The Colorado Railroad Museum Rail Report continues the long tradition that began with the Rocky Mountain Railroad Club, connecting rail enthusiasts through shared history, preservation, and a love of railroading. Now produced by the Museum, the newsletter brings together longtime Rocky Club members and new readers alike by sharing preservation and restoration developments, current rail news, progress on Museum projects, and stories of Rocky Mountain Railroad Club history.
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We’re delighted to continue this long tradition with a new look and feel. All aboard!
Paul Hammond Dave Schaaf
Executive Director Rail Report Editor
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Upcoming Rail Events
The Colorado Railroad Museum has several events coming up in May, including Denver’s largest annual rail enthusiast event, Colorado Crossings, taking place Saturday and Sunday, May 16–17, 2026! Featuring coal‑burning steam locomotives, Galloping Goose railcars, and other historic equipment in operation and on display, this year’s event celebrates a “reunion” of locomotives and equipment that once ran on Colorado’s Florence & Cripple Creek Railroad. Both days, the Museum’s Rio Grande Southern steam locomotive No. 20 will take center stage, joined by visiting Denver & Rio Grande Western steam locomotive No. 315, on loan from the Durango Railroad Historical Society. Both locomotives were originally built for the F&CC in the 1890s and will operate throughout the weekend, alongside Denver & Rio Grande Western No. 491, which participates each morning in a Parade of Geese and Steam. Afterward, visitors can explore the grounds and view D&RGW steam locomotive No. 318 from the Museum’s collection, also an F&CC alumnus, along with freshly refurbished F&CC boxcar No. 588. Additional offerings include cab tours of D&RGW No. 491, turntable demonstrations, photography opportunities, a used book sale, food, merchandise, live history presentations, and steam train rides from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day. Online pre‑reserved tickets include both admission and a train ride. To learn more about Colorado Crossings, CLICK HERE.
In addition to Colorado Crossings, the Museum is thrilled to host two additional Steam‑Up weekends in May. Join us May 2–3 for Small Wonders Weekend, a celebration of small‑scale railroading featuring layouts from the Denver Garden Railway Society, the Denver HO Model Railroad Club, and the High Plains 3 Railers, who will set up a modular O‑gauge layout inside the Museum Pavilion.
Also in May, don't miss the rare opportunity to see historic Denver & Intermountain interurban car No. 25 in action. This car, which was preserved and restored by the Rocky Mountain Railroad Club and displayed at the Museum for nearly 30 years, will be open to the public on Saturday, May 9, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Denver Federal Center in Lakewood. Built in 1911, this beautifully restored electric railcar which is now owned by the City of Lakewood offers its only free rides of the year during this event. Government‑issued ID is required for entry. CLICK HERE to learn more.
Finally, on May 30–31, dinosaur tracks meet railroad tracks during the Museum’s ever‑popular Dinosaur Express Train event, featuring steam train rides and prehistoric fun for the whole family!
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Rail Watch
Highlights and regional happenings.
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Federal Railroad Administration / Department of Transportation track inspection cars Nos. 219 and 223 moved through Union Pacific's 36th Street Yard in Denver on April 20. The train moved east to Limon, Colorado, and then over the Kyle Railroad east on the following day. Photo courtesy of Chip.
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Union Pacific’s 4014 Big Boy backed out of Cheyenne Steam Shop to start its Coast-to-Coast Tour to Roseville, California, March 29, 2026 at Cheyenne, Wyoming. The 14 car train also included locomotives UP 1616 Abraham Lincoln and UP 1776 commemorating America's 250th Anniversary. Photo courtesy of Chip.
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Rocky Mountain Rail Preservation
Restoring a Piece of New Mexico’s History part one
Submitted by John Bush, written by John Taylor
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At 2 p.m. on October 29, 1956, a bulldozer pushed Atchinson, Topeka & Santa Fe (AT&SF) No. 2926 onto special panel rails in Coronado Park in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The giant Baldwin 4-8-4 Northern had faithfully served the needs of the Santa Fe and the country since her delivery in May 1944. She steamed more than a million miles, pulling freight and passengers from Chicago to Los Angeles, much of it in support of the War effort, with a considerable tenure in New Mexico itself. The Santa Fe had donated her to the City in commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the founding of Albuquerque in 1706.
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Bosque Blue — A Painting of the 2926 under steam in New Mexico's Rio Grande Bosque (Image courtesy of Gayle van Horne)
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Everyone assumed that Coronado Park would be the end of the line for the old girl and that she was destined to live out her years as a backdrop to family picnics and children’s games. Everyone, that is, except a few visionary railfans led by Albuquerque pharmacist Ed Bukove. Ed and some like-minded friends envisioned a fully restored No. 2926 once again plying the rails of New Mexico to remind residents of the critical role played by the railroads during the heyday of steam-powered rail service.
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AT&SF No. 2926 in Coronado Park, Albuquerque (courtesy Mike Hartshorne)
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Nineteen ninety-seven was a key turning point in the saga of the 2926 for two reasons. First of all, the City of Albuquerque was getting more and more uncomfortable with the maintenance required to keep the locomotive viable as a display. The outer sheath was corroding, exposing asbestos insulation, vagrants were sleeping in the cab and the caboose and stealing some of the parts, painting and repairs were getting time-consuming and expensive, and the legal beagles at City Hall were starting to be increasingly concerned about liability issues. On the other side, Bukove and his gang were organizing what would become the New Mexico Steam Locomotive and Railroad Historical Society (NMSLRHS), a 501(c)3 corporation, with the express intent of acquiring and restoring No. 2926.
