Re: Is This The First Common Carrier Narrow Gauge Rail In North America?

There is a difference between incorporation date, and first operating date.... sometimes a significant difference. In many cases the incorporation date is the "start raising capital to build"

Pittsburg and Castle Shannon first ran trains as a common carrier 11/1/1871, having been organized 9/1/1871, taking over an earlier private coal carrying railroad.

According to Ahern, the passenger train on the D&RG was run from Denver to Colorado Springs on Oct 28 1871...

So it looks like the D&RG beat Castle Shannon by a couple of days...

Randy Hees

Director, Nevada State Railroad Museum, Boulder City, retired
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