The Georgetown Loop Railroad® was one of Colorado’s first visitor attractions. Completed in 1884, this spectacular stretch of three-foot narrow gauge railroad was considered an engineering marvel for its time. At the height of its popularity from the 1880’s to the early 1900’s, it was considered Colorado’s scenic must-see if you were venturing out West. The last of the trains ran from Denver to Silver Plume in 1938 and then the lines were closed in 1941. With the assistance of Union Pacific, the line is reopened in the 1970’s with further restoration of the bridges and buildings to occur in the 1980’s. Currently, many amenities have been added including hiking trails, restrooms and loading platforms. Let’s take a look at this magnificent and mighty railroad.
Another engine as it roared past us on the track.
Even for a scenic ride in the mountains, the train was loaded with cars.
The scenery along the track was spectacular!
The precision that went into building this locomotive is amazing.
Lots of hard work goes into maintaining the railroad.
Love how weathered the logo is on this car.
One of the reasons why we made the trip to Georgetown was to see our friend’s son, who works for the railroad. He operated the locomotive on our train ride and my husband rode in the cab with him. A once in a lifetime opportunity for a certified train geek. My husband loved it! All in all, we had a wonderful time visiting our friends and touring Denver. I hope you enjoyed these photographic excursions and you plan on visiting Denver very soon.
*Tina