgs v4, p229 | |||
| 52.61 | 10250' | Lizard Head NGC pg GhostDepot pg (interactive map) (topo map -1945) (topo map -1953) |
X53 |
Section house, frame, 23'x31'
Photos: p1 p2 p3 Section house - laborer, frame, 8'x10' Photos: p1 Stockpens, 2 pens (on stem of wye) Photos: p1 p2 p3 p4 Photos: c1890 2001 above p1 p2 p3 p4 p5 p6 p7 p8 p9 p10 p11 p12 p13 p14 p15 p16 p17 p18 p19 p20 p21 n-end of shed distant near1 near2 1947 Special Spec2 before shed southl s2 s3 s4 s5 s6 s7 s8 overall over-2 over-3 over-4 over-5 over-6 row-south row-2 row-3 Goose-a Goose-b Looking north: p1 p2 Distant: p1 p2 Snow shed: p1 p2 p3 p4 p5 p6 p7 p8 inside shed inside2 inside3 inside4 inside5 Nearby, approaching: p1 Curent pix from Mario: p1 Siding, 22-car (org 28-car completely under shed, by 1941 22-car partially under shed) Photos: p1 p2 p3 looking s Wye, stem 319' (all but stem under snow shed) Photos: p1 p2 p3 Last ore train, Nov 17, 1951: Photos: p1 p2 Scrapping, Oct 1952: Photos: p1 p2 p3 p4 p5 p6 p7 p8 p9 p10 p11 p12 p13 p14 p15 p16 p17 |
Ssj Rgs v4, p262 Sun v2, p85 |
| Sawmill - Levy & Moore - c1891 to c1892 | W. George Cook | ||||
| Sawmill - Rice & Reeseman - c1891 to c1892 | |||||
| Sawmill - Peter A. Rice - c1895 to c1904 | |||||
| 53.8 | Rice | Spur (n), 4-car (sawmill) Sawmill - Peter A. Rice - c1895 to c1903 |
W. George Cook | ||
| Sawmill - Barnes & Co - c1901 to c1901 | |||||
| 54.? |
Bridge 55-A, 187' long, 14' high
(Meadow Creek) Photos: p1? p2? p3? p4? p5 nearby? near2? |
Rgs v4, p328 | |||
| 54.48 | 10092' | Snow | X54 | Spur (n), 4-car (disconnected 1911) | Sun v2, p85 |
| Sawmill - McKeeber & Cooper - 1897 to 11/6/1916 | W. George Cook | ||||
| 55.72 | 9880' | Gallagher
Map/Photos: Gallagher trestles |
X56 | Photos:
p1
p2
sign
near1
S of Gallagher
S of Liz Hd
Spur (n), 12-car (8-car by 1940s) |
Sun v2, p85 Rgs v4, p350 W. George Cook |
| Sawmill - Gallagher Lumber Co - 1890s | W. George Cook | ||||
| 56.3 |
Bridge 57-A, 266' long, 46' high
(Dolores River) Upper Gallagher trestle (or Murphy's Spur bridges) Photos: p1 p2 p3 p4 p5 Conductor A.K. Brown was killed when this bridge collasped on 8-25-1906, and his caboose was yanked down the hill by the falling train. A bridge gang had gone to supper leaving part of it on jacks, which turned out to be unsuitable for Brown's train. |
Rgs v4, p353 | |||
| 56.48 | Murphy | X57 | Spur (n), 6-car (disconnected 1911, in service 1919) | Sun v2, p85 | |
| Sawmill - Murphy & Blackman Lumber Co - 6/1902 to c1907 | W. George Cook | ||||
| Sawmill - Murphy & Warren - late 1909 to c1919 | |||||
| 56.5 |
Bridge 57-B, 295' long, 49' high
(Dolores River) Lower Gallagher trestle (or Murphy's Spur bridges) (partially filled-in later, became 254' long) Photos: pic? |
Rgs v4, p353 | |||
| 57.? |
Bridge 58-A, 218' long, 51' high
(Meadow Creek) (later 224' long, 50' high) Photos: Hwy 45 p1 p2 p3 p4 p5 p6 p7 p8 p9 p10 p11 p12 p13 p14 p15 p16 p17 p18 |
Rgs v4, p405 | |||
| 57.? | Bridge 58-B, 79' long, 17' high (? Creek) | Rgs v4, p428 | |||
| 59.? | Bridge 60-A, 32' long, 4' high (? Creek) | Rgs v4, p433 | |||
| 59.40 | 9287' | Timber | X59 | Spur - (org 5-car, until discontinued in 1904) (sometime later s 25-car) |
Sun v2, p85 Rgs v4, p433 |
| Sawmill - George Ditchfield / Wilson Lumber Co -
1/4/1915 to c1916 Spur, n 6-car (9-car by 1919) |
W. George Cook | ||||
| 60.00 | Timber Spur (Timber by c1940) |
Sawmill - Colorado Spruce Lumber Co - c1928 to c1943 (actually owned by McPhee and McGinnity, and shipping large logs to McPhee) Spur, 125-car Flume (rebuilt) - Montezuma Lumber Co - c1940 Spur, s 15-car |
W. George Cook Rgs v7, p368 |
||
