Re: Rio Grande construction

The D&RG had plans to standard gauge the Marshall Pass line and Crested Butte branch in the WWI era. A severe traffic problem developed on the D&RG Soldier Summit line that was delaying war materials. The D&RG BOD diverted the $$$ for the Marshall Pass standard gauge to rebuild the Solider Summit line. The Marshall Pass and Crested Butte lines were the major traffic on the D&RG narrow gauge until the end of WWII. The plans included a tunnel under Marshall Pass. Source: Salida, Gunnison, and Salt Lake newspapers.

Even earlier, when the D&RG built the valley line from Villa Grove to Alamosa in 1890, serious consideration was given to building it standard gauge and standard gauging the Poncha Pass line and Orient branch.