September 12 -- Club meeting at Barnes Hall.
Few railroad passenger vehicles have had as long of a lifespan as the
Budd Rail Diesel Car. Introduced in 1949, these unique self-powered
passenger cars have plied the rails for nearly three-quarters of a
century, providing economical service for railroads nationwide.
With the downturn of rail passenger traffic after World War II, the RDC
was the right product at the right time. It reduced passenger losses on
branch lines and then played a major role in commuter service in the
Northeast region of the United States.
Rich Luckin will be in-person to present his video that traces the
history of these unique vehicles. It follows along all the way
through to today’s current operations and includes interviews with engineers who operated RDC’s, as well as passengers. We meet at 7:30 pm in Barnes Hall, on the south side of the church at 2950 S. University Boulevard in Denver, Colorado. Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86251105134?pwd=VWRwRUVCbVoyTzhwMWhYbm5scTlqdz09 Meeting ID: 862 5110 5134 Passcode: 496652 |
RMRRC Upcoming Events Calendar --- September 16: Open
house with D&IM interurban car #25 at the Federal Center in
Lakewood, Colorado. Free event. Our organization owned and
restored this car over many decades. Also on September 16: Club visit to Colorado Live Steamers open house, north of Byers, Colorado. October meeting program to be announced soon. |
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| Rocky Mountain Railroad Club - Rail Report Denver, Colorado |
Rail Bikes at South Fork, CO. |
Revolution
Rail bikes were lined up this summer at Don Shank's depot in South
Fork, Colorado. This line is also called the Wagon Wheel Gap Route
and the owner has called his operation Denver & Rio Grande RR.
©2023 Chip |
At South Fork, Colorado, a company called Revolution Rail has leased the former D&RGW Creede Branch to run their pedal bikes. Nice trip up the branch for about 2 miles. Their web site is http://www.revrail.com. 888-738-0123 (Information courtesy of Denny Leonard) |
Siemens Built VIA Venture Trainset to Canada |
Union
Pacific 3093, SD70AH-T4 Tier 4, handled a new Siemens VIA 6-car Venture
trainset across Sherman Hill, WY, on August 2, 2023. This train
originated at the Siemens factory in California. ©2023 Chip |
Union
Pacific moved new Siemens 6-car Venture train set from California to
Toronto, Ontario, Canada, here crossing Wyoming on August 2, 2023.
Rear power unit VIA 2207, a model SCV-42, passed Pine Bluffs, WY.
©2023 Chip |
BNSF Plans Expansion at Hudson, Colorado |
BNSF
operated a 1x1 passenger special to Hudson Logistics Park, Hudson, CO,
in July of 2023. Invited guests arrived by bus to a luncheon
hosted by BNSF. Dome lounge BNSF 35 named Canyon View was one of
the cars. ©2023 Chip |
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BNSF
operated a 6-car with two locomotives (1x1) special in the Denver area
on July 19, 2023. Train departed Denver Wednesday morning, July
19th going east on BNSF's Brush Subdivision to Hudson, CO. A
busload of invited guests dined aboard the train at the existing Hudson
Logistics Park. About 2:00 PM the train without guests headed west
to Denver. New crew at Denver left about 3:40 PM for a run down
the Joint Line towards Pueblo and La Junta, CO, and east to Garden City,
Kansas. “BNSF
Railway has long range plans to construct an Intermodal Facility and
Logistics Park near the towns of Hudson and Lochbuie, Colorado, on the
east side of Interstate 76 in Weld County,” wrote Andy Williams, BNSF’s
executive director of public affairs. “The Intermodal Facility
will allow for the movement of intermodal containers from rail to truck
for transport to regional destinations. The logistics park is a
warehouse development that will support the intermodal facility by
locating distribution centers nearby to create a streamlined supply
chain. BNSF has acquired 1,400 acres of 2,700 needed to support
the development. BNSF is participating in conversations between the
Colorado Department of Transportation, Weld County and other local
stakeholders on a possible new interchange at County Road 8 to
accommodate new traffic in the area. The two new projects are
separate from Logistics Center Hudson, north of town.” BNSF
broke ground on the 430-acre Logistics Center Hudson in February 2019.
The rail-served property is just east of I-76 and includes sites “for
customers who wish to ship via individual railcars as well as unit train
sites for customers who ship entire trainloads,” according to a 2020
BNSF press release. “The available sites are customizable to meet
customers’ needs. In addition to gaining access to the BNSF network,
businesses that locate at Hudson will also have easy access to
Interstate 76.” |
Colorado Railcar Ultra Domes in Alaska The Ultra Dome is a bilevel dome coach manufactured by Colorado Railcar for
various operators between 1988–2007. Colorado Railcar, and its
predecessor Rader Railcar, constructed a total of 44 cars. All 44 were
purchased by touring companies in Alaska and Canada. At the time of
their construction their dome areas featured the largest individual
glass panes ever installed in a railcar.
The Ultra Domes were the brainchild of Thomas G. Rader, an American railway entrepreneur. Rader worked for the Holland America Line in Alaska and
developed an idea to use trains in conjunction with the cruise lines to
promote tourism in the state. In 1982, Rader acquired five former Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad ("Milwaukee Road") Super Domes, originally built by Pullman-Standard in 1952. Four were rebuilt by American Car and Foundry (ACF) and placed into service in 1983 as the Midnight Sun Express. Passengers from Cunard Line cruise ships boarded the cars (attached to an existing Alaska Railroad train) in Anchorage, Alaska and hauled to Denali National Park.
On-board services were maintained to a high level, similar to that of a
cruise ship. The service expanded in 1984 to include Princess Cruises and
Rader's old employer the Holland America Line. Rader sold out to
Princess Cruises in 1986 but recognized there was a substantial growth
opportunity. Using the proceeds from the sale, he founded Rader Railcar
to produce new dome cars for service in Alaska and elsewhere. |
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Southbound
Alaska RR train with Colorado Railcar built Ultra Domes passed the
Denali National Park & Preserve area in Alaska August 21, 2023.
©2023 Chip |
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| South
Park Rail Society members built track 5 at the Como Rail Heritage Park
in July 2023. Rocky Club member Jim Scoville at right works with
the track gang. ©2023 Chip |
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Security entry gate for the Car 25 event is north of Alameda Avenue on the west side of Kipling Street in Lakewood, Colorado. |
Photo above is the westbound California Zephyr near McCoy, Colorado. Photo
below is a westbound BNSF Denver to Provo manifest using trackage
rights on the Union Pacific at the west end of Range Siding. These two images on the Dotsero Cutoff were made on 20 July 2023 © by Dave Schaaf. |
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ENSCO
is proud to support the Federal Railroad Administration’s (FRA)
Transportation Technology Center (TTC) as the prime contractor
conducting research, engineering, testing, and training as well as
operating and maintaining this important US Department of Transportation
facility. |
| | Click the above INTERMOUNTAIN CHAPTER NRHS link to go to their website. |
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| | Click the above COLORADO RAILROAD MUSEUM link to go to their website. |
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