Finally, on July 19, 1999, all the “i’s” were dotted and “t’s” were crossed. The City sold the locomotive, tender, and caboose to NMSLRHS for $1 on the condition that the Society would move the equipment from the park and restore it, paying particular attention to asbestos abatement.
Jack Messer, a Midland, Texas contractor specializing in derailment recovery, used his heavy equipment and crew to move the engine and tender from the park to a temporary location on June 23, 2000. Although there was some concern that wheels that had not moved for forty-four years might seize, the relocations were flawless thanks to the Timken roller bearings. The locomotive and tender were moved to the current restoration site in May 2002.
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Moving the locomotive from Coronado Park, June 23, 2000 (Mike Hartshorne)
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Once the locomotive and tender arrived at the site, lovingly referred to as the Society’s “World Headquarters,” the task of building and maintaining a restoration infrastructure—tools, containers, consumable items, etc.—began. In parallel with infrastructure build-up, work began on the tender. It was decided to tackle the more straightforward task of restoring the tender first to understand the restoration process, to acquire tools and equipment, and to acquaint the all-volunteer crew with the critical aspects of safety and industrial operations at the new site. The tender was separated into its principal component parts (a 24,500 gallon water cistern, a 7,200 gallon fuel oil bunker, and two eight-wheel Buckeye trucks), and each was cleaned, repaired and repainted.
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Tender disassembly (Mike Hartshorne)
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In 2007, the tender was reassembled and painted and work began in earnest on the engine itself. Asbestos stripping and abatement was contracted out to Grancor, a local HAZMAT firm, and all appliances were removed for overhaul.
This article to be continued in the next issue.
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A look inside the firebox (Mike Hartshorne)
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A bit of Rocky Mountain Railroad Club History
By Jim Ehernberger
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Rocky Mountain Railroad Club Excursion to Monarch, Colorado
After the Royal Gorge War was settled in 1879, the Denver & Rio Grande immediately constructed a narrow gauge line in 1880, between Canon City and Leadville, a distance of 135.87 miles. Leadville was booming with mining activities, and needed a railroad to transport ore to the Pueblo smelter. A terminal was developed at Salida, about 55 miles west of Canon City, since the railroad’s desire was to continue its main line westward from Salida over Marshall Pass in 1881. The goal was Ogden, Utah, and at that time this was considered the most feasible route.
Also in 1881, from the Marshall Pass line, a junction was created near Poncha Springs, 5.5 miles west of Salida, appropriately named Poncha Junction. During that year a 4.32-mile spur was completed to Maysville, and then continuing (in 1883) westward an additional an additional 12.02 miles, terminating at a limestone deposit called Monarch. This quarry was owned and operated by the Colorado Fuel & Iron Company, and lime rock was shipped to the Pueblo steel mills. Originally narrow gauge, the line was converted to standard gauge in 1956, and after CF&I no longer needed limestone, the trackage was removed by 1984.
The Rocky Mountain Railroad Club was aware that the narrow gauge portions of the Rio Grande were not going to be operating long. An effort was made to cover as many routes as possible, and the Monarch Branch was one of them. The six-car special excursion, with engine No. 499, operated between Salida and Monarch and included the original Silver Vista observation car. While the total distance was only 21.68 miles, the line offered some unusual and unique railroad operations, including ten miles of 4.5% grade, and one of the few railroad switchbacks in America, at Garfield, slightly under four miles from Monarch.
The train returned to Poncha Junction, and the engine was turned on the wye and the second half of the day was a rare trip to Villa Grove, via Poncha Pass. This will be part of next month’s story.
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Engine No. 499 departs Salida for the excursion to Monarch. One favorite photo location was crossing the Arkansas River bridge. The Salida station was located on the other side, and served both railroad and Continental Trailways bus operations. Salida featured shop and roundhouse facilities, and transferred narrow to standard gauge freight shipments via a “barrel roll” system. (J. A. Pfeifer Photo / James L. Ehernberger Collection)
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It was always fascinating to view the rail yards where dual gauge trackage was used, such as this scene just west of Salida. Switching locomotives were equipped with special coupling devices for handling the two gauges and a special car was also used at times, known as an “idler” depending upon whether the yard engine had the special couplers. This image is looking west on the Marshall Pass line after the train departed from the Salida station.
(J. A. Pfeifer Photo / James L. Ehernberger Collection)
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The Monarch Branch featured a switchback at a station known as Garfield, just short of four miles from the Monarch quarry. The grade was 4.5% and freight trains were split in half at this location. The lead engine pulled forward to clear the switch, then backed to the upper level, clearing that switch, then pulled forward. The second half (with the pusher engine on the rear) moved forward to clear the switch, then backed to the upper level, and after clearing the switch the two segments were re-coupled and departed for Monarch. The upper end of trackage ended at a huge rock, thus limiting the operation as described. Looking toward Monarch, this image on the upper level shows how the trackage dropped down to Garfield. (J. A. Pfeifer Photo / James L. Ehernberger Collection.)
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The quarry at Monarch was an important supplier for lime-rock used by the Colorado Fuel & Iron Company steel mills at Pueblo, Colorado, normally a five-day-per-week operation. The narrow gauge freight trains consisted of 56 cars, one locomotive on the front, and another just ahead of the caboose. It was necessary to have this much power since nearly half of the line operated on 4.5% grades. This image is a panoramic view showing loaded cars on the left, the excursion on the right, with the Silver Vista as the lead car as the train was taken to Poncha Junction in reverse order. In the far distance is the Monarch quarry. (J. A. Pfeifer Photo / James L. Ehernberger Collection)
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Content contributions this month from Chip Sherman,
John Taylor, Gayle van Horne, Mike Hartshorne and Jim Ehernberger.
Editorial assistance from Paul Hammond and Maddie Schaaf.
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