| 60.49 | 9209' | Coke Ovens | X60 |
Freight house, frame, 10'x16' Section house - foreman, frame, 25'x31' Section house - laborer, frame, 19'x21' Tool house, frame, 10'x16' Photos: p1 p2 p3 p4 p5 p6 p7 near near2 N of Coke Ovens north2 S of Coke Ovens scrap1 Last ore train, Nov 17, 1951: Photos: p1 N of Coke Ovens Siding, 24-car Water tank (gravity fed) |
Sun v2, p85 Rgs v4, p437 Ssj |
| 60.? | Bridge 61-A, 48' long, 6' high (Coke Oven Creek) | Rgs v4, p436 | |||
| 61.? |
Bridge 62-A, --' long, -- high
Remains photo - John Maxwell (1960): photo |
||||
| 60.? | Bridge 61-B, 128' long, 7' high (Dolores River) | Rgs v4, p455 | |||
| 61.? | Bridge 62-A, 94' long, 8' high (Dolores River) (pic?) | Rgs v4, p455 | |||
| 63.61 | 9030' | Burns | X64 |
Photos:
p1
p2
p3
p4
p5
A snow slide, early 1950s (before abandonment): p1 Siding, 31-car (later 18-car spur?, later removed) Burns did not appear in timetables after 2-4-1943. |
Sun v2, p85 Rgs v4, p461 |
| 63.? |
Bridge 64-A (sometimes 64-B),
64' long, 8' high (Dolores River) org a Pony Truss, wooden pile after 2-1-1916, by concrete piers c1920 Photos: p1 p2 p3 p4 truss destroyed? Another photo: Don Bergman writes that this photo "looks like Burns to me. Looks like the outcropping just north of Burns Canyon after it has crossed 64-A. That's where RGS Story Vol 4 pg 470 places it as well." Tom Casper notes that " Vol 10 of the RGS Story pg 348 shows the back side of the same notch in the mt. side. I think 419 is before the cty road was cut in. The north exit of Burns Canyon." |
Rgs v4, p460, 470 | |||
| 63.? | Burns Canyon, a narrow rocky area just south of bridge
64-A, which both track and the Dolores River twisted through on an S curve
Washout repairs (or really abandonment by the Brinkerhoffs in 1952?). Location unknown, but seems to be Burns Canyon: p1 p2 p3 p4 p5 p6 |
Rgs v4, p479 | |||
| 64.? | Bridge 65-A, --' long, -' high | Rgs v4, p488 | |||
| 64.66 | 8905' | Winkfield | X65 | Spur (n), 4-car (1892) (6-car 189-, 8-car 1902) (ore concentrates; aerial tramway to wooden ore-storage structure) |
Sun v2, p85 Rgs v4, p488 W. George Cook |
| 65.? |
Bridge 66-A, 526' long, 19' high Winkfield bridge (filled-in in 1915) |
Rgs v5, p67 | |||
| 65.? |
Bridge 66-B, 326' long, 14' high (filled-in in 1915) |
Rgs v5, p67 | |||
| 65.4 | 8800' | Branch (n) Beginning of 5% Enterprise branch We drove this branch in Jun '07; here's some photos |
Rgs v5, p165 | ||
| 65.? Ent br |
Spur (n) (Grand View Mining & Smelting Co) | Rgs v5, p178 | |||
| 65.? Ent br |
Switch backs 1, 2 | Rgs v5, p178 | |||
| 65.? Ent br |
Newman Mill (no spur) | Rgs v5, p178 | |||
| 65.? Ent br |
Switch backs 3, 4 | Rgs v5, p178 | |||
| 67.2 Ent br |
9225' | Black Hawk | Spur (n) to mine, moving along this spur: Ore bins (Union Carbonate) Tramway terminal (Yellow Jacket Tramway) Siding, ?-car Tramway terminal (Black Hawk tramway, 1600' long, 400' above) End of track, MP 67.2 |
Rgs v5,p165 | |
| 65.? |
Bridge 66-AS, 112' long, 22' high
(Silver Creek) (near Black Hawk ore bins) |
Rgs v5, p166 | |||
| 65.? | Bridge 66-BS, 48' long, 15' high (rocky area, later filled in?) | Rgs v5, p166 | |||
| 68.? Ent br |
Siding, 16-car | Rgs v5, p166 | |||
| 68.5 Ent br |
9235' | Enterprise Mine | Possible photo:
p1
2 spurs (n) |
Rgs v5, p166 | |
| 65.? | Spur (n), ?-car (Grand View Mining & Smelting) | Rgs v5, p178 | |||
| 65.? | Bridge 66-C, 32' long, 5' high (Silver Creek) | Rgs v5, p68 | |||
| © Steven Haworth 2009, All rights reserved |
| Revised 6-25-09 | Back to RGS home | Silence now reigns |
| Send comments to | Back to The Haworth's Place | where the RGS once roared. |
