Railroad Pathfinder

Pathfinder #10: Railroads of southwestern Colorado

Scope    back to top

This pathfinder is designed to guide patrons of Delaney and Reed Libraries at Fort Lewis College in beginning their research on narrow-gauge railroads in southwest Colorado. The listed collections are held in the archives at Delaney Library and are available for use in the library only. The compiled list includes collections of various primary source materials, such as manuscripts, photographs, newspapers, and oral histories.

Key Terms    back to top

Key Library of Congress Subject Headings
Narrow gauge railroads.
Railroads--Colorado.
Railroads -- Rocky Mountains.
Scenic railways.

Keyword Search Terms
Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad
Rio Grande Southern Railroad

Manuscript Collections (listed alphabetically by title)    back to top

M 238	Alva F. Lyons papers: A collection of historical records, 1882-2005 (bulk years 1940-1969), compiled by San Juan Basin narrow gauge railroad conductor Alva F. Lyons. Includes records and printed materials of the Order of Railroad Conductors.
M 227	Clinton Conner Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad papers: Includes materials pertaining to Clinton Conner's work as a brakeman and switchman for the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad. Includes D&RGW railroad regulations, Mr. Conner’s work log books, documents pertaining to his having been moved from brakeman to switchman after a derailment, and the other papers and records he compiled and/or created.
M 018	Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad records: Includes freight waybills, tickets, stubs, clearance cards, and a deck of playing cards with scenes along the Railroad's route from Colorado to California. Also, information on special cars, abandonment procedures, and other materials.
M 194	Nina Heald Webber Southwest Colorado printed materials: Post cards collection, Volume 2: includes hundreds of views of regional railroads.
M 019	Rio Grande Southern Railroad records: Includes bound letters, claims and reports (1890-1914), treasurer's records, coupons and other records of the narrow gauge railroad company. This railroad was one of the narrow gauge lines assembled by Otto Mears. It operated from 1890 to 1950, and ran from Durango through Mancos to Ridgway, Colorado. In its later years the RGS developed the "Galloping Goose" to serve its region using 1 car.
M 053-029	Sagrillo railroad collection: Includes cancelled payroll check, photos, and switch keys.
M 141	Southwest railroads collection: Includes printed materials concerning railroads in Colorado and other Four Corners states.

Visual Collections (listed alphabetically by title) back to top

P 041	Chione railroad slides: Includes views of the Rio Grande Southern narrow gauge railroad that ran from Durango through Hesperus, Mancos, Dolores, Rico, Telluride, and Ridgway, where it joined with the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad.
C 001.01	Denver & Rio Grande Railroad right of way and track map of Durango, Colorado, 1937: By Arthur Ridgway, for the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad, Fourth Division (Denver, CO). Denver & Rio Grande Railroad map number Colo. V-17-A/19: Station 3541+84 to Station 3670+03. This map is itself one section of a seventy-one-foot long by 24-inch high contiguous map of the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad track and right of way all the way between the Durango railroad station and the Silverton railroad station.
P 059	Dr. John Hubbard railroad photographs (accession 2006:045): Includes approximately 30,000 photoprints depicting railroad equipment in Colorado. The photoprints, which are of various sizes (no photonegatives) are grouped by railroad company. Most of the photos are identified. They include the work of Gerald Best, Otto Perry, Richard Kendig, and other prolific Colorado photographers, as well as photos taken by the late Dr. John L. Hubbard himself. Some of the photographs are duplicates, and not all of them are identified. Also includes approximately 25,500 color slide transparencies of railroad scenes all over the United States and 4 records boxes of miscellaneous paper documents and printed materials pertaining to railroads.
P 001	General photograph collection: category III photos of railroads
M 019	Nomad private railroad car scrapbook album,1899-1957: Histories and online digital images.
C 006	Rio Grande Southern Railroad maps
P 026	Rio Grande Southern Railroad photographs: Approximately 367 photoprints (some, with matching negatives).

Audio Collections & Digital Sound Files (listed alphabetically by title) back to top

U 003	Durango oral history collection: Includes interviews with: Lyons, Alva F. (5 interviews conducted by Rae Haynes, September-November 1989) Sawyer, Robert "Bob"
U 004	Southwest oral history collection: Includes interviews with: Day, George Vest Chione, Alfred G., M.D. Lyons, Alva F. (9 interviews coduncted by Robert W. Delaney, June-July 1982) Wagner, Will A.
Click on Side A or Side B to hear the digital recordings.	Sounds of narrow gauge railroads: 7/27/1958 - 3/14/1959. Sounds of narrow gauge railroads (CSWS recording no. 461). Side A ~ Side B. Reel side A (copied onto audiotape 1, sides a and b): Rio Grande, 0 to 42, told by Bruce Aker (sp?). Reel side B (copied onto both sides of audiocassette tape 2): narrow gauge to Silverton. According to the note on the master reel box, Bruce Aker sent this tape to Alva Lyons on March 14, 1959; John Braggs made the record between Alamosa and Chama; Jim Stevens recorded the sounds from Romeo to Antonito with Engines 480 and 490. 8/14/1966. Sounds of narrow gauge railroads (CSWS recording no. 459). Side A ~ Side B. Reel side A: voice of Bill Fletcher, President, Railroad Club, on Durango and Rio Grande Western narrow gauge railroad, Durango to Hermosa, August 14, 1966. Reel side B: Leadville to Climax climb; 0 to 74, by Elolte Larsen; Engine #641, 2-8-0 10 car drag, standard gauge...; Engine #478, 95 to 150; Engines #476 and 483, 150 to 210; thunderstorm, 223 to 320; 321 to end, organ music (see reel box for more details), April 17 (1967?). Digital recording contents note: the first seconds of Side A is the voice of Gayle Maloy or Louis L'Amour at the Ignacio peace treaty ceremony; skip past that to hear Mr. Fletcher's introduction to his compilation of railroad sounds.
Click on Side A or Side B to hear the digital recordings.	Transcribed interviews in the Southwest oral history collection: Oral history interview with Alva Lyons conducted by Robert W. Delaney, June 25, 1982 (CSWS interview no. 463). Side A ~ Side B. Click to read the transcription of this interview: 6/25/82. Oral history interview with Alva Lyons conducted by Robert W. Delaney, June 29, 1982 (CSWS interview no. 464). Side A ~ Side B. Click to read the transcriptionof this interview: 6/29/82.
U 010	U.S. Forest Service Mancos District Cherry Creek Thompson Park Oral History Project: Includes an interview with: Archuleta, Joe R.

Railroad Artifact Collections (listed alphabetically by title) back to top

F 008	Southwest railroad artifacts: Includes the bell that was on the last steam locomotive engine that hauled coke from Tercio (southwest of Trinidad); switch keys; Otto Mears' buckskin pass; numerous items of railroadiana; and models of a D&RGW engine, the Chama railroad car, and the depot at Rico.
F 047	A. F. Lyons railroadiana artifacts: Southwest Colorado narrow gauge railroad artifacts, including a scale model of the Rico (CO) railroad depot; a battery powered speaker used by Alva Lyons as a conductor; track switching lanterns; oil can lamps; telegraph; conductor's hat and bag; ticket stamps; rubber stamps; copper-plated gold railroad spike; brochures and tickets.