The Rio Grande railroad follows the
Arkansas River from Salida to
Leadville and then over Tennessee
Pass. This was the original Native American trail across the
mountains. Beginning at Salida, the route runs north to Leadville, one
of the first areas to experience a true gold rush in Colorado. The
railroad reached Leadville in 1880, carrying supplies into and ore out of
the region. From there the line continued north across the continental
divide at Tennessee Pass. Here the original tracks over the crest of the
divide were later replaced with a tunnel bored through the mountain. On
the west side of the pass, the railroad follows the Eagle River on a
relentless 3% down grade past the mining districts at Belden
and on to Minturn. Beyond Minturn the route
changes direction and heads west into Glenwood Canyon, a famous sight on
the Colorado River.
After leaving the canyon, the train arrives at Glenwood
Springs, a well known resort area. At Glenwood Springs
passengers could relax in the famous Hot Springs pool. The branch line to
the mining town of Aspen also began here.
Continuing from Glenwood, the tracks move westerly, following the Colorado
River on a slow downgrade into more arid regions. The river corridor contains fertile agricultural and
ranching developments. Coal mining was also a big industry. The tracks
from Rifle to Grand
Junction were originally constructed in a joint venture between the
Colorado Midland railroad and the D&RG. The line was named the Rio
Grande Junction railroad and connected with the Rio Grande Western at
Grand Junction and then traveled west to Salt
Lake City.
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