August 1972 -- Denver and Rio Grande Western SW1200 132, built by Electro-Motive Division in 1964 and retired in 1986, at Roper Yard in Salt Lake City, Utah. It was wrecked on April 24, 1996 at that yard but sold to Western Railroad Supply in Fontana, California in July 1997 and shipped to Kaiser Ventures, Inc.
August 1972 -- Denver and Rio Grande Western GP40-2 3097, built by Electro-Motive Division in 1972, at Roper Yard in Salt Lake City, Utah. It became Union Pacific 1352 in July 2005
August 1972 -- Denver and Rio Grande Western GP35 3031, built by Electro-Motive Division in 1964, at Roper Yard in Salt Lake City, Utah. It later became Southeast Kansas Railroad 3031 in November 1994, then Kansas and Oklahoma 3031 in August 1998 and is currently South Kansas and Oklahoma 3520.
August 1972 -- At Walsenburg, Colorado was Denver and Rio Grande Western GP40-2 3108, built by Electro-Motive Division in 1972 and retired in 1979 after being wrecked near Pando on Tennessee Pass. It was sold to National Railway Equipment and acquired by American European Express in 1992 and numbered 2, then became NREX 2 in 1994, Kansas City Southern 4764 in 2004 and is currently Kansas City Southern 2899; Denver and Rio Grande Western GP40 3064, built by Electro-Motive Division in 1966 and retired in 1998 and moved to VMV Enterprises in November 1998. It was rebuilt by GATX Locomotive Group as GP38-2 2691 in 2013; and and Denver and Rio Grande Western GP30 3008, built by Electro-MotiveDivision in 1962, retired in 1997 and sold to National Railway Equipment.
April 1979 -- Denver and Rio Grande Western SD45 5337, built by Electro-Motive Division in 1968 and retired in December 1993. It was was sold to Morrison Knudsen in Boise, Idaho in February 1994 and rebuilt to SD40M-2 by MK Rail, becoming Southern Pacific 8682 then was assigned Union Pacific 4708. This led a Union Pacific and two Southern Pacific locomotives through San Bernardino, California.
August 1980 -- In Salt Lake City was Denver and Rio Grande Western SW1200 135, built by Electro-Motive Division in 1965 and retired in 1995. It was sold to OmniTRAX in February 1995 then to Diesel Supply Company in Hudson, Wisconsin before becoming Northland Farm Co-op Elevator 135 in Rake, Iowa.
June 1981 -- Denver and Rio Grande Western SD40T-2 5358, built by Electro-Motive Division 1975, near Hayden, Colorado.
August 1981 -- on a sunny day, Denver and Rio Grande Western SD40-2 5406, built by Electro-Motive Division in 1980 and retired in November 2000, led three sisters east. It was sold to National Railway Equipment and is currently Ferrovia Centro Atlantica BB40T-2 5406 in Brazil.
January 1982 -- Denver and Rio Grande Western GP30 3010, built by Electro-Motive Division in 1962 and retired in 1992, at Ogden, Utah. It was wrecked on 30 September 1991 at Cliff, Colorado and sold for scrap to Iron & Metals Company in March 1992.
5/31/1982 -- Denver and Rio Grande Western SD45 5317, built by Electro-Motive Division in 1967 and retired in 1995, drifted by the former Cajon Campground. It was sold to Progress Rail in October 1995 then to National
Railway Equipment and accqured by Transglobal Rail Service and numbered 5317, In May 1997, it became Montana Rail Link 344 and sold back to Progress Rail in August 2007.
5/31/1982 -- Denver and Rio Grande Western SD45 5317, built by Electro-Motive Division in 1967 and retired in 1995, leading an export coal train below Keenbrook, California. It was sold to Progress Rail in October 1995 then to National Railway Equipment and accqured by Transglobal Rail Service and numbered 5317, In May 1997, it became Montana Rail Link 344 and sold back to Progress Rail in August 2007.
6/21/1982 -- At Ogden, Utah was Denver and Rio Grande Western GP30 3002, built by Electro-Motive Division in 1962, retired in 1999 and scrapped in 2001 and Denver and Rio Grande Western 3115, built by Electro-Motive Division in 1972 and retired after being wrecked on 30 September 1991 at Cliff, Colorado and sold for scrap to Iron & Metals Company in 1992.
