the La Plata Division

of the

Denver & Rio Grande Western

a m o d e l r a i l r o a d t o u r

Quick Index

Introduction

Concept

Construction

Operations

Scenery & Structures

Equipment

Photo Tour

Timeline Photos

Updates

Other Links

My Ski Train page

My Rio Grande Zephyr Tribute

My Rio Grande page

Back to the Front Door

Who am I?

~ Check out my book ~

Now in its Second Printing

Go to Amazon.com and search for "Rio Grande". You're gonna like it...

<table><tr><td><a href=http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/redirect-home/thedenveriogr-20>Shop at Amazon.com!</a></td></tr><tr><td width=100% align=right><font size="1" color="#C0C0C0">privacy policy </font></td></tr></table>

Or, Contact me directly for a signed copy. Send e-mail to: drgwlpd AT yahoo DOT com

The Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad operated in the states of Colorado, Utah, and New Mexico between 1871 and 1988. Begun as a three-foot gauge line with the intention of linking the cities of Denver and El Paso, it found itself forced by circumstances to change orientation in a westerly direction. The railroad became synonymous with mountain railroading, first with cliffhanging narrow-gauge lines and later with dramatic mainline assaults on the Rockies.

The Grande had a chequered corporate history, but finally achieved respectability and profitability during World War 2. It became an important bridge route in the transcontinental system, as well as a feeder system for coal.

A crucial aspect of Rio Grande history was its joint receivership with, and eventual merger with, the Denver & Salt Lake Railroad (The "Moffat Road"). This "short line to nowhere" traveled directly west from Denver, penetrated the Front Range via South Boulder Canyon, and passed under the Continental Divide via the Moffat Tunnel-- a 6.2-mile engineering wonder completed in 1927. When a connection was built in 1934 between the D&SL and the Rio Grande's main line at Dotsero, a direct transcontinental standard-gauge rail line west of Denver became a reality.

Facing a changed competitive landscape in the 1980s, Rio Grande's owners acquired the Southern Pacific Railroad in 1988 and merged the lines-- a process that required several years to implement. And right when the system had begun to gel and to turn a profit, the new Southern Pacific Lines was sold to Union Pacific (1996). Now, all Rio Grande lines are part of UP (except for parts that have been spun off to shortline operators). The D&RGW is gone, but certainly not forgotten.

My model railroad is based on the Moffat Road's line between Denver and Winter Park, during the last decades of Rio Grande ownership, and continuing to the present day.

Enjoy this tour of the layout, and check back for updates. The section crews are still busy with construction!

(Incidentally, the name "La Plata Division" has nothing whatsoever to do with the area being modeled, and everything to do with the actual location of the model railroad...)

Humor alert: Recently I was discussing certain over-the-top railfans/modelers with a friend. I opined that some of us could stand to gain more perspective, self-control, maturity, kindness, and humility. (Yeah, it was a bad day.) My friend's response? He provided the following definitions:

Perspective- Making an 18" depth look like all of Glenwood canyon.

If we try to make someone change their outlook, would that be... (wait for it...) "forced perspective"?

Self-control- Isn't that some kind of pre-DCC method of running trains?

Maturity- My trains are mature, see the weathering?

Kindness- The act of giving "constructive criticism" so that someone can at least dream of being as good a modeler as you are.

Humility- A condition caused by losing the latest rivet-counting contest.

Well, it made me chuckle!