Morrison's railroad history and re-laid track

 Back in 2024 Morrison, the first major DSP&P destination, celebrated its sesquicentennial. A video of the celebration does a wonderful job of telling the town's history. In particular, it honors the South Park Line and you'll see railroad history throughout the video (There's even a man impersonating David Moffat). Check out the 10:38 mark and you'll see some more railroad history as well as a shot of the restored track in town that was dedicated that day.

Interpretive Signs at Alpine Tunnel

 I just found an old video by the organization that installed the excellent interpretive signs from Quartz to the West Portal of Alpine Tunnel. They mention their work there briefly in the video. 

The work was dedicated in the spring of 2013.

The group's name was the Interpretive Association of Western Colorado. Unfortunately, it seems the group is no longer around, or at least its website is no longer functioning.

C&S refrigerator car and boxcar at Magic Mountain 1959

 In 1959 Magic Mountain opened in Colorado. It was a theme park styled after the stunningly successful new Disneyland. In keeping with Disneyland's design they constructed a narrow gauge train ride. To get narrow gauge rolling stock the park reached out to Bob Richardson who was in the process of moving equipment from the original Narrow Gauge Museum in Alamosa to the new Colorado Railroad Museum in Golden.

In a heartbreaking but financially prudent move  to raise money for the fledgling museum’s new building,   the museum sold two of its C&S cars, refrigerator 1116 and boxcar 8308, to Magic Mountain along with Rio Grande Southern engine 42, D&RGW high side gondola 1187,  and RGS caboose 0409  for use on the tourist-hauling park train. 

In the video below you can see glimpses of this train starting at 1:31.

The pocket book was tight and unfortunately these pieces of C&S lore filled the needy coffers.  Still, Bob appreciated  that the cars were given a chance to do what they were designed to do: haul cargo on steel rails, albeit human cargo this time.  To do this, though, unlike the RGS engine, the cars lost most of their historic appearance and design in the process of being turned into smaltzy open-air theme park pieces.   Much of the two C&S cars’ half-century old character was destroyed as everything but their frames and running gear were ripped out and discarded, only to be replaced by seats and rider car shells. 

Sadly, Magic Mountain closed up in less than a year. The cars moved around many times, even becoming part of a restaurant at the site. 

Today, 1116 still operates on the Georgetown Loop. 8308's frame and trucks are at the Colorado Railroad Museum.

Saving the Alpine Tunnel Historic District in 1994

 In April of 1994 Ray Rossman, East Zone Heritage Resource Manager for the U.S. Forest Service in Gunnison, filled out an important document that helped set in motion the tremendous restoration and historical work done to the Alpine Tunnel district.  That document was the "National Register of Historic Places Registration Form."  It was "for use in nominating or requesting determination for individual properties and districts."  I discovered this form online here.

In the form, Rossman names the stretch "along DSP&P railbed from Quartz to Hancock" as the "Alpine Tunnel Historic District."  The area is spelled out more specifically later as
"from the bridge crossing Chalk Creek at the Hancock townsite to the intersection of the railbed with the Cumberland Pass Wagon Road within the townsite of Quartz."  Also, "The boundary runs 100 feet on either side of the railbed centerline for approximately 13.8 miles.  Three hundred feet of the former Atlantic rail spur northwest of the east portal.  The district also includes the historic trail over Altman Pass."

The form is quite extensive, including a narrative description, a map, topographical details, a list of contributing and noncontributing structures and sites, a statement of historical, engineering, transportation, and informational significance, geographical data, present property owners along the route, and a photograph log (with accompanying photos).

It is an interest document to peruse.  I include below a few interesting excerpts with a few notable points in bold:

Alpine Tunnel station/telegraph office

The Mile-Hi Jeep Club recently restored the [Alpine Tunnel telegraph office] and removed the extension. The only deviation from the original construction is the replacement of the tar paper roof with steel roofing material. The building retains its historic integrity, is the best preserved structure at the station complex, and is a contributing building in the district.

