I got up and drove west of US Highway 24 heading for Leadville. My first stop was just before Buena Vista.
The former Rio Grande Mainline that has been rail banked for an uncertain future. My next stop was in Buena Vista when I spotted something in the city park.
Colorado Midland Railroad Caboose 50 on display.
A Colorado Midland station.
Reality settled in when I walked behind the caboose and discovered it was CB&Q 14634. From here I drove to Leadville and found the Leadville, Colorado & Southern Railroad Station where I parked the car.
Colorado & Southern 2-8-0 641 on display built in July of 1906.
This sign tells of the history of the engine.
The Leadville, Colorado & Southern Railroad Station in Leadville.
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The train came from their storage area towards the station.
The train is now in front of the station.
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Leadville, Colorado & Southern Railroad GP-9 1714.
Two more views of our train for the trip today. The consist is GP-9 1714, LCS 1001 Open Air car, LCS 1002 Covered Coach, LCS 1003 Concession, LCS 1004 Covered Coach, LCS 1005 open Car, LCS 1006 Covered Open Car, LCS 1007 Covered Open Car and LCS 1008 Caboose. I visited the station and picked up my ticket for the trip.
LCS 1008 Caboose with something special on it.
The caboose has a snow plow.
The rear of our train today.
The old Denver, South Park and Pacific DSP&P Freight House in Leadville.
The view down the tracks looking north.
The train and Leadville Station.
LCS 1005 Open Air Car that I would ride in.
LCS 1006 Covered Coach.
LCS 1004 Open Air Coach.
LCS 1003 Concession.
Passengers waiting to board. At 9:30 AM we all started boarding the train.
More passengers will be boarding until we would depart at 10:00 AM.
View inside the Concession Car. There are restrooms in one end of this car.
View of the open air car I will be riding in on this trip.
At 10:00 AM the train started moving with theb engine pushing us the whole trip up the grade to near Climax.
The old Denver, South Park and Pacific DSP&P Freight House in Leadville.
The three story red brick building is the old St. Vincent Hospital.
Turquoise Lake.
Mt. Elbert, the highest mountain in Colorado at 14,443 ft.
Mt. Massive the second highest mountain in Colorado at 14, 421 ft.
Three ex Burlington Northern Cabooses plus a flanger.
This flanger would do much good against the snow fall that happens here.
The Leadville Engine House.
LCS GP-9 1918, the backup engine on this railroad.
The wye at Leadville.
The train takes a few curves showing the caboose leading our train.
The engine pushing hard.
The Concession Car rolling along.
Leadville Mine Drainage Tunnels buried and electrical power lines.
Mt. Zion is the peak across the valley.
The Continental Divide of the Rocky Mountains.
Exposed Glacial Debris is seen in this cut.
The clouