Denver & Rio Grande Western train (Narrow Gauge), engine number 464, engine type 2-8-2
Creator: Perry, Otto, 1894-1970
Date:1945
Freight, southbound, Burns Canyon, on the Rio Grande Southern; 27 cars. Photographed: near Rico, Colo., June 26, 1945.
Physical Description: 1 photonegative ; 9 x 14 cm; 1 photo print (postcard) : silver gelatin, black and white ; 8 x 13 cm
Born-Digital or Analog: Analog
Subject: Locomotives Railroads--Trains--Pictorial works--1945 Narrow gauge railroads Railroad locomotives--Colorado--Rico Denver and Rio Grande Western Railway Company Railroads, Narrow-gauge
Related Material: Image File: ZZR700008123
Type of Material: Film photo negatives Photographic postcards Silver gelatin photoprints
Original Material Found in Collection: Otto C. Perry memorial collection of railroad photographs
Notes: Title from catalog prepared by Western History Department, Denver Public Library. R7000081234
Denver Public Library Special Collection
Slide just above Rico hastens the end of RGS
By Rob Carrigan, robcarrigan1@gmail.com
I always had a lot of respect for slides after seeing a little one in
Burns Canyon (also near Rico) run one time, and witnessing the damage
that a slide was capable in several locations on the Upper Dolores.
But avalanche caution was sort of institutionalized in San Juans. It definitely helped hasten the end of the Rio Grande Southern Railroad.
But avalanche caution was sort of institutionalized in San Juans. It definitely helped hasten the end of the Rio Grande Southern Railroad.
Click on photos to view larger.
#1) Rio Grande Southern Railroad track removal near Burns Canyon
(above Dolores, Colo.
Date:1952
Notes:Near Mile Post 63. A crew apparently is working on removing the first section of track at the lowest washout of track above Dolores when the Rio Grande Southern was being abandoned and scrapped.
# 2) Rio Grande Southern Railroad tracks covered by snow near Burns Canyon Date/circa: 1950/1951Photographer:Chione, Alfred G. (Morton, Ill.)Subjects:Rio Grande Southern Railroad
Burns Canyon (Colo.)Notes: Near Mile Post 63. Probably south/lower end of Burns Canyon, near Rico. "That slide was notorious for closing the railroad there. Since it was not plowed, I'd figure it was in 1950 or 1951 since by this time they [had] lost the ability to fight the deep snows." [Source of quote: Robert Herrone, email 3/27/07.]
#3) "Appears to be Burns Canyon near Coke Ovens above Rico." [Source of quote: Robert Herrone, email 3/27/07.] A man is standing at the end of the visible track.
Rio Grande Southern Railroad track removal near Burns Canyon: (above Dolores, Rico, Colo.)
 | |||
Near Mile Post 63: A crew apparently is working on removing the first section of track at the lowest
washout of track above Dolores when the Rio
Grande Southern was being abandoned and scrapped. The location
apparently is Burns Canyon, a narrow rocky area just south of bridge
64-A, which both the track and the Dolores River twisted through
on an S curve. According to Robert Herronen (analyst, UNCG MIS
department; builder, Rio Grande Southern R.R. of N.C.; and alumnus, Fort
Lewis College, 1993), who supplied this info via emails on 3/26 and
3/28/2007, "The RGS received word from the courts that it could be
abandoned April 24, 1952. The RGS began to dismantle the trackage
starting in May of 1952, it appears.
"Scrapping was done June 17, 1953." He believes this view is"around
milepost 70. Below MP. 70, there are photos of Goose 7 scrapping the
tracks. So it was a section that they could not use the steam train to
scrap the railroad. That would explain why they were scrapping up the
side of Lizard Head pass by October. They had Rico to scrap (at MP 66.2)
and by October two outfit cars had run away and were left where they
ran off the tracks at Coke Ovens (at MP 60.49)."
He explained, "The other sections between the washouts were removed
using the Galloping Geese engines with their box bodies removed. [That
way, the work crews] could truck them around the washouts and tear up
the track between the washed out tracks.
They used the K-27 class locomotive #461 with a winch mounted on the
tender to pull the rails up onto the flat car as they went along (the
winch was not installed by the time the time these photos were taken.) "
(above Dolores, Colo. (actually Rico)
Date/circa: 1952/1953
Photographer Notes: Near Mile Post 63. A crew apparently is working on removing the first section of track at the lowest washout of track above Dolores when the Rio Grande Southern was being abandoned and scrapped. The location apparently is Burns Canyon, a narrow rocky area just south of bridge 64-A, which both the track and the Dolores River twisted through on an S curve. According to Robert Herronen (analyst, UNCG MIS department; builder, Rio Grande Southern R.R. of N.C.; and alumnus, Fort Lewis College, 1993), who supplied this info via emails on 3/26 and 3/28/2007, "The RGS received word from the courts that it could be abandoned April 24th, 1952. The RGS began to dismantle the trackage starting in May of 1952 it appears. Scrapping was done June 17, 1953." He believes this view is "around milepost 70. Below MP. 70, there are photos of Goose 7 scrapping the tracks. So it was a section that they could not use the steam train to scrap the railroad. That would explain why they were scrapping up the side of Lizard Head pass by October. They had Rico to scrap (at MP 66.2) and by October two outfit cars had run away and were left where they ran off the tracks at Coke Ovens (at MP 60.49)."
He explained, "The other sections between the washouts were removed using the Galloping Geese engines with their box bodies removed. [That way, the work crews] could truck them around the washouts and tear up the track between the washed out tracks. They used the K-27 class locomotive #461 with a winch mounted on the tender to pull the rails up onto the flat car as they went along (the winch was not installed by the time the time these photos were taken.)"
___ Center of Southwest Studies,Fort Lewis College.
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