Outhouse

"A two-hole outhouse/privy is located 35 feet west of the boarding house. The building has partially fallen over. This was the second outhouse constructed. Photographic evidence suggests the original structure was located directly west of the front entrance of the engine house."

The Storage Cellar

"A covered storage cellar is located 20 feet south of the boarding house. Entrance was gained though a covered walkway that extended from the front porch of the boarding house. Today the structure has lost its metal roof and the stone walls are leaning inward."

The Coaling Platform

"Forty feet south of the cellar are the standing timbers of a 16'x 32' coaling platform. Coated by creosote, the structure has remained in good condition. The eastern side has shown the most deterioration. The structure contributes to the district."

Future Plans (includes rebuilding the boarding house!)

"Future management plans for the Alpine Tunnel Station complex calls for the restoration of the coaling platform, outhouse and storage cellar. The ultimate goal calls for the restoration of the facility to its 1910 configuration including the rebuilding of the two story wooden boarding house."

Tunnel Gulch Water Tank

About a half mile downgrade a new water tank, the Tunnel Gulch water tank, was built after the avalanche. The Tunnel Gulch water tank. This structure was stabilized and restored by the Mile High Jeep Club. The tank is one of the best examples of the typical water tanks used along the South Park rail system. The structure contributes to the district."

The Tunnel Interior

"The interior, though not easily accessible, remains in moderately good condition. There are two minor rock falls and a major tunnel collapse within the tunnel. The most significant is a 300-350 foot section which collapsed and completely sealed off the eastern portal. The western portal, faced with locally quarried hand-cut granite stones, has been covered by talus debris and has suffered only minor damage. Several support beams throughout the tunnel have also collapsed. In addition, a white mold covers some of the interior redwood timbers. The original rails and ties extend the length of the tunnel. These rails represent the only portion of the entire DSP&P rail system that remains intact. Water covers a portion of the railbed at both ends where the tunnel is sealed off. The snowsheds that protected both portals have totally collapsed and decayed. The east portal was constructed directly into solid granite and required no external facing. The tunnel is a contributing structure in the district."

The Stone Section House

"The stone section house was an "L" shaped structure built in 1881. It functioned as the original boarding house for the assigned complex crew members. The initial construction measured 55'x 30' and had a 25'x 16' addition added to the northeast corner prior to 1896. The corner, window, door and sill stones are of native hand-cut granite. The walls were constructed with random sized native stone material. Based upon photo evidence this facility was abandoned by 1896. Today only foundations and segments of the lower walls remain visible."


More gems can be found throughout the document.

Curiously, there is a stamp on this document stating that it was received in 1996.  That is a roughly two-year gap between when Rossman completed it and it was received.  I'm not sure why this is.

Also, here is an interesting photo of a culvert in the form that I didn't know about.

Happy Easter! Born Again on the C&S

 In 1972, the song that would later become one of the state songs of Colorado, hit the airwaves. John Denver’s “Rocky Mountain High” was a biographical tune containing the lines, “He left yesterday behind him; you might say he was born again.”

Denver’s reference to “born again” was a tip of the hat to what came to be called the Jesus Movement, a generation of young, often long-haired hippies who eschewed both the sex and drugs culture of the 60s and 70s as well as the stodgy nominal church life of many of their parents. Instead, they discovered that to follow Jesus was a radical new life, akin to begin “born again,” a phrase Jesus Himself used when he explained to a seeker that eternal life is life that begins not in Heaven, but now, at the point of following Him.

On this Easter Sunday, when many of us celebrate that Jesus conquered death, making a way for us to be “born again,” it is a delight to see a symbol of this new life in a tiny railroad that has been experiencing many rebirths lately. It might be a stretch to call it a symbol, but I’d like to believe the Lord looks kindly on a our meager attempts to resurrect that which was lost.

One can't think of the C&S these days without considering the resurrection in Como. The Como depot, as just one example, was long dead not that long ago. The only thing left was to finally fall over in one of those characteristic South Park winds. 

But death was not the end-of-the-line for the depot. 

