Adventurers in the Rockies
Chapter Twenty-two
ACT TWO
Colorado Railroad Museum, Golden
July 21, 2016
Thursday
by
Robin Bowers
Text and Photos by Author
The
author retains all rights. No reproductions are allowed
without the author's consent
Comments are appreciated at...yr.mmxx@gmail.com
Golden, Colorado
Golden was settled in 1859
among the glacial deposits on Clear Creek. Its name recalls an
early miner and the local preoccupation with gold prospecting.
Golden rivaled Denver in importance for several years. From 1862
to 1867 it served as capital of the Colorado Territory.
The Colorado School of
Mines, founded in 1874, is among the oldest institutions devoted
to mineral sciences and engineering. The school enrolls more
than 3,000 students with the National Earthquake Information
Center on the campus.
Coors Brewing Co.
Coors Brewing Co. offers
30-minute self-guiding tours of traditional brewing methods used
in the Rocky Mountains since 1873. Visitors learn about the
malting, brewing and packaging processes and then may sample
products in the hospitality lounge.
Our buses left the Georgetown Loop and drove to Golden and then
traveled through the city to our next stop.
Colorado Railroad Museum History
Robert W. Richardson and Cornelius W. Hauck opened
the Colorado Railroad Museum in 1959. Then, and now, our mission
is dedicated to preserving for future generations a tangible
record of Colorado's dynamic railroad era and particularly its
pioneering, narrow gauge mountain railroads.
In 1964, the nonprofit Colorado Railroad
Historical Foundation was formed to assume ownership and
operation of the Museum.
The Alamosa Years 1948-1958
In the late 1940s when Colorado's narrow gauge
railroad companies started going out of business, Robert W.
Richardson began collecting rolling stock, railway records, and
other pieces of equipment in an effort to preserve Colorado
history. Bob's collection quickly outgrew the available space at
his Museum in Alamosa, Colorado and in 1958, with the help of
his friend Cornelius Hauck, Richardson moved the Museum to
Golden, Colorado.
Many Colorado railroad companies closed down in
the late 1940s and 1950s, when falling ore prices and increasing
operating expenses made business unprofitable. The Uintah
Railway Company closed in 1939, the Silverton Northern in 1942,
the Rio Grande Junction in 1941, the Midland Terminal in 1949
and the Rio Grande Southern in 1951.
The Golden Years 1959-1978
Once in Golden, Richardson built a replica narrow
gauge railroad station to serve as the main Museum building.
With the help of volunteers he started laying track for 50
pieces of equipment and built a motel to help fund the Museum.
The Iron Horse Motel was originally located where the roundhouse
now sits.
Growing the Collection 1979-1990
With the help of Museum trustee Cornelius Hauck, volunteers
and railfans, Bob Richardson was able to purchase over twenty
pieces of full-size rolling stock during this period. This
included the Bob & Julie Shank collection from Durango,
which brought in the rare and unique narrow gauge motor cars
Geese Nos. 6 & 7. Encouraging its volunteer tradition, the
Museum allowed volunteers to actively restore collection
pieces.
The Expansion Years 1991-2000
Although Museum founder Bob Richardson retired in 1991, his
legacy was just starting to grow. Recognizing the need to
invest in infrastructure, the Board of Trustees started taking
major financial steps to improve and expand the Museum. After
hiring permanent full-time staff, the Museum built the Robert
W. Richardson Railroad library in 1997, finished the track
loop in 1999 and completed the roundhouse and turntable in
2000.
Into the Future 2001-Present
The Museum has experienced many positive changes since 2000.
Interpretive signs have been installed around the property,
the downstairs of the Museum has been remodeled into a
temporary exhibit venue, restoration efforts continue at a
renewed pace and the Museum continues to add historic pieces
to its collection.
# 346 was giving train rides
around the museum grounds during the day. Lunch period was
broken into two groups and I chose the second seating. While
waiting I walked around the campus looking at the equipment.
