History of SD-9 #5305 Pulled this from DRGW.net, July 2003 (emphasis added) Of other note in Rio Grande country last week was the sale of two Omnitrax units to the Canon City & Royal Gorge. One was CKRY 2238, a GP7, from the Central Kansas and before that, the ATSF. The more interesting unit, however, is OMLX SD9 5305, formerly NWP 5305 and before that, DRGW 5305. As some of you might remember, 5305 was the only DRGW SD9 to receive a chopped nose, as a result of a minor wreck. It's in the NWP's black widow scheme at the moment, but hopefully if the CCRG F units are any sign, we can hope that it might return to Grande-like colors eventually. The two units were moved from the Loveland deadlines to the UP interchange on 3-Jul-2003. Thanks to JB Bowers for pointing this one out.
If I read the RMN paper correctly today, with the addition of the recent dome car this makes this the largest collection of Dome Cars used on a scenic railway in the lower 48 states.
Royal Gorge B unit still in Seattle it seems the original transporter is not getting the job done. UP will now move the B unit south to canon city. the fourth dome is here (with a broken window on one side) getting checked out and fixed up. it will be a pretty train next summer with all four domes in the consist. the McKinley paint looks great and i don't think there are any orders to repaint them. i road the dome a week ago (dinner train) and it was great. REALLY good prime rib (and a big portion of it too). there will be a fun train ride coming up (Sept. sometime) being called the "Wine Makers Train". appropriate wines will be served to compliment each course with things like lobster on the menu. if you're interested call the Holy Cross Abbey Winery in Canon City, or the Royal Gorge Route offices. it will be some dinner and ride. dave f.
No surprise there. :sad: Haven't heard back from my trace source. So have no idea what has been happening. :sad: Boxcab E50
there were four in the McKinley set, each named for a river. unless there were more painted in this scheme that i don't know about, it would seem this new fourth one is the last of the original set. Royal Gorge Route has kept the brass name plates in place that were installed in each of the domes, so they can be identified according to their McKinley lineage. i'll ask about it tomorrow, if i get a chance. it's only six blocks away. dave
here's a link to some history on the domes. it only talks about three. the fourth is too new to have been updated yet. hope this helps. http://www.royalgorgeroute.com/rates_dome.aspx dave f.
I finally got a pic this afternoon at N. Yard! Went over the Moffat last night and I have to work tomorrow so I won't be able to chace it down the Joint Line. I am hoping to get down to Canyon City this weekend. I am hoping that if I ask real nice they RGRR will let me on their property to get a closer shot on both sides and ends! But for now here is a pic from North Yard.
Pictures would be great! Maybe you'll be able to ask about the heritage of this car as well? Boxcab E50
i just drove in tonight from ft. collins (north of denver) and saw the B unit in the yard. there will be no problem getting pictures of it, Alaska GP49, unless they move it into the shop. but it is sitting on the end of a string of passenger cars ready to be brought inside. my guess is that if they don't bring it tomorrow, it will stay where it is all weekend. (if you want to call before you make the trip, PM me and i'll give a phone number). i'm sure they won't waste much time getting it into Royal Gorge Livery, but the running condition of the engine has to be determined first. when the GP-9 came in, they took weeks sand blasting it in preparation for paint. the cars didn't get that premium treatment, but got scrubbed with a sander. i think they'll do the a high class job on the B unit and sand blast it too, but that's only a guess. we'll just have to see. it's pretty! and it will look gorgeous once it's in the Rio Grande like livery of the Royal Gorge Route. i'll take photos of the progress. it's so neat to see the familiar livery of silver/yellow (now orange)/ black gliding up the Royal Gorge. now we'll have the A-B consist just like the original. the Rio Grande lives (in a way)! dave f.
I made a successful trip this Saturday. I got over 70 shots of the 1503. Mostly close ups for rivet counting modelers like myself. I am going to let David F have first dibs on posting pics since he lives down there and helped me out in my outing. Just a word for the people down there at the Royal Gorge RR. Very nice and very helpful. I am going to have to go down there when I have more time and ride the train. I even heard that they can help out a guy who wants pictures track side in the canyon! I might have to take them up on that!
Can't wait for both the photographs taken as well as getting donw their to ride the train again with all this new equipment. :shade: :shade: :shade: :shade:
mike, go ahead and post your pictures. i'm having a very busy week and presently don't see when/how i'm going to get pictures uploaded. you should announce here (if you want to) when if/when you arrange your trackside photo op up the royal gorge, as i would bet several others would like to join in on the event. i would certainly join you, if the timing of it worked out. yes, the royal gorge route people are good folks. a couple of them are modelers (HO -- Rio Grande). they don't discourage modelers and railfans as long as they play straight with them and honor their conditions. "rock and rail" is another local rail service that uses the gorge route. much more "proprietary" and cautious of photographers and rail fans. nice people but they have certain hazards surrounding their quarry work, that makes it more difficult for them to accomodate visitors. but you can often see their equipment from highway 50 at parkdale, or at Portland (Holcim Cement) just south of Florence. it's fun to have interesting train traffic moving through the area. dave f.
The last F-unit from Alaska comes to rest in front of the shop at the Royal Gorge RR. Both sides of the fuel tank had a simular image from someone in Alaska. Do you get it? I don't! Two former pieces of Alaska equipment bookend a RGRR GP-7. Boxcab: Here is the lastest dome recieved from the Alaska Railroad awaiting service on the Royal Gorge.
A little of topic but I thought I would post them here. Here are a few shots of the Royal Gorge power as it came into Canyon City. Royal Gorge F7 comes in Canyon city at the end of its morning run. On the other end of the train is another F7 and an SD9, right? Please correct me if I am mistaken.
nice pictures mike, yes, it's SD-9 5305, the only SD-9 on the Rio Grande roster to have it's nose chopped (after an accident). she's the real deal and i'm glad to have a real Grande loco on the route. the dome car is HALX 553 "Kashwitna" -- a Budd dome. i've been looking for history on it, but haven't found anything yet. word is the F-7b has lots of problems. may be too much to fix!!?? generator, i believe. the guys at the shop wonder if the fish fillet drawing means the engine was "cooked" and beyond repair and they knew it. my impression was that loyal ARR employees saw the departure of 1503 as the "finish" of one of their old favorites -- gone and never to return. the b unit is interesting in the re-arrangement of fans. of the four set around the exhausts: one has the winterization hatch over it, and the farthest forward of the 4-set has been replaced to the front end -- to cool the aux. generator/motor, apparantly (which is why there's another exhaust over the front). the boiler stack remains on the top of the tail end, but only vents the batteries now -- no boiler is installed. ok, that's all i know as of 8a.m. this morning. your pictures are great. you must have had fun! dave f.
