Musings of the Railroad as a small child. in Tales of the Jointed Track

I look back on my childhood, and the D&RGW, (Denver and Rio Grande Western) or the Rio Grande. It was been called the “Grande”, or pronounced the “wry-O-Grande”

My grandparents lived off of 67th and Oberon Road, in Arvada, CO, back in the early days. Or at least my early days. The original property has been since sold etc, and nothing looks the same. It’s all good.

Going over to Grandma and Grandpa’s was always good. Trains, and when one was coming downgrade or climbing it, it was something that I would relish.

The smells of the train braking down the grade, oil, grease, hot wheels. I got that smell when I worked the rails for 40 years. GP-7’s and 9’s, F-7 and 9’s, the SD-7’s and 9’s were the staples of the Rio Grande roster. There were always 4 to 6 units on the head end, and if heavy, a two unit helper shoving the rear. Roots blown 567 diesels straining up the grade. The hollow growl as they passed. Then, another sound, as the helpers were leaning against the caboose.

old A-B set of F-9’s in Pueblo, CO

An older SD-7 road locomotive

What color was the caboose going to be? Red you might think. The Rio Grande had two color schemes. A solid black, and a Gold and Silver livery. When it was cold, the smell of coal smoke in the air as the caboose passed. They had the old style stoves on the older cabooses. I remember, in my early engine service career, with the Santa Fe, meeting the Rio Grande freights, and smelling the caboose stove in the air as they passed.

the two pictures are examples of RIO GRANDE (D&RGW) cabooses, both the older
ones, as well as the “newer” centered cupola
Passenger trains:

The “California Zephyrs” were the flagships during this era. The CB&Q ( Chicago Burlington & Quincy), D&RGW and the WP (Western Pacific) at that time were the major players. The Rio Grande leg was Denver, CO to Ogden, UT, where it was given to the WP, for San Francisco. The CB&Q gave and received the Zephyr at Denver. They took it to Chicago.

The California Zephyr en route to Salt Lake. Looks like it is near Byers Canyon

The eastbound Prospector dropping down from Plainview, CO. Train is about 30 to 40 minutes from Denver

There was the “Prospector”, that advanced out of Denver about 30 minutes ahead of the California Zephyr. It too was the exclusive “Overnight’ from Denver to Salt Lake City. The eastbound Prospector, came into Denver, about 830 am from Salt Lake. I never saw that one.

The scenario was at the grandparents a good evening. Although this unfolded 24 / 7 each day, I was privy to see it and still remember.

What makes this stick out in my mind, was the back lit coaches as the train went by in the darkness. Between 645 and 700 pm the Westbound Pospector flew by and will meet the Eastbound California Zephyr at Rocky. Fifteen minutes later, the Westbound California Zephyr blasts by with 5 FP-9’s and 24 coaches. They will meet the eastbound at Leyden siding, about 4 miles up the road. The block signal located near the Kipling St road crossing is “Flashing Yellow”.

At 720 pm, the Eastbound Zephyr, drops down, making the final descent into Denver. The coaches are aglow, in the darkness, as they round the sweeping right hand curve. The red marker light and the lit up “drumhead with California Zephyr” fade into the night, with the light wisp of steam from the steam generator.

Last updated February 22, 2015