Last Privately Operated Intercity Passenger Train in the United States - Golden, CO
N 39° 46.331 W 105° 11.599
13S E 483444 N 4402489
D&RGW 5771&5762 headed the Rio Grande Zephyr - the last intercity passenger train in the United States (other than Amtrak). 5771 is also the last operational F-unit on the Rio Grande.
Waymark Code: WMGJVV
Location: Colorado, United States
Date Posted: 03/13/2013
Views: 6
In 1971 most railroads across the United States joined Amtrak, a publicly subsidized passenger rail network. However, due to financial reasons, the Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad could not come to terms with Amtrak. The Rio Grande continued to operate their portion of the California Zephyr—a route from Chicago, IL to Oakland, CA jointly operated with the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy and Western Pacific railroads—until April 14, 1983 as the Rio Grande Zephyr. For thirteen years the Rio Grande Zephyr made tri-weekly trips between Denver and Salt Lake City making it the last intercity passenger train in the US other than Amtrak.
The Colorado Railroad Museum in Golden, CO owns the last operational F-units from the Rio Grande (D&RGW Nos. 5771&5762, F9 A&B diesel locomotives). These locomotives hauled the Rio Grande Zephyr from 1970 to 1983 and, after that, the Ski Train between Denver and Winter Park. They were retired in 1984 and sold to the museum in 1996 for $1 each. However, the cost to place the heavy equipment on the museum grounds totaled $10,000 a piece. (Imagine the listing if they were sold online: "Available for $1 + $10,000 S&H")
Sources: DRGW.net & Colorado Railroad Museum