Found this item in the news here in Denver. http://www.9news.com/acm_news.aspx?OSGNAME=KUSA&IKOBJECTID=7399bc50-0abe-421a-0189-a131d4a12739&TEMPLATEID=0c76dce6-ac1f-02d8-0047-c589c01ca7bf One wonders how Eric feels about this, since it's right outside his window.
Geeky- This is a situation that has me puzzled. If I understand correctly, the current operator owns much of the equipment? And will take the stuff when they depart? So what will a new operator bring in, that can decently replace these items? Interesting subject. But as it's not quite N Scale, I'm going to move this topic over to the Railfanning Forum. Please post anything further that you find! Thanks! Boxcab E50
I'm heading up there this weekend and I will see what I learn plus I plan on taking a ton of Video & Photos so you will be seeing those in my RailImages gallery soon! If I hear any details about the new operation while I'm there I will let you know here as well.
Hey Darren, please let me know anything you find out. Me and the missus are planning an outing in the next few weeks...
If you want to see a really off the beaten track site... Go to silver plume as if you are going to the loop upper station, only instead of pulling into the station just follow the little gravel road past it till the end not too far up the line. This will lead you to the old grave yard. this is a great place for a picnic. Just remember to treat this place with reverence as it is a grave yard and humans remains are interred there. It is a very historical place. Lots can be learned about who lived there. I was very surprised to see a huge Italian immigrant contingent buried there. I imagine those boom towns had small ghetto's where you heard all kinds of different languages depending on what group had settled in what town. If you walk down hill N,E from the grave yard, You can get track side and watch the Narrow guage engine roll by. There are also some parked engine frames and such down there.
Eric aka Colorado50 lives right near there so he is the guy to ask about this. I had no idea the railroad was having problems till we met up for drinks and train talk a while back, but since it's his own hometown politics he had the whole scoop. The new folks who will operate it must have some narrow gauge stuff stashed somewhere, though I have no idea what.
Well, it should be very interesting to see how the railroad will tranform next year. I'm not sure how Railstar will equip the line because the owners of Georgetown Loop are taking their all of their equipment when they leave. From what I understand, they own all of the rolling stock and locomotives. If Railstar is going to bring in some of their eastern NG eqipment, I don't think it will look right on the Loop and I don't know how it will perform at the altitude since they weren't built to operate at 9000 ft. on a 4% grade. Railstar will also have to deal with the local town officals who can be a bear sometimes (okay, a lot of the time ). I did a search of Railstar and found that they operate a line in Maine. I think they may have other lines but I couldn't find any. The line in Maine, The Belfast and Mooshead RR , appears to be standard gauge. So they do have some tourist railraod experience. However, the Colorado Historical Society wants original Colorado NG equipment to run on the rails. Railstar doen't have any right now and I don't know if any is availible for rebuild. I found an articlce on-line saying that Railstar also manufatures reproductions of historical equipment( article ). I still don't think that they could get one built before next year. I also looked at their schedule of events. They do some pretty cool stuff like a pumpkin patch trip, a Santa train, a mystery train, and a few others. I think stuff like that could be a big hit in Georgetown. My mother-in-law the neighbor of the current Loop operation offices. The family that ownes the Loop told her that they were thinking of putting in a third rail on their Royal Gorge Route and running their equpment on that line in conjunction with their stand gauge equipment. Dual gauge may live again I am sad to see the current operator leave as I think thay have done a great job over the years. I will be interested to see if Railstar will be able to survive. Eric
If you have any more tips on where to get some good video & stills of the train running let me know by tonight.
would it be possible for the Loop to lease a couple locomotives from the Cumbres & Toltec, or from the Durango & Silverton? They're narrow guage too, but I haven't a clue if they'd work. Just something to get them on their feet and so they can get their own equipment.
They use what works and moving these engines is a HUGE doing with massive costs as well as risk that I don't think they would consider. Owners have "swapped" equipment in the past so only time will tell on what equipment will run there if this goes through.
A good place to go to get some good pics is above the parking lot of the Georgetown depot. Once you park just head up the hill. You have to cross the tracks and then you should see an old road. Ask the folks at the depot before going up there as it is private property. The old road leads to an abandoned house. I always thought it would be cool for the RR to host a Halloween train and incorporate the old house into it. It could be really spooky. Another good place to get some good footage is at the base of the bike path just to the east of the Silverplume depot as it lead to Georgetown. All along the bike path you can get some footage if you have a descent zoom. If you don't want to walk or ride the path, you can stop at the scenic overlook between Silverplume and Georgetown. You can get some good views there also. One other thing I thought of regarding any locomotive they bring in. They will need to be oil burners. The sheriff up here put a fire ban into effect about four years ago and it still remains in effect. He will probably lift it sometime this winter because of all the moisture we've gotten recently. I don't know if he would have allowed the trains to run if they weren't oil burners. But because we live in an area that cycles into droughts, an oil burner would reduce the probability of a fire sparked by the train. This is a real problem - just ask the Cumbres and Toltec folks. Eric
Road the train yesterday with #12 doing the honors. I also found the "old grave yard" (Very neat place!) as well as the road to overlook down on the line. Great Tip x2!!!!!!! Plan to do more video & stills today since they plan to run #40 #14 was sitting in the shop Not much news. One side saying this is the last year of operation while the other is making claims they will be open in 2005. Will start sharing my stills and some video clip images in the coming days.
I'm back! Have a ton of video and stills to share in the Railfan Photos section soon but here is a quick example of what is to come. Shay Engine #12
Does GLRR, Inc, retain ownership of the equipment? So it could be utilized again elsewhere? Boxcab E50
They at least own the Engines and they have been talking about opening up some new operations elsewhere within Colorado but if I read this right they will be at least moved to Golden for now. Here too are some of my photos that I have in RailImages from the final days.