Colorado and Northwestern 2-8-0 #30 built 1898, narrow 36"
gauge.
The dome car monument that once was in Glenwood Canyon.
D&RGW 2-8-0 318 built 1896 36" gauge.
Colorado and Southern rotary snowplow 99201.
One of my first stops was to
walk through business car #96. The Museum's CB&Q No. 96 was
built in 1886 for Charles E. Perkins, president of the Chicago
Burlington and Quincy Railroad. It has two private bedrooms each
with toilet and sink, a dining room that could double as a
meeting room, a spacious observation parlor at the back, a
kitchen and a shower. It has various berths which can sleep
eight comfortably.
Manitou & Pikes Peak Railway 0-4-2T (cog) #1 built 1890
Standard gauge.
Coors Brewing Company SW900 C988.
A three track switch.
CB&Q 4-8-4 5629 built 1940 standard gauge.
2-8-0 346 built 1881 36"gauge.
Galloping Goose 2 and D&LG 2-8-0 191.
2-8-0 191 built 1880 36" gauge.
Washroom on car coach 5442.
Diner attached to coach # 5442.
Kitchen and diner currently used on special occasions.
A great model train layout.
American Oil 0-4-0T 1.
Lunch
At this time it was time to
go to the covered seating room. Lunch was catered by a barbecued
vendor and the food was good. So good that they were running low
on some items and had to go out and get more supplies. These
conventioneers really like their meals so food goes fast at
these events.
After lunch I resumed my tour of the grounds
and waited for boarding time to ride behind a steam engine
around the museum grounds. The trip makes three turns around the
park.
Colorado Central 2-8-0 40 built 1921 36" gauge.
The steam train passes the No Agua water tank.
D&RGW 2-8-0 318 1896 36" gauge.
Rio Grande FP7A 5771.
Westside Lumber Shay 3-truck 14 built 1916 36" gauge.
West Side Lumber Co. Shay 3-truck 12 built 1927 36" gauge.
ATSF observation car Navajo.
Rio Grande FP7A 5771 and Rio Grande FP7B 5772.
Colorado and Southern rotary snowplow 99201.
0-6-0 4455 built 1920 standard gauge.
Views inside the roundhouse.
Golden City and San Juan Railroad 3 and Uintah Railway observation
car B-8.
D&RGW 2-8-2 491 built 1928 36" gauge which shares train
trips duty with 346.
Rio Grande Southern Galloping Goose 6.
2-8-0 # 683 built 1890 standard gauge.
Rio Grande Southern Galloping Goose 7.
D&RGW 2-8-0 683 built 1890 standard gauge.
491 being kept warm.
0-4-0T 1 standard gauge.
Main Plaza and boarding area for train rides.
It was now time to queue up for my train ride. Soon it was time to
board for a old time train ride behind a steam engine.
Very stylish in its day.
Graveyard.
Georgetown, Breckenridge and Leadville 55-tonner 4.
View of turntable and roundhouse from train car.
Galloping Goose 7.
Model train layout.
Outdoor seating and eating area.
Too soon it was time to board our buses and leave all this fine
equipment. What a great visit it had been and enjoyed by all.
Grain cars at Coors which is across the highway from the museum.
We headed back to I-70 with very little traffic until we passed
I-25.
Denver skyline.
As we crossed over the Union Pacific's 36th Street, we spotted UP
4-8-4 844, Rio Grande heritage unit 1989 and passenger cars. This
caused such a stir that when everyone rushed to the right side, I
thought we might tip. Although nothing happened, everyone was
excited and stimulated.
We continued on to Denver's Stapleton area and the convention
hotel. From here I walked back to my room at the Super 8 for the
night. After dinner I make another stop at Sonic for their ice
cream happy hour.
Thanks
for reading.
Text and Photos by Author
The
author retains all rights. No reproductions are allowed
without the author's consent.
Comments
appreciated at .... yr.mmxx@gmail.com
