From Breckenridge, we drove to Silver Plume. We parked and first down toward the engine house.
Inside the engine house was Georgetown Loop 2-8-0 111, built by Baldwin in 1926 for International Railways of Central America 116. It was renumbered 111 in 1928 and in 1972, was sold to Don Drawer before going to the Georgetown Loop Railroad. We heard a whistle and we both had big smiles on our faces because we knew we had a steam engine on the train.
The steam engine was Georgetown Loop 2-8-0 40 built by Baldwin in 1920 as Guatemala Railway Company 50 at Guatemala City, Guatemala. As a result of a 1913 merger, it became International Railways of Central America 50 and was re-numbered in 1928 to 40. In 1972, it was sold to Colorado Central Narrow Gauge Railway Co. 40 at Central City, Colorado and moved in 1977 to the Georgtown Loop Railroad. This would be the first time for both of us that we would be riding behind this engine.
We walked down for one more picture. After that, we drove to Georgetown and Elizabeth went into Subway to get us linner. This Subway had only one person working, she purchased the last roll before they ran out, they had no roast beef nor cookies, and the drink machine was not working properly. We took our linner to the Georgetown Loop Railroad where I dropped off Elizabeth who picked up our tickets and I parked up by the overview of the Devils Gate Bridge. We quickly ate our meal and waited for the train to arrive.
Our train that we would be riding crossing the Devils Gate Bridge.
Elizabeth and the train on the Devils Gate Bridge. All we had to do was just turn to get additional pictures of the engine.
The engine descending into the Georgetown station area. From here we went and sat in a pair of chairs while Elizabeth finished her lunch and waited for the locomotive to uncouple.
The engine preparing to run around the train. We got into the line and Elizabeth went and bought me a Tshirt and we the last two people to board. Everyone was required to wear a mask and do social distancing in the line but most people bunched up instead. On the train itself, social distancing took place. We sat together back in one of the open cars for our trip to Silver Plume and back.
The train started backing underneath the Devils Gate Bridge.
The Devils Gate Bridge.
Another picture of the Devils Gate Bridge. I was rather surprised as only the back part of the train went under the bridge but not the front of the train.
The Devils Gate Bridge looking back.
The first curve.
Social distancing in action.
The train climbing the loop toward the Devils Gate Bridge.
The train nearing the Devils Gate Bridge.
The train preparing to cross the Devils Gate Bridge.
The train crossing the Devils Gate Bridge.
Interesting rock through the smoke from the train.
The train takes another slight curve.
My bride on the Georgetown Loop Railroad. She removed her mask only briefly for the picture.
The train curving into Halls Tunnel siding.
Georgetown Loop 2-6-2 12, built by Baldwin in 1928 as Kahului Railway Company 12, in Kahului, Hawaii. It ran as their 12 hauling pineapples until 1966 and was the last steam engine used commercially used in that state. An individual from California bought the engine, dissassembled it and moved it back to the mainland. The locomotive was then bought by Scenic Railway in Colorado. Scenic Railway turned right around and sold 12 to the Midwest Central in Mount Pleasant, Iowa, who started to reassemble the locomotive but stopped the project due to insufficiant funding of the boiler replacement. Gary Norton bought the engine in 1988 and reassembled is now on a display train at Halls Tunnel siding.
The train coming into the Lebanon Mines station but not stopping.
Passengers enjoying the trip wearing masks.
The train crossing the Million Dollar Fill.
The train is closing in on Silver Plume.
Silver Plume is right around the bend.
Georgetown Loop Railroad 44-ton switcher 21, ex. Rocky Mountain Steel Mills, nee Colorado Fuel and Iron 21, built by General Electric.
Georgetown Loop Railroad 80 ton switcher 1934 built by General Electric in 1951. Ex. Lehigh Portland Cement, exx. General Services Admin 119; nee USA Transportation Corps (Marietta, Pennsylvania).
Georgetown Loop Railroad U4B 130, nee United States Gypsum 130, built by General Electric in 1926.
Georgetown Loop Railroad U4B 130 and U4B 140, nee United States Gypsum 140, built by General Electric in 1926.
