THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN
RAILROAD CLUB

The Rocky Mountain Railroad Club was founded in 1938 to promote and encourage a public interest in railroads, sponsor excursions and meetings, assist the collection, preservation and exhibition of records, books, maps and equipment pertaining to railroads through support of existing library and museum collections. The Club also founded the Rocky Mountain Railroad Historical Foundation in 1990.

RAILROAD EQUIPMENT

Equipment acquired by the Club was preserved and restored by volunteers working at the Colorado Railroad Museum.

This equipment included Rio Grande Southern locomotive No. 20, Denver & Rio Grande Western Caboose #0578, Rio Grande Southern Business Car #021 (the “Rico”); Ft. Collins Municipal Railway Car #22 (the “Birney”); Los Angeles Railway PCC Car #3101; a former Colorado & Southern box car and a former Public Service Company of Colorado motor car. The Birney has been transferred to the Pikes Peak Historical Street Railway Foundation (PPHSRF). Their restoration efforts are remarkable, giving the Birney a fresh off the factory floor look. The PPHSRF also owns PPC Car #3101 which is stored in serviceable condition in Colorado Springs. The other pieces of equipment are now owned by the Colorado Railroad Museum.

Rio Grande Southern Steam Locomotive No. 20

Outshopped by Schnectady in 1899, No. 20 began its service as a passenger engine on the Florence & Cripple Creek Road. She was originally named “Portland” after one of the famous mines in the Cripple Creek District. For about thirteen years she chugged up and down Phantom Canyon, until the flood of July, 1912 ripped out much of the track and brought a halt to F & CC operations. In 1916, engine 20 was sold to the Rio Grande Southern and it spent the next 35 years on the Silver San Juan Route. On the Club’s 1947 excursion, engine 20 handled the train from Ridgway to Dolores. This close association with the engine may have helped influence our decision to purchase it when the line was abandoned in 1951. It was first displayed at the Narrow gauge Motel at Alamosa. When the Colorado Railroad Museum was established in 1958, it was moved to its present site. No. 20 can be visited at the Colorado Railroad Museum.

Rio Grande Southern Business Car “Rico” No. 21

Originally built by the Denver & Rio Grande Railway as postal car No. 4, in 1882, it was rebuilt into excursion car No. 569 in 1888 and sold to the Rio Grande Southern a couple of years later. Its first number on the RGS was C-3, when it was classified as a “construction-diner.” In 1892, after the railroad was completed, it was rebuilt as a business car and named “Rico.” About 1909 the name was changed to “Montezuma” and in 1917 it received the number B-21. When it was transferred to work service in 1933 it became the O21. RICO can be visited at the Colorado Railroad Museum.

Denver & Rio Grande Western Caboose No. 0578

Built about 1879, this caboose was used all over the narrow gauge system during its lifetime. It spent its last years on the Salida-Gunnison-Montrose section of the railroad. It was retired in 1952. Denver & Rio Grande Western Caboose No. 0578 can be visited at the Colorado Railroad Museum.

Los Angeles Railway PCC Streetcar No. 3101

This car was built in 1943 for the Los Angeles Railway and after it was retired from that line it was moved to Cripple Creek, CO. It ran there for a short time on a tourist operation with about 900 feet of track. The car was then moved to the Colorado Railroad Museum where it resided until being leased to the Pike’s Peak Historical Street Railway Foundation who will restore it to operation. The Pikes Peak Historical Street Railway Foundation purchased the car from the club in July of 2006. The car was built to the same gauge (3′ 6″) as Denver Tramway but the Tramway never operated any PCCs. An offer was made by the St. Louis Car Company to “loan” Denver a PCC for testing but the Tramway company refused.

Denver & Intermountain Railroad No. 25

In the past the focus of the Foundation was the restoration and eventual operation of Denver & Intermountain (D&IM) Car No. 25. After World War II, the Rocky Mountain Railroad Club took numerous excursions over the electric lines of the Denver Tramway Corporation and Denver & Intermountain Railroad. Car No. 25 was one of the cars occasionally used for the trips. The Club purchased the car in 1950 to save it from the scrapper, and used it for excursions after regular Tramway service was discontinued in June of 1950. The car’s last trip was its movement to Golden on March 15, 1953. After spending time stored at several locations in Golden it was moved to the Colorado Railroad Museum for display. In 1988 the Rocky Mountain Railroad Club made the decision to restore the car and pursue a location at which to operate it. The process of restoration was long and arduous, taking more than 20 years and thousands of man-hours. Restoration activities were conducted at the Denver Federal Center and in January, 2012 D&IM Car 25 was added to the National Register of Historic Places. In 2013, the Foundation will work with the City of Lakewood to support an online auction of railroad books and memorabilia in support of the continued maintenance of Interurban Car. No. 25. Thanks to the generous donations by a number of Club members, especially Albert Knicklebine, hundreds of items will be made available for purchase and the funds raised will be used by Lakewood to ensure that No. 25 is properly protected for the enjoyment of the public.

