DRGW.NET - Dedicated to Preserving the Memory of the Rio Grande

NEW SKI TRAIN PAGE UP WITH SCHEDULES & FARES
Posted Sunday, November 15 2009 at 1749 h MST
The new Iowa Pacific-run Rio Grande Scenic Ski Train now has a website up and running, complete with operating schedule and fares. Take a look at [the new site].

The quick summary is that there are three classes of service: coach, club, and dome. Regular fares, scheduled at least a week in advance, are $44, $74, and $94 respectively for the three classes. If you're last minute (within seven days of departure), add five bucks to each. In addition, they're offering a $34 "Early Bird" coach fare for those booking before Christmas Eve (24-Dec-2009) and riding before 7-Feb-2010. For those Ski Train regulars, there's a discount 10-ride coach ticket for $290, and a season pass for $600. Note that none of these include lift tickets, but they do have a combo offer on that as well right now.

The train will depart Denver for Winter Park at 0700h, arriving at 0915h. The return trip will then depart at 1615h, arriving back in Denver at 1830h. Service will start on Sunday, 26-Dec-2009, and run through 28-Mar-2010. Check the calendars at the bottom of the [Fares] page for details.

For those wanting to see what the inside of the new equipment looks like, be sure to check out the page entitled [See the New Train].

The website notes that the contracts to operate the new Ski Train are still being finalized, but reservations are currently available by phone by calling 1-877-726-RAIL. Also, the website makes a note that if for some reason the things do not come together and the train does not run, all ticket reservations are fully refundable. - NDHolmes

MKT HERITAGE UNIT PICTURES
Posted Sunday, November 15 2009 at 1655 h MST
I loathe mornings. I really do. They're only slightly more fun to me than a sharp stick in the eye or trips to the dentist. If it weren't for coffee and other caffeinated liquids, I'd be useless before noon. So when I saw that UP 1988 (the Katy heritage SD70ACe) and SDVDH-15 were called out of Denver this morning at 0600h, I figured I'd rather just sleep in. Given the snow and ice covered roads (combined with Colorado's other awesome drivers), cloud cover preventing decent light, and a train that would be through town before my alarm went off, I thought I'd just skip it.

Around 1000h, while poking at my coffee maker in a vain attempt to achieve consciousness, my phone went off. Nathan Z. and Kevin were up on top the hill at Palmer Lake, and the special hadn't yet made it. Apparently the snowstorm had iced a bunch of switches and caused signal problems, delaying the run the whole way.

Long story short, I had the chance to shoot a very late special and the MKT unit's first visit to Colorado, so I threw on some clothes and headed out. I wound up throwing in with Nathan Z and Kevin and chasing the special all the way down to east of Pueblo Junction.

Anyway, now for the part you're all looking for - pictures! They're all posted [here]. - NDHolmes

UP 1988 - MKT HERITAGE UNIT - ON JOINT LINE SUNDAY
Posted Saturday, November 14 2009 at 1809 h MST
UP 1988, the Missouri-Kansas-Texas (aka, Katy) heritage SD70ACe will be making a trip down the Joint Line on Sunday, 15-Nov-2009, traveling from Denver, CO, to Dalhart, TX. It's on the point of a UP passenger special, consisting of UP 1988 and ten pieces of UP varnish. Departure times have been insanely early so far this trip, usually around 0600h, so my guess is that they'll be out of Denver before any real light is available. Plus, the weather's not supposed to be terribly hospitable along the Front Range tomorrow, so if you're out, be careful. - NDHolmes

C&TS DEPOT & COALING TOWER ROOF REPAIRS
Posted Thursday, November 12 2009 at 1454 h MST
Two of Chama's most iconic structures have been desperately in need of new roofing as of late. The good news is that as of late September, money was flowing and work got underway.

The coaling tower was in particularly dire shape, and was undertaken first. The job was started around the third week of September and basically completed by the end of the month, and involved completely replacing both the lower and upper roof segments. Roger Hogan has photos of the process posted [here] and [here], and photos of the completed results [here].

Work on the depot roof - also leaky and long overdue for rebuilding - started in late October / early November. Take a look [here] for some "before" shots (it's the same link as for the "after" shots of the coaling tower roof). The depot roof is being rebuilt with Watkins cedar shingles that have been treated with a fire retardant compound. Jay and Roger have both captured the depot roof in various states of progress: [5-Nov-2009 (Roger)], [6-Nov-2009 (Jay)], [8-Nov-2009 (Jay)], [9-Nov-2009 (Jay)], and [11-Nov-2009 (Jay)].

Both jobs were done by John Beaver, a local Chama contractor. - NDHolmes

Past Rio Grande News...