With the Colorado Railroad Museum’s newest exhibit, “Black Diamonds and Steel Rails,” now open, we’re looking back at the Centennial State’s deep ties to coal mining. While gold and silver put Colorado on the map, coal kept mining towns running and powered the locomotives that connected communities. From Lafayette to Trinidad and Crested Butte to New Castle, coal mining played a crucial role in the state’s economy and helped fuel its expanding railroad network.
Denver Public Library Western History Collection
But coal mining was dangerous work. Miners were paid by the coal they extracted, not by the hour, often forcing them to choose between safety and wages. Cave-ins, explosions, and disasters like the 1889 White Ash Mine flood in Golden took countless lives.
Denver Public Library Western History Collection
Despite the risks, coal remained essential, fueling homes, industries, engines and railroads. The Museum’s historic steam locomotives still burn coal today, serving as a living reminder of the resource that shaped Colorado’s railroads. Visit the Museum to explore the new exhibit, and discover more about the Centennial state’s rich mining history. 
Images 1 & 2 courtesy of Denver Public Library Western History Collection.
