Ride DRGW Zephyr Passenger Trains and A Rio Grande "Branch Line Freight"

Ride on an old branch line of the Denver & Rio Grande Western built in the 1880s to serve the Colorado Fuel & Iron limestone quarry at Monarch, Colorado. Originally part of the D&RGW's 3 foot narrowgauge system, the 15 mile line connected with the rest of the narrowgauge network at Poncha Junction, on the Marshall Pass line. The upper part of the Branch was on a 4.5% grade and included both an "S" curve and a double switchback to reach an elevation of over 10,000 ft. The line was converted to standardgauge in 1956 after the narrowgauge mainline from Salida to Gunnison was closed in the early 1950s. From that time forward, the line operated as a standardgauge branch of the D&RGW until the early 1980s when Colorado Fuel & Iron closed its blast furnaces at Pueblo, Colorado. Operations on the Monarch Branch subsequently ceased and the rails were pulled up a short time later.

Here are some all time images of Rio Grande GP30s shot from the Caboose on a local! These are all visions you can no longer see today! At 5 minutes we take a ride on the Rio Grande Zephyr Passenger Train thru Glenwood Canyon!