I took this photo in 2004 (with a superimposed image of a train at the same location in operation days). I never would have believed that this historic station would rise again. 

But here it is. Alive again. A foretaste of the Day when He will make all things new.

Happy Easter! He is risen!

I made the following video in 2018, so much, much more resurrection has happened since then, but it's still a great testimony to the hard work of the DSP&P Historical Society and the South Park Rail Society (and all the countless volunteers)

Check out my book Colorado & Southern Narrow Gauge Revival. 

Discovered! The end-of-track after Alpine Tunnel dismantling

 I've always wanted to find the spot where the rails left behind after the 1923/1924 dismantling work stopped. Using Google Earth I was able to pinpoint the spot.

I matched up the below screenshot from Google Earth with one of the photos of the end-of-track and then placed a pin on the DSP&P overlay on Google Earth. I was particularly trying to line up both a turn to the right of the roadbed, a rocky embankment on the right, and a similar background of the mountain contour and trees.

June 24, 1956 R.H. Kindig photo from Tom & Denise Klinger's Gunnison Memories and Then Some

While there is one more right turn (just before the track would straighten out for the Alpine Tunnel station complex), the mountains look a bit too close when viewed on Google Earth. It also doesn't seem to match the rocky bank on the right as well as the spot I chose.

Check out my book Colorado & Southern Narrow Gauge Revival. 

First rail removal near Alpine Tunnel station in 1940

It appears that the first removal of rail from the remaining mile from the east portal to some point down the western slope took place in 1940 and it included rail (at least) running between the engine house and stone section house ruins and the depot and two-story section house. 

First, it is clear that rail was present at this location in 1939, roughly 16 years after the Quartz to Hancock section was officially scrapped, as seen in the 3 photos below. 

1939

Aug. 6, 1939 R.H. Kindig - James Ehernberger Collection-Gunnison Memories

June 1939 Donald E. A. Rogers

June 1939 Donald E.A. Rogers

Undated (possibly June 1939)

D.E. Rogers Mineral Belt 2 - Undated, but judging on the 
fact that the photographer took the photo above this one at
Alpine Tunnel in June 1939, my guess is it is the same date.
Also, the Alpine Tunnel station signs were removed on Aug. 6, 1939. 
This photo shows them still in place.

The next 2 photos are telling. The first (A), from June of 1940 shows the mainline and passing track still in place between the station and engine house. 

1940

PHOTO A: June 1940 Richard Kindig Mineral Belt 2

This next photo (B) is also dated as 1940, but the rail seems to be freshly removed as demonstrated by the discoloration on the ties. The photo does not have a month listed, so it appears that all we know is that sometime after June of 1940 some (not all, as upcoming posts will show) rail was removed in the vicinity of the Alpine Tunnel station complex.

PHOTO B: 1940 John W. Maxwell The South Park Line

The tricky part is-->these 2 photos show slightly different locations. It's possible that the rails are gone at the left of the June 1940 photo (A), but not in front of the section house and depot. It is also possible that the rails are in place beyond the viewpoint of the photographer in the (B)1940 shot. 

I can't verify either theory as the next photo I have of the area in front of the depot is dated "Mid-1950s" which shows rail gone at that spot. I'm assuming that photo (B) shows rail gone all the way past the section house and depot. 

I have no knowledge yet of who removed the rail, for what purpose, and why (as we will see in upcoming posts) there was still much rail left in place east toward the tunnel and outdoor turntable as well as west down the mountain grade.

Check out my book Colorado & Southern Narrow Gauge Revival. 

A gallery of rail removal at Alpine Tunnel 1939-1960

About a mile of DSP&P/C&S trackage was left in place after the 1923/1924 scrapping of the Alpine Tunnel line between Quartz and Hancock. This included track inside the tunnel and west a bit downgrade beyond the Alpine Tunnel facilities. I am trying to piece together when the tracks were removed. This seems to have been done in different segments and not all in order.