6/21/1982 -- Denver and Rio Grande Western GP30 3002, built by Electro-Motive Division in 1962, retired in 1999 and scrapped in 2001.
6/21/1982 -- The Rio Grande Western Zephyr at Salt Lake City, Utah.
6/21/1982 -- Denver and Rio Grande Western F7A 5771, built by Electro-Motive Division in 1955 and retired in 1996. It was removed from regular Rio Grande Zephyr passenger service on 23 April 1983 and stored serviceable on 30 September 1984 after being used regularly on ballast unit trains. It is preserved at the Colorado Railroad Museum in Golden.
6/21/1982 -- Denver and Rio Grande Western F9B 5763, built by Electro-Motive Division in 1955. It was acquired by Union Pacific through merger in September 1996 and stored at Cheyenne until rebuilt in February 2019 by NMI Industrial in Sacramento as SPMW 8222, assigned as power unit for rebuilt rotary SPMW 222 and assigned to Roseville, California.
6/21/1982 -- Denver and Rio Grande Western F9B 5762:2, nee Denver and Rio Grande 5753:1 built by Electrro-Motive Division in 1955. It was removed from regular Rio Grande Zephyr passenger service on 23 April 1983 and stored serviceable on 30 September 1984 after being used regularly on ballast unit trains. It is preserved at the Colorado Railroad Museum in Golden.
6/21/1982 --Denver and Rio Grande Western dormitory-baggage-coach 1231, built by Pullman-Standard in 1950. It was ordered by the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway but sold to the Rio Grande before delivery. It became part of the Denver Ski Train consist and is currently preserved at the Colorado Railroad Museum in Golden.
6/21/1982 -- Denver and Rio Grande Western dining car 1115 "Silver Banquet", built by Budd Company in 1948. It was scrapped in 1983.
6/21/1982 -- Denver and Rio Grande Western dome-coach 1106 "Silver Colt", built by Budd Company in 1948. It was acquired by Amtrak in 1983, but the number 9446 was not applied. It then became Alaska Railroad 7000 (again, the number was not applied), then ARR 7021 before being sold to the Roaring Fork Railroad in October 1986. In 1986/87 it became Denver Railcar 7021 (PPCX 800024) for a Denver-Salt Lake excursion service, then leased to Texas Southern in August 1988 and leased to Texas Limited Houston-Galveston in 1989, followed by DRC Tours and South Orient Express tours in Mexico's Copper Canyon. By 2001, that service terminated and the car withdrawn from Mexico. It then became part of the short-lived "Acadian" with Montreal to Maine to Halifax service. It was sold in May 2004 to the Grand Canyon Railway and along with the entire railway, was sold to Xanterra in 2006.
6/21/1982 -- Denver and Rio Grande Western dome-coach 1108 Silver Pony, built by Buddd Companyy in 1948. It was acquired by Amtrak in 1983, but the number 9448 was not applied. It then became Alaska Railroad 7002 (again, the number was not applied), then ARR 7033 until 1986 when it was sold to Denver Railcar 7033 (PPCX 800447) and leased to Wyoming-Colorado Railroad and Texas Southern. It was sold at auction in May 2004 to Grand Canyon Railway but derailed in transport and was stored at Williams until 2011, when it was acquired by the Illinois Railway Museum.
6/21/1982 -- Denver and Rio Grande Western dome-coach 1105 "Silver Bronco", built by Budd Company in 1948. It began service on the California Zephyr and Rio Grande Zephyr, operating over the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad from Chicago to Denver, the Western Pacific Railroad from Salt Lake City to Oakland, and later on the Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad between Denver and Salt Lake City. Philadelphia architectural firm Harbeson, Hough, Livingston and Larson designed the interior, and the painting on the wall of the back cabin is called Central City by Mary Louise Lawser. The car was originally fitted with a forward section reserved for women and children only. Service was discontinued in 1983 and the Silver Bronco became the property of Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad’s parent company Ansco. In 2006, the Silver Bronco was sold by Ansco into private ownership and sent to San Antonio, becoming the last car built for the California Zephyr to pass into private ownership after spending all of its 58 years with the Rio Grande. Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad purchased the car from a private owner in 2011 and it was restored with sponsorship by Emerson Electric, and was renamed the Emerson Dome Car. When the sponsorship ended in 2012, the Silver Bronco took back its original name.