Fort Collins Municipal Railway Car No. 22

Built by the American Car Co. of St. Louis in 1919, it was well maintained throughout the years. This car was the last to operate when streetcar service ended on June 30, 1951. The Club then purchased 22 and moved it the Colorado Railroad Museum where it was placed on display. The Club has since leased 22 to the Pike’s Peak Historical Street Railway Foundation in Colorado Springs for restoration. The Pikes Peak Historical Street Railway Foundation purchased the car from the club in July 2006. The PPHSF as dedicated many man hours and funds in the cars restoration.

THE RAIL REPORT

The Rail Report was the Club’s longtime monthly print newsletter. Today, it’s been reimagined as the Colorado Railroad Museum Rail Report, a monthly e-newsletter packed with Club history, current Colorado rail happenings and updates in the world of rail preservation and restoration. CLICK HERE to sign up to receive the monthly e-newsletter.

Below you will find previous issues of The Rail Report print newsletter. The first few entries are the most recent issues of the print newsletter. The Rail Report Vault contains a complete archive of The Rail Report from 1938 to 2025. Trip guides and other paper documents are also found there.

JANUARY 2026

JUNE 2025

DECEMBER 2025

JUNE 2024

DECEMBER 2024

JUNE 2023

DECEMBER 2023

JUNE-JULY 2022

DECEMBER 2022

Personnel History and Memories

TRAINS MAGAZINE article on the CLUB’s 25th Anniversary

Chip Irwin

2022 Grant Awards

• Our first grant 2022 goes to the Park County Historical Society. The grant will be used by them to rebuild the east sill of Colorado and Southern caboose 10600 located in McGraw Memorial Park in Bailey.
• Our second grant goes to the Ridgway Railroad Museum. The museum built a faithful recreation of the RGS inspection car No. 1. The grant will help buy a rebuilt transmission and add four wheel braking.
• The third grant this year goes to the Teller Historic and Environmental Coalition. The grant will facilitate the moving an old wooden Colorado Midland/Midland Terminal boxcar to the their depot prosperity in Divide, CO.
• Our fourth recipient is the Denver South Park & Pacific Historical Society. The grant will be used to purchase materials (steel rods) to fabricate three new stub switches in the Como yard.
• Our fifth recipient is Western Crossroads Railway Museum in Provo, UT. The grant allows them to digitize large size Engineering maps and operational documents. The large size documents require specialized scanning equipment. They hope to be able to post to their web site.
• Our final grantee for 2022 is the Loveland Historical Society for preservation efforts to save the Great Western passenger and freight deport on Monroe Ave.

2021 Grant Awards

• Our first grant 2021 goes to a newcomer to the program – the Teller Historic and Environment Coalition. They a recently acquired a Colorado Midland wooden boxcar body. Their intent is to restore and display it in context next to the Divide depot. The Coalition intends the grant will go towards the cost of moving and stabilation.
• Our second grant goes to the Denver South Park & Pacific Historical Society. Their grant will go toward rebuilding the DSP&P water tank in Como.
  The third grant this year goes to the Pine-Elk Creek Improvement Association. The grant will aid in the painting and repairs to their drop bottom gondola located on the old South Park grade.
• Our fourth recipient is the Galloping Goose Historical Society of Dolores CO. They are using the money to restore five freight cars located next to the Dolores depot.
• Our final grantee for 2021 is Kyle Colley and his efforts to restore D&RGW narrow gauge railway post office car 119. The funds will be used to fund replacement roof ribs.

