By Janet Simons, Rocky Mountain News May 11, 2007 Colorado is the narrow-gauge railroad capital of the nation, with four active narrow-gauge lines, more than any other state. Narrow-gauge railroads are gold-rush innovations, built to carry precious metals over steep and winding routes from remote places. Rails and equipment remained when the mines closed, and several communities recognized their tourism potential and redeveloped them. The lines go where the most spectacular scenery is found. A good place to begin the journey is the Colorado Railroad Museum in Golden. Here, visitors can learn just about everything there is to know about the state's scenic trains and feel the passion of people who truly love the railroads that built the West. Railroad Museum marketing manager Wayne Lindsey loves trains so much that, like a doting parent, he doesn't like to play favorites. "If I had to make one personal recommendation for the best ride, I guess I'd choose the Royal Gorge ride out from Cañon City," Lindsey said. "The gorge is spectacular from the bridge at the top, but it's ten times more spectacular from the bottom. I guess I've taken that ride eight or nine times." Then he starts rhapsodizing about the "historic, absolutely beautiful ride" across the Devil's Gate Bridge from Georgetown to Silverplume. Then his enthusiasm shifts as he describes the ride from Durango to Silverton, the Cumbres & Toltec line from Antonito to Chama, N.M., and the Pikes Peak Cog. "All these lines have been preserved so that we can take the same journeys people were taking 100 years ago," Lindsey said. "It's worth it to take them all." Each of Colorado's seven operating tourist lines offer amazing scenery and rich insights into the state's mining and railroad history. You'll just have to discover your own personal favorite. • Colorado Railroad Museum, 17155 W. 44th Ave., Golden, 1-800-365-6263; 303-279-4591, www.crrm.org This private, non-profit railroad museum offers the largest collection of narrow gauge rolling stock of any museum in North America. In addition to 12 steam locomotives, the museum includes displays, model railroads, a picnic area, a library, gift shop and monthly "steam-ups" during which one of the passenger trains on the premises takes museum visitors for rides. Admission is $8 for adults, $5 for children 2 to 16, $7 for seniors, and $18 for a family. • Georgetown Loop, 42 miles west of Denver on Interstate 70, 1-888-456-6777, www.georgetownlooprr.com. Passengers travel a track that makes 2 1/2 loops, at one point crossing over itself on a 90-foot-high trestle, the Devil's Gate Bridge. The train connects Georgetown and Silver Plume, and tickets may be purchased at either town's depot. Rides that include the Lebanon Silver Mine tour depart from Silver Plume. The 2007 season opens May 26. The round-trip ride takes 70 minutes and costs $18.75 for adults, $14.25 for children 3 to 15. Fares including the Lebanon Silver Mine tour are $26.75 for adults, $19.75 for children. Children 2 and under are free. Call for reservations and more information,; tickets may be purchased on the Web site. • Cripple Creek & Victor Narrow Gauge, 1-719-689-2640, www.cripplecreekrailroad.com The coal-fired steam locomotive of the Cripple Creek & Victor Narrow Gauge departs Midland Station at the head of Bennett Avenue in Cripple Creek every 45 minutes starting at 10 a.m. and runs four miles past aspen groves, historic buildings and gold mines. The 2007 season opens May 19. A round trip from Cripple Creek to Anaconda and back costs $12 for adults, $10.50 for seniors over 65, $7 for ages 3 to 12. Those under 3 ride free. • Cumbres & Toltec. 1-888-286-2737, www.cumbrestoltec.com. The trip on the narrow-gauge Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad is a full day from Antonito, south of Alamosa, to Chama, in northern New Mexico. To reach the 10,015-foot summit of Cumbres Pass, the train climbs a 4 percent grade. There's a stop for lunch midway at scenic Osier. When you buy your ticket, you may choose to go all the way to Chama or come back to Antonito from Osier. Passengers who go to Chama return to Antonito by bus. This year's season starts May 31. The ride from Antonito to Osier and back costs $62 for adults, $31 for children 2 to 11. A round trip to Chama costs $76 for adults, $38 for children. • Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. 1-970-247-2733, www.durangotrain.com. The Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad runs on a 45-mile spur of track built by the Denver & Rio Grande Railway to get Silverton's riches down to the smelter in Durango. The ride takes all day, starting at Durango, traveling along the Animas River and ascending 2,000 feet through the San Juan National Forest in back country that is inaccessible by any other means. There's a two-hour layover in Silverton where riders may tour the Durango & Silverton Railroad Museum. It's a 3 1/2 hour ride each way. Reservations are strongly suggested. If you book early, you might be able to get a one-way ticket and a seat on the bus back to Durango, cutting several hours off the trip. The train runs year-round. Standard summer round-trip fares are $65 for adults, $35 for children 5 to 11. The Durango & Silverton also offers adults first-class seating, $119; and presidential class, $149. There are also several post-season rides, including the Pumpkin Patch Express, the Cascade Canyon Winter Train and the Polar Express. • Leadville Colorado & Southern Railroad Co. 1-719-486-3936. www.leadville-train.com. The Leadville Colorado & Southern runs 11 miles from Leadville almost to the Climax Mine at Fremont Pass and 11 miles back. The train climbs a ledge nearly 1,000 feet above the Arkansas River valley and passes waterfalls, wildlife and aspen groves. At the far end of the 2 1/2 half-hour round trip, the train stops for 15 minutes at a water tower so riders can stretch and take a gander at Colorado's highest peak, 14,443-foot Mount Elbert. The season begins May 26. Tickets cost $28.50 for adults, $16.50 for children 4 to 12. Children under 4 ride free. • Pikes Peak Cog Railway. 1-719-685-5401. www.cograilway.com. The Pikes Peak Cog Railway offers a three-hour, 10-minute round-trip ride from the Manitou Springs Depot to the 14,110-foot summit of America's most famous mountain. The train was built for tourism and is the world's highest cog railway and the highest railway in North America. It travels at a leisurely eight miles per hour, offering ample time for the conductor to comment on wildlife, history, engineering, geology and scenery. There's a half-hour stop on the summit, where there's a snack bar and a gift shop. The train runs throughout the year, closing at scheduled intervals. However, the schedule is limited November through March. If you book during those months, call ahead on the morning of the trip to check the status. Off-season tickets are $30 for adults and $16.50 for children 3-12. July 1 through Aug. 20, adult tickets are $32, and children's tickets are $17.50. • Royal Gorge Route Railroad 303-569-2403, 303-569-1000, 1-888-724-5748; www.royalgorgeroute.com Visually spectacular trips on the Royal Gorge Route begin and end at the old Santa Fe station in Cañon City. The journey on historic rail cars lasts two hours, three for the dinner trains, and extends over 24 miles along the Arkansas River. The route passes directly under the Royal Gorge Bridge and stops on the Hanging Bridge that suspends the train above the river. The railroad runs weekends through May 20 and offers daily departures from May 26 through Oct. 7. Coach class is $29.95 for adults, $19.50 for children 3-12. Coach passengers can buy food and drink on the train, and there's a cash bar. From there, fares rise as the accommodations and food gets classier, topping out at $150 for a Winemakers Dinner in the Vista Dome. simonsj@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-2547
... and this is just the tip of Colorado Railfanning!!!!!!! [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica]Colorado Railroad Adventures (RRAdventures)[/FONT]