6/21/1982 -- Denver and Rio Grande Western dome-coach 1107 "Silver Mustang", built by Budd Company in 1948. It became Amtrak 9447 in April 1983, then Denver Railcar 7022 and leased to Alaska Railroad as 7022 from 1984 to 1986, then leased to Wyoming-Colorado Railroad and Texas Southern. It was sold in 2004 to Jon Clark; current whereabouts unknown.
6/21/1982 -- Denver and Rio Grande Western 1120 coach "Silver Aspen", built by Budd Company in 1948. It was a sleeping car from 1948 to 1964 then converted to a coach from 1964 to 1983 and is currently Grand Canyon Railway 2098 "Colorado River.
6/21/1982 -- Denver and Rio Grande Western coach 1121 "Silver Pine", nee Denver and Rio Grande Western 16 sleeper 1121 "Silver Pine", built by Budd Company in 1948. It was a sleeping car from 1948 to 1964 then converted to a coach from 1964 to 1983. It was sold to Dirk Lenthe of Fargo, North Dakota and then to Transcisco Industries, which had taken over the Texas Southern Shops. In 1992, the "Silver Pine" was prepared and made ready for a freight move to the West Coast to be used in the Carl Reiner film "Fatal Instinct". It was the star of the entire railroad footage in the movie, with the coach seats removed for a set and the seats all received new Art Deco zippered coverings. The set also used Art Deco carpeting, which was returned with the car along with the new upholstery. The car performed flawlessly in freight service to and from the West Coast. It is currently on the Austin Steam Train in Cedar Park, Texas.
6/21/1982 -- Denver and Rio Grande Western dome-observation 1145 "Silver Sky", nee Denver and Rio Grande Zephyr dome-buffet-sleeper-observation 1145 "Silver Sky" 1948 to 1974, built by Budd Company in 1948. It was sold to VIA Rail in 1987 for the Tempo Ski Train cars (was planned to be VIA 15519 "Jasper Park) then sold in 2003 to Bill Harman and stored in Saginaw, Michigan.
6/21/1982 -- The Denver and Rio Grande Western Zephyr at Salt Lake City, Utah.
6/21/1982 -- The Denver and Rio Grande Western Zephyr leaving Salt Lake City.
6/21/1982 -- Denver and Rio Grande Western local led by SD7 5304 at West Jordan, Utah.
6/21/1982 -- Denver and Rio Grande Western SD7 5304, built by Electro-Motive Division in 1953, retired in 1991 and sold to National Railway Equipment in November 1991 and scrapped.
6/21/1982 -- Denver and Rio Grande Western SD9 5306, built by Electro-Motive Division in 1957, retired in October 1991 and sold to National Railway Equipment in November 1991 and scrapped.
6/25/1982 --Denver and Rio Grande Western 5317 East meets Union Pacific 4-6-6-4 3985 at Salt Lake City.
My first and only ride on the Rio Grande Zephyr occurred on March 28, 1983, one which I will never forget.
Climbing the Front Range of the Rockies.
12/19/1983 -- At the west end of the Royal Gorge and near Texas Creek here came the Denver and Rio Grande Western 3008 East.
North of Salida we caught the Denver and Rio Grande Western 5351 East with four Missouri Pacific SD40-2's in its consist on 12/19/1983.
We caught this train just west of Avon, Colorado on 12/19/1983.
We caught this train again just west of Minturn, Colorado on 12/19/1983.
From there, we made our way to Pando for our next picture on 12/19/1983.
We followed the train as it climbed towards the 10,020 foot high Summit Tunnel, the highest railroad crossing in North America on 12/19/1983.
At Colorado Springs, the Denver and Rio Grande Western GP30 3010 was switching the city's power plant on 12/20/1983.
Denver and Rio Grande Western 3174 with it lead unit still in Conrail Blue as the Grande bought the unit second hand at Palmer Lake, Colorado on 12/20/1983.
Denver and Rio Grande Western 5392 East showed up and after a picture at Palmer lake we went towards Monument, Colorado catching him curving onto the railroad overpass across the highway.
Further south at Academy, Colorado, we watched 5392 pass south with a BN train in the hole.
DRGW 5395 East climbing through Sedalia, Colorado starting its trip down the Joint Line on 7/21/1984.
UP 3924 with the LAX in tow heads through Lugo in 4/1988.
DRGW 5407 West descends the North Track through Cozy Dell, California. 8/1993
caboose
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