Rio Grande Southern
Durango to Ridgway
The Rio Grande Southern was one of the
most spectacular narrow gauge railroads in the world. It provided
heavy transportation service for the west side of the San
Juan mountains and traveled through spectacular scenery that, prior to
the railroad, was only accessible by the most determined traveler using
horses, wagons, or even basic foot power.
It was Otto Mears dream to
connect the mining towns of Rico, Ophir,
and Telluride with the Denver and Rio Grande
(D&RG) railroad lines. He already had several toll roads in the area
and demand for something better was strong. In 1888, Mears had his number
one man, Chief Engineer Charles Gibbs, perform the first surveys for the
route.
Next, in 1889, Mears and his sometimes partner Fred Walsen,
incorporated the Rio Grande Southern Railroad Company (RGS), with the
intent of creating two connections to the D&RG. First, starting in the
north at a new junction that would eventually become Ridgway,
build tracks to Telluride, and second a southern route from Durango
to Rico. Along the way these routes would provide service to other mining
districts, lumber operations, farming and general freight demands.
The first construction began at Durango and went a little over five
miles west to the coal mining operation at Porter. Shay locomotive 269 was
purchased from Lima and worked the tracks to the mine. D&RG facilities
at Durango were used by the RGS. Much of the Porter coal was shipped to
Mears Silverton railroads via the D&RG.
Ridgway First District yard and service facilities along with the
tracks to Telluride were built in 1890. Gaining access to the Telluride
mining districts was number one priority for Mears and he even pushed
construction during the severe winter months. The line required
considerable engineering skill with sharp curves, high trestles and steep
grades. Dallas Divide, about 13 miles west of Ridgway, was the
highest point on the tracks to Telluride at elevation 8,989. After
traveling around the base of Hayden Peak, the line turned back to the
north along the San Miguel River valley and on to Telluride .
The following year, with Telluride going strong, revenues were put back
into the construction of a line south along Howard Fork to Ophir and then
over Lizard Head Pass to Rico. The most
difficult portion of this route was the fantastic Ophir
Loop. This big switchback in the track required three high trestles on
the lower section and another four on the upper "High
Line."
Meanwhile, construction continued on the southern half from Durango to Dolores
and then Rico. The north and south efforts were brought together just
south of Rico in 1891 forming a continuous line between Durango and
Ridgway, some 162 miles long.
The next two years were good times for Mears and the RGS. Of course
with the good comes the bad. The Silver Panic of 1893 hurt the RGS
severely and forced the railroad into court receivership. Otto Mears lost
control of his brain child and he would never again be involved in the
RGS. Riding to the rescue came the D&RG. They took control of the RGS
from the courts. Under the guidance of its big brother, the RGS managed,
barely, to stay out of bankruptcy through the depression and kept going
until the 1950's.
When the Rio Grande railroads were standardized in the late 1880's,
they were left with a tremendous surplus of narrow gauge equipment. The
RGS purchased a large number of locomotives and some 900 cars. Some of
this equipment had seen its better days and did not operate long, if at
all, on the RGS. Instead it became various forms of discarded, but not
forgotten, parts and bodies that found itself rusting away at many
locations along the line.
During its operations the RGS had a reputation of survival on a
shoestring and maybe even bailing wire if it was available. Not only did
it live with tracks that just managed to stay anchored to the side of the
mountain in good weather, it had to keep its fleet of locomotives running
by combining parts from various engines or any other pieces that might be
laying in the yards along the way. In fact the workmen at Ridgway were
highly acclaimed for their skill in keeping the line running on a minimal
budget.
During the 1930's and beyond, demand for the railroad was wavering.
Many times only a couple of passengers or less wanted a ride on the train.
The crews at Ridgway decided to build their own lightweight form of
transportation instead of using the more costly steam locomotives for such
small runs. In a show of their ingenuity and resourcefulness, the crews
put train wheels on a large gasoline powered tour bus and sent it
putt-putting down the tracks. This vehicle was a hit and they eventually
made seven more models out of various forms of bus and automobile bodies
and parts. In RGS fashion, a clever name was thought up and the vehicles
became known as "The
Galloping Geese."
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