The engine cut off to take water.
The Silver Plume station sign.
The engine running around the train.
Another view of Georgetown Loop 1934.
The Silver Plume station as we left for Georgetown.
Georgetown Loop Railroad GE U4B 140. Elizabeth and I would be relaxing for the most of the trip back except at the highlights of this trip.
The train crossing the Million Dollar Fill.
The train crossing the Devils Gate Bridge.
The train descending into Georgetown. It had been a great trip back aboard the Georgetown Loop Railroad but like all things, it must come to an end. We arrived at the station and we let everybody on our end of the train off first before we detrained and they thanked us for coming. Elizabeth and I waited for the train to cross the Devils Gate Bridge on the way back to Silver Plume. Since this is my last view I needed of the bridge, I was really happy to wait to get it.
The train crossing the Devils Gate Bridge on the trip back to Silver Plume. From here, we started to head to Denver but had a stop to make at Idaho Springs.
Colorado & Southern 2-8-0 60 built by Rhode Island Locomotive Works in 1886 as Utah & Northern Railway Company 263. After an 1889 consolidation, it became Oregon Short Line & Utah Northern Railway Company then in 1890 was sold to Denver, Leadville & Gunnison Railway Company 263. An 1899 consolidation made it Colorado Southern Railway Company 60 and in 1941, it was donated to the City of Idaho Springs, Colorado.
Colorado & Southern passenger car. We left Idaho Springs and things were going well until we saw bumper-to-bumper traffic along I-70. We managed to get off and County Road 314 which got us to the Central City Parkway which we took to Central City. My memory was very good as usual and I soon had our destination at Central City.
Colorado & Southern 2-8-0 71 built by Baldwin in 1897 as Union Pacific, Denver & Gulf Railway Company 9. After an 1899 consolidation, it became Colorado & Southern Railway Company 71 and in 1941 was donated to Central City Opera House Association. It was restored to operating condition in 1987 and ran for approximately another two years on a tourist railroad. It later moved to Silver Plume, then back to Central City where it was placed on display in front of the Coeur d'Alene mine overlooking the city. It was finally placed on display in its current location on Gregory Street.
Colorado & Southern Adams Express Company car 20, built by the Colorado Central in 1878 as 6.
The train display in Central City. Next we headed down the road to Blackhawk.
Colorado Central 2-8-0 71 built by Baldwin in 1911 for the Ferrocarril Coahuila-Zacatecas in Saltillo, Mexico as their 12. The Ferrocarril Coahuila-Zacatecas was a narrow gauge railroad that began operating in January 1898 linking Saltillo and Avalos in central Mexico mainly hauling iron ore to smelters in San Luis Potosi, Monterrey and Torreon as well as providing transport for several thousand mine workers and their families. In 1959, operations were suspended. Six years later, 12 was sold to Early West Railways, Inc., in La Verne, California, along with several other Mexican narrow gauge locomotives. Early West Railways hoped to start a tourist excursion railroad in Pomona, California, but the plans came to nothing.
12 was sold to Specialty Restaurants, Inc., in Anaheim, California, then donated to the San Bernadino Railway Historical Society in 1984, on to the American Railroader Historical Foundation in Mt. Pleasant, Texas, and next went on display outside a bank in Palmer Lake, Colorado, liveried as Denver and Rio Grande 71. It was then sold and moved to Black Hawk, where it bears the name Colorado Central Railroad, a short-lived narrow gauge operator in the 19th Century.
From here we put in the directions to Denver Union Station and we were both surprised at the route we were taking. So we took Colorado 119 to US 6 to Washington Street and in Golden, turned on to 32nd Avenue which we took all the way into Denver and made our way to Union Station. I went in to find out about parking and Elizabeth and I then drove half a block to the Oxford Hotel. Here the bellboys helped us by loading our luggage on a cart and took us back to Union Station and the Crawford Hotel where we checked in. Our luggage was taken up to the room before us and after some interesting times in the elevator we reached Room 202. We entered the room and I will now show you Room 202.
This room is very nice and also has a shower and mini bar area which we would not be using. We worked on the first story of the day and then had a relaxing night.
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