Below is a collection of photos showing the progression. I hope to analyze what can be determined from the photos. Keep a look out for future posts where I will identify locations and observations of these images. If anyone knows more or can provide other photographs, please chime in. I'm eager to learn.

1939

Aug. 6, 1939 R.H. Kindig - James Ehernberger Collection-Gunnison Memories

June 1939 Donald E. A. Rogers

June 1939 Donald E.A. Rogers

Undated (possibly June 1939)

D.E. Rogers Mineral Belt 2

1940

June 1940 Richard Kindig Mineral Belt 2

1940 John W. Maxwell The South Park Line

 1948

Les Logue, Everett Rohrer and Irv August (left to right) are shown cutting rail at the approach to the Alpine Tunnel Station, October 2, 1948. (Ed Haley Photograph) Feb. 1991 Rocky Mountain Rail Report

1949

July 19, 1949

1953

Richard Kindig 1953

Richard Kindig 1953

Richard Kindig 1953

Mid-1950s (correct?)

Neal Miller, Author's collection

1955

Aug 13 1955 Art Wallace - 2002 The Bogies & the Loop

1956

Bob Richardson RR-1275 Denver Public Library

1950s

Al Chione, 1950s? Ted Weise collection

1956

R.H. Kindig - James Ehernberger collection - Gunnison Memories

1957

Sept. 1957 Ed Haley Mineral Belt 2

Sept. 1957 Ed Haley Mineral Belt 2

1958 

June 29, 1958 Lew Schneider

June 29, 1958 Lew Schneider

June 29, 1958 Lew Schneider

Mid-1950s (correct?)

Neal Miller Gunnison Memories

Mid-1950s Neal Miller-Author's collection

Mid-1950s Neal Miller Gunnison Memories

1960

“Until mid-summer of 1960 the ensuing three miles of grade was impassable to truck or jeep.  Huge granite boulders and rock slides had blocked the way, filling cuts and narrowing the passage.  In the summer of 1960, Gunnison County sent a “Cat” to clear the way to Alpine.  The road could hardly be designated as a Freeway, but it is easily passable for Jeeps and trucks.  The grade, of course, is not steep, the problem being to have sufficient clearance under the vehicle to avoid damage from rocks.” Historic Alpine Tunnel by Dow Helmers p. 96 

Unknown dates

Check out my book Colorado & Southern Narrow Gauge Revival. 

Bucking snow on the South Park Line, 2019 style

Leadville, CO on a snowy February 22. 1934. Otto Perry photo of C&S 76, 73, & 75
Denver Public Library Special Collections, OP-6132

One of the many reasons that narrow gauge railroading holds so much fascination is its struggle with the natural elements. Engineering required to traverse the Rocky Mountains is a marvel in itself, but a close second is fighting the powerful dragon known as snow.

One part of the old South Park Line that fought snow in the narrow gauge days was the line to Leadville. The segment from Leadville to Climax lives on as a standard gauge tourist pike called the Leadville, Colorado & Southern. Below are two clips of a LC&S diesel doing what its old narrow gauge relatives did a century ago: buck snow.

Other surviving C&Sng depots

Via various discussion forums and video comments, these C&S narrow gauge depots are also still in existence (besides the ones in the video from my last post). Does anyone have any more information on any of these in terms of their present status beyond what is below?

Estabrook

Keystone: Now used for Keystone Stables

Empire Junction (Presently a residence. At least since the 1970's, it has been a residence, a car repair shop, and a cabin over the years. Someone recently told me that it is in good condition).

Alma (I think part of it remains but in very bad shape)

Dome Rock (This is one of those "I heard it somewhere" things)

Central City: Definitely still there, but buried for a long time under mine tailings (now with a parking lot on top)

Combined Glenisle/Grousmont wait stations in Bailey at Helen McGraw Tatum Memorial Park

Fairplay Depot (not the fake one on Main Street)

Cassells wait station on the grounds of Camp Santa Maria

Below shows what I think to be the Empire Junction depot (the center building of the three shown) on Google Earth.

The line running across the screen is an estimation of the old C&S roadbed. 

