Re: Railfan Trip Advice

There's the Rio Grande Scenic Railroad, Alamosa - La Veta, broad gauge, though... Right down the "street" from the C&TS.

You could then head north out of La Veta to Canon City and take the Royal Gorge Dinner train out of Colorado Springs and check out the scenery and the bridge in the Gorge.

Then take the Phantom Canyon road from Canon City to Cripple Creek/Victor, following the old roadbed of the Florence and Cripple Creek, over the old railroad trestles and through the old tunnels. It's a county road, doesn't require 4WD at all, you can do it in any passenger car.

Then ride the Cripple Creek and Victor Narrow Gauge - great bargain for the trip, only $14.

Take US285 north, along the old roadbed of the C&S, see Park City, stop at Como and see the old Roundhouse, and then hit Tiny Town. Miniature trains, but they're narrow gauge AND live steam.

Or head over Boreas Pass to see the Forest Service's "interpretive display" at the crest. No 4WD required. Then there's the old C&S rotary and C&S#9 at Breckenridge...

Take I70 west for an hour, ride over the Devil's Canyon Bridge on the Georgetown Loop.

Head down US24 and ride the Leadville, Colorado, and Southern, highest broad gauge railroad in the US.

Come back down I70, take either US40 to the West Portal of the Moffat, or, if you're feeling more adventurous, go up the old roadbed over Corona Pass to the old site of the town of Corona. No 4WD required to Corona. 4WD DEFINITELY required up the old Needle's Eye tunnel.

Or, head over the the East Side of the tunnel and watch the UP battle the grade the Rio Grande and Moffat Road did a century before them. Nothing like seeing 8 live units on the point and 4 in the rear. If you have a 4WD or a rental car, head up Rollins Pass to Yankee Doodle Lake. This early in the year, you probably won't get any further without a rotary snow plow.

Head down to Central City/Blackhawk, and then over to Idaho Springs to see the C&S equipment scattered around, including #60 at Idaho Springs.

That puts you right above Golden, and the Colorado Railroad museum. You also probably don't want to miss the Forney Transportation Museum, with Big Boy 4005 stuffed and mounted.

Robert



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 06/28/2015 10:11PM by rdamurphy.