2020 Grant Awards

• Our perennial recipient the Denver South Park & Pacific historical Society. Funds were awarded to retrieve C & S boxcar 8311 from Boreas Pass, and bring it Como for restoration and display. Moving and painting are estimated to cost $2500.00.
• Our second grant goes to the South Park Rail Society and their efforts to bring D & RGW 5743 to Como and back date it to it’s 1926 appearance.
• The third winner is the Ridgeway Railroad Museum. The grant goes to the purchase of a heavy duty rear axle for the RGS Motor 1. The current 93 year old Buick axle is original but not up to the task of operating today.
• Our fourth $1000 grant assists The Letterpress Depot in painting the old Santa Fe Englewood depot.
• The Colorado & Southern Railway Society is our last grantee. They are restoring bobber caboose 1006. A job whose scope has expanded from just a new roof will use the funds to help complete the restoration.

2019 Grant Awards

• Our top recipient this year was Brad Swartzwelter’s effort to place the Moffat Cup in a secured climate controlled display case in Denver Union Station.
• Our second grant goes to the South Park Rail Society and their efforts to restore C&S narrow gauge gondola #4319 to operating condition.
• The Pine-Elk Creek improvement Association granting them money to erect two signs explaining the railroad heritage of the site. One sign will show the a route map of the DSP&P highlighting Pine Grove’s place in the system. The second sign provides a bit of area history using material from Tom Klinger.
• Our fourth $1000 grant assists the Ridgeway Railroad Museum in the restoration of the interior wood work of RGS coach 252.
• The Pueblo Railway Foundation received the fifth grant to securing ATSF caboose 2278R.
• The first $500 went to Mr. Jeff Badger to restore a 1938 Ford Model T speeder for operation around Como.
• The last of our grants goes to High Plains Railroad Preservation for restoration work on Union Pacific wood caboose 2095, originally built in 1880.

2018 Grant Awards

• The Hinsdale County Historical Society to help move D & RG combine 211 to Lake City for restoration.
• The Ridgeway Railroad Museum for the purchase of ties needed by a new loop track or security cameras to help protect their collection.
• The South Park Rail Society towards a full rebuild the air pump, reservoir, and related plumbing of their steam engine No. 4.
• The DSP & P toward the complete restoration of boxcar 608.
• The Salida Museum Association for the sandblasting and repainting of their unique 0-4-0 tank engine.
• The Denver Tramway Heritage Society to rewind and repair the traction motors.

2017 Grants Results

• The DSP & P Historical Society for electrical work on the restored depot in Como, Colorado.
• The Durango RR Historical Society for continued restoration work on D & RGW refrigerator car #39.
• The Pueblo RR Museum for re-painting the Santa Fe #2912 steam locomotive tender.
• The South Park Rail Society for repairs on the locomotive tender for Klondike Mines #4.

2016 Grants Results

• The Golden Spike Chapter of the Railway & Locomotive Historical Society based out of Salt Lake City, Utah. The grant will be used to create new drawings and mold patterns for the axle bearings. They are restoring D & RGW 223 a class C-16 narrow gauged 2-8-0 built by Grant Locomotive Works in 1881.
• The San Juan County Historical Society for help in rebuilding part of the Silverton Northern Railroad north out of Silverton.
• The Galloping Goose Historical Society from Dolores Colorado. This grant will help fund a new interpretive sign about the history of the RGS and the Geese.
• The fourth grant is to the Ridgeway Railroad Museum to assist in the construction of a 150′ by 35′ train shed to protect their collection.
• Our final recipient is the Train Mountain Railroad in Chiloquin, Oregon for the repainting of Rio Grande caboose 01431.
  Foundation Book Auction 2016
• Our second project for the year is an auction of railroad books donated by long time club member and former president Jim Ehernberger. The first group of books offered earned the foundation almost $1000.00.

2015 Grant Results

• Ridgeway Railroad Museum project to preserve and scan some 1200 Rio Grande Southern Dispatchers’ Train Sheets (1890-1944).
• Contribution to the restoration of the Como roundhouse turntable to operating condition by Dr. Charles Brantigan.
• Contribution to the restoration of C&S narrow gauge caboose #1006 in Silver Plume by the Colorado & Southern Railway Historical Society.
• Contribution to the restoration of D&RGW narrow gauge refrigerator car #39 by the Durango Railroad Historical Society.
• A year-round outdoor interpretive sign for the Como, Colorado depot by the Denver South Park & Pacific Historical Society

RGS 20 Matching Grant

• A matching grant of $10,000 for the CRRM Restoration of RGS Engine No. 20. The foundation is happy to say the generous members of the RMRRC contributed as of March 19th $12,215 to the Colorado Railroad Museum’s efforts to restore Rio Grande Southern locomotive No. 20 to operating condition. The RMRHF was happy to deliver a matching amount of $10,000 to the museum. Thank you one and all.