Alamosa, like most of our country, grew up with railroads. And while the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad put many towns on the map, none went up quite as quickly as Alamosa.
The narrow gauge rail into town was completed on June 22, 1878, and shortly after, a train full of assorted pre-built buildings from nearby Garland City were brought in and put into place that same day. Rumor has it, in fact, that the men who worked the line had breakfast in Garland City that morning, and were later served dinner in the same building that evening – in Alamosa.
Back then, the town’s commercial center was located on what is now Sixth Street, with a couple of buildings to the north on what is now Hunt and State. Alamosa soon became an outfitting point for southern Colorado and northern New Mexico, and by 1880 the population had topped 800, making it the largest and liveliest town in south central Colorado.
With its large railroad station, Alamosa harbored all sorts of rowdy characters – among them construction huskies, sheep herders, cow punchers, miners and gamblers – as well as a large Spanish-speaking community that had settled the area in 1854.
During the same period, in 1880, construction was under way on a rail line leading to Antonito and then, ultimately, to Santa Fe. At the same time, rail construction west through Monte Vista, Del Norte and South Fork was also under way and was finally completed in 1881. Nine years later the track was extended from Salida to Alamosa, and by 1890, and for the following half-century, Alamosa was the hub of narrow gauge railroading in America.
The busy depot hummed day and night with the activity of both passenger and freight trains from Denver, Durango, Santa Fe, Salida and Creede arriving and departing daily. The freight trains supplied the developing valley with ore, lumber, cattle, sheep and farm products, and in turn, agricultural and mining products were shipped out.
Less than a decade later, after years of unsuccessful surveying, a workable route was found and the narrow gauge rail would be replaced by standard gauge from the town of La Veta over La Veta Pass and into Alamosa.
Today, more than 100 years later, the same standard gauge rails are still in use, carrying both freight and passengers over La Veta Pass on the San Luis & Rio Grande Railroad and the Rio Grande Scenic Railroad.
Today, Alasmosa is central to the area’s attractions and offers recreation opportunities for all ages, Alamosa offers visitors a range of lodging, dining and entertainment throughout the year. The town’s Main Street pubs, cafes, coffee shops and retail shops are just a short walk from the Rio Grande Scenic Railroad’s depot. The mighty Rio Grande winds through town and alongside picturesque Cole Park, a great spot for a sunset walk after a day on the train.
In 2006, the Rio Grande Scenic Railroad launched its debut operating season in Alamosa, Colorado, pulling passenger cars with diesel engines on all three routes – the San Luis Express over La Veta Pass, the Toltec Gorge Limited serving Antonito and connection with the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad, and the Potato Valley Explorer.
In early 2007, the Rio Grande Scenic Railroad purchased the SP-1744 – a fully-restored, turn-of-the-century steam locomotive built by Baldwin Locomotive Works of Philadelphia for the Southern Pacific Railroad. The engine was commissioned into regular service in 1901.
In spring 2008 the Rio Grande Scenic Railroad purchased two additional engines and 5 dome cars. The LS&I-18 is a fully-restored, 2-8-0 Consolidation steam locomotive built by the American Locomotive Company at its Pittsburgh works in 1910. Sister LS&I-20 was acquired at the same time, and the shop forces in Alamosa plan to have it in service in 2010. The full-length dome cars were built in 1954 for the Santa Fe Railway and were used on luxury long-distance trains between Chicago, Texas, the Grand Canyon and the West Coast.
Designated ‘Scenic Line of the World’, theRGSR railroad offers regular weekly roundtrip service from Alamosa to La Veta between May and October, along with special weekend trips. The Rio Grande Scenic Railroad also makes one of the few standard and narrow gauge connections in North America with the Cumbres & Toltec Railroad. Alamosa is centrally located, within an hour of Durango, Chama, and Pagosa Springs and the Rio Grande Scenic Railroad offers a simply amazing ride, unrivaled by even the nearby scenic railroads.
Visit the Durango or Cumbres for a steam engine ride, then swing through Alamosa and enojy a beautiful and leisurely journey over La Veta Pass by Dome car! A bargain at only $58, the San Luis Express leaves daily at 9 a.m. from historic Alamosa and winds through country ranging from agricultural flatlands to colorful foothills to cliff-sided mountains – much of it inaccessible by motor vehicle – on its way to the charming art town of La Veta. A leisurely, two-hour stop for lunch allows passengers to relax in the park, do some shopping and gallery-browsing, or enjoy a great meal at one of La Veta’s local restaurants and cafes.
Discover this still little known amazing ride; further information: http://www.railsnw.com/Tours/rio_grande_scenic_railroad/rio_grande_scenic_railroad-railonly.htm#booking