Surviving C&Sng Depots (video)

I was recently reflecting on how many C&S narrow gauge depots are still in existence and put together a video with a look at each. Since I've posted the video, several people have pointed out other C&Sng depots that are still around, so it looks like I'll need to get a part 2 out sometime!

C&S book review in the Como Headlight

I'm very appreciative of Steve Thompson, Director of the South Park Rail Society, for his review of my book Colorado & Southern Narrow Gauge Revival in the Winter 2026 Como Headlight publication. I think he captured very well what I was hoping to accomplish in the book both topically and stylistically.

When I first set out to write this book, a good friend and talented writer Brice Bunner, helped me see the potential of bringing a narrative style to a history book. I was also inspired by the style of Bill O'Reilly's history books that read like novels. I've enjoyed hearing from readers who have enjoyed the approach along with learning the back-stories of Clear Creek C&S restorations.

C&S Narrow Gauge Revival is available at:

Colorado & Southern Narrow Gauge Revival is now available to order at

South Platte Press 

Rons Books 

South Park Line Book 

N Scale Supply 

Two Crossings: Walt Disney and the C&Sng, part 2

The second connection between Walt Disney and the C&S narrow gauge is less direct. Disneyland’s dramatic success after its opening in 1955 spawned numerous copycat parks across the country. One such park was Magic Mountain constructed in Golden, Colorado. It too was designed as a mock-up town with a narrow gauge railroad ride. The owners sought out equipment from Bob Richardson whose Narrow Gauge Museum had recently relocated from Alamosa to Golden and been rechristened the Colorado Railroad Museum. Richardson, and his new partner Cornelius Hauck, were in need of funds to construct their new property and so decided to sell several pieces of narrow gauge equipment to the park in 1959, including C&S refrigerator car 1116 and boxcar 8308, along with a Rio Grande gondola, Rio Grande Southern caboose, and RGS engine 42. Both C&S cars had gone to the RGS in 1938. Bob had acquired them for his museum upon the abandonment of that railroad.

The Magic Mountain train, 1959 Otto Perry photo, Denver Public Library Special Collections OP-12571

The Magic Mountain story is a sad one. First the park tore the two C&S cars down to the frames and constructed open-air rider tops on them. Next, the park declared bankruptcy less than a year after its opening. The cars were then moved around with the rest of the train for display at various spots in Colorado and finally returned to the park, now reopened as a largely shopping-focused attraction called Heritage Square, and used for stationary food-service (first, one could eat inside the cars, and later they were converted to walk-up food stands). 

1116 or 8303 as a foodstand being moved to the Loop
Stephen Peck photo

In the early 1990s, the Ashbys of the Georgetown Loop, a reconstructed C&S engineering marvel, purchased both cars in order to return them to rail service on the tourist line. Loop crews completed 1116’s restoration, but not 8308’s. Following a change of operator on the line in 2004 the two spent time at the Colorado Railroad Museum (returning to CRM after nearly a half century of absence), but 1116 later returned to the Loop and is today the only piece of Colorado & Southern narrow gauge equipment in regular revenue service.

C&S refrigerator car 1116 on the Georgetown Loop today

C&S 8308 remains at CRM as a flatcar with the body of C&S boxcar 8310 sitting on top of it.

8308 at CRM today with the body of 8310 on top

The worth of this second Disney-C&S connection is a bit debatable. C&S 1116 and 8308 were both already saved by Richardson and their time at Magic Mountain destroyed most of the cars’ bodies. Had they stayed at CRM they would have remained historically sound. It is what is, but we at least have the pleasure today of being able to ride on one C&S car at the Loop. 

On the other hand, it is fun to note that Walt Disney can tip his hat, at least partially (ok, very very partially), to the C&S narrow gauge-as presented at the Chicago RR Fair-for inspiration for his wildly successful railroad-connected park design. Dreams have to start somewhere, and engine 9 and cars 13, 76, and 911 can say they had a small hand in inspiring a Magic Kingdom.

C&S No. 9 on display today in Breckenridge