I have a question pertaining to passenger operations in Denver in the early 1960's.
Union Pacific's Denver operations were based out of Pullman (now known as Commerce City). This is where the Kansas Pacific line to Limon and Kansas City connected with the Denver Pacific line to Cheyenne.
CB&Q had an engine terminal located just north of Coor's Field, which is about a quarter-mile north of Denver Union Station. It is still being used by BNSF.
C&S and ATSF shared a facility at Rice Yard. This location is now occupied by Elitch Gardens Amusement Park. It is near the confluence of the South Platte River and Cherry Creek.
D&RGW's main shops (now a UP shop) is located at Burnham Street, perhaps a couple miles or so south of Denver Union Station, on the Joint Line to Pueblo.
Now for my question: In the pre-AMTRAK 1960's, both Missouri Pacific and Rock Island provided one passenger train each daily to Denver. The MP train ran as D&RGW #3&4 over the Joint Line. The RI train ran, if I am correct, as a RI train #7&8 on trackage rights over the UP's Kansas Pacific line between Denver and Limon (after splitting off its Colorado Springs section, which continued on RI track to the Springs).
OK, so where was the power for the RI and MP trains serviced? RI provided freight service to Denver. Did they have their own shop? Or did they use UP's (because of their trackage rights on UP), or did they have a joint arrangement with D&RGW to use Burnham (because they had a joint station at Colorado Springs)?
What about MP? I would think that they shared Burnham, because I have a book with a picture of the Colorado Eagle at Denver with both D&RGW and MP power on it, and because both were at one time Gould System roads.
Or was the RI and MP power not serviced at a shop between runs, but simply left tied up at Denver Union Station?
I want to send the right power to the right engine terminals on my model railroad. But since it is a prototype operational question, I am putting it here and not in the Model Railroad topic forum.
Thanks for your advice.
Les
Union Pacific's Denver operations were based out of Pullman (now known as Commerce City). This is where the Kansas Pacific line to Limon and Kansas City connected with the Denver Pacific line to Cheyenne.
CB&Q had an engine terminal located just north of Coor's Field, which is about a quarter-mile north of Denver Union Station. It is still being used by BNSF.
C&S and ATSF shared a facility at Rice Yard. This location is now occupied by Elitch Gardens Amusement Park. It is near the confluence of the South Platte River and Cherry Creek.
D&RGW's main shops (now a UP shop) is located at Burnham Street, perhaps a couple miles or so south of Denver Union Station, on the Joint Line to Pueblo.
Now for my question: In the pre-AMTRAK 1960's, both Missouri Pacific and Rock Island provided one passenger train each daily to Denver. The MP train ran as D&RGW #3&4 over the Joint Line. The RI train ran, if I am correct, as a RI train #7&8 on trackage rights over the UP's Kansas Pacific line between Denver and Limon (after splitting off its Colorado Springs section, which continued on RI track to the Springs).
OK, so where was the power for the RI and MP trains serviced? RI provided freight service to Denver. Did they have their own shop? Or did they use UP's (because of their trackage rights on UP), or did they have a joint arrangement with D&RGW to use Burnham (because they had a joint station at Colorado Springs)?
What about MP? I would think that they shared Burnham, because I have a book with a picture of the Colorado Eagle at Denver with both D&RGW and MP power on it, and because both were at one time Gould System roads.
Or was the RI and MP power not serviced at a shop between runs, but simply left tied up at Denver Union Station?
I want to send the right power to the right engine terminals on my model railroad. But since it is a prototype operational question, I am putting it here and not in the Model Railroad topic forum.
Thanks for your advice.
Les
