| D&RGW VO-660 72 and PA1 6001 at Colorado Springs, Colorado, August 20, 1964, Ektachrome by Chuck Zeiler. The switcher will pick up the cars setout after the first dome in this photo. This is Train #1 on both the CB&Q and D&RGW. The Rio Grande's Number 1, The Royal Gorge, will continue west and the switcher will put the setout cars onto the back of their freight cars and drag them over to the other side of town, a true mixed train. This is how the CB&Q managed the Colorado Springs Connection. It wasn't a bad deal; you got to ride all the way from Chicago to Colorado Springs without leaving your bedroom compartment on the train. You were assured of meal service because the CB&Q sent their Chuck Wagon dome diner along on the connection from Denver to Colorado Springs. They generally switched 3-4 cars to the Rio Grande's #1 to get them moved to Colorado Springs. I had the pleasure of that trip when I was 16. Sadly, I did not get to enjoy a ride on the mixed train, but my parents indulged me enough to get a couple of photos, here's one. |