We are proud to announce the return of Galloping Goose No. 5 to the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad for five days of operations. Photo: Matt Hutson The Goose is scheduled to arrive in Chama on June 7 and will be set on the rail. Over the next five days, the Goose will make various runs to Antonito, Osier, and Cumbres. Reservations must be made through the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad office at 1-888-CUMBRES (1-888-286-2737). June 8 Chama to Antonito with bus return $87.75 June 9 Antonito-Osier roundtrip $67.75 June 10 Antonito to Chama with bus return $87.75 June 11 Chama-Osier roundtrip $67.75 June 12 MorningChama-Cumbres roundtrip $45.00 June 12 Afternoon Chama-Cumbres roundtrip $45.00 All trips except the June 12 Chama-Cumbres turns include lunch at Osier. Tickets are only available by calling the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad at 1-888-286-2737. Tickets are not being sold on the web site. The Goose brings a colorful history from the Rio Grande Southern Railroad. Originally built as a railcar in 1929, by 1933 a Galloping Goose was used for all regular RGS passenger runs, from Ridgeway to Telluride, to Dolores, to Durango, as well as carrying freight and mail for the United States Postal Service. The Rio Grande Southern lost its profitable mail contract in 1950, and the freight boxes were converted to passenger bodies, hoping to attract tourists and rail fans. The RGS officially adopted the name "Galloping Goose" for its railcar in 1950. The flock of Geese is located throughout the West, including 3 units at the Colorado Railroad Museum, one at Knott’s Berry Farm, one at Telluride, and Goose No. 5 in Dolores, Colorado.
Some day I have to ride that thing. I watched the guys who rode it back the first time it rode the C&T after it was restored on June 3, 1998. The grin on their faces was ear to ear. Here the C&T train is passing it on a siding at Los Piños.
Wow... Too bad we cannot railfan it over Lizard Head Pass or any of the old narrow gauge holdouts that were torn up on the 40/50's.. I am half a country from there--someone please get pics!
SEVEN (7) And all but one I believe still survive and for the one lost a reproduction has been created by Kark Schaeffer, for the Ridgeay Railroad Museum (#1). http://www.gallopinggoose.org/ :shade: :shade: :shade: :shade:
