Re: Dual gauge question

Hi,

My Guess:

The original narrow gauge Denver to Ogden line was built without thought to dual gauge. When dual gauge was built starting from Denver, it was continuous down the front range and into the mountains to both Leadville and Alamosa.Narrow gauge continued over Tennessee Pass down to Rifle (IIRC) where the SG overtook the NG to complete the dual gauge line to Grand Junction. Interesting to note that the C&S dual gauge in Denver was opposite the D&RGW dual gauge.

The narrow gauge line from Salt Lake City to Grand Junction was set by conditions in Utah.

When the Rio Grande Junction (IIRC) connected the SG line from Rifle to Grand Junction the narrow gauge yards had to be dual gauged. I think the mainline west to Utah was still NG but being readied for conversion. The happenstance of dual gauge in Grande Junction may have been thought out or arbitrarily set as to where the common rail was set. The dual gauging of the ng lines from Grande Junction to Montrose was based on the set up chosen for Grand Junction which happened to be opposite from Denver.

Did Utah's common rail have any affect on the Grande Junction dual gauge - I do not know.

Choose you poison.

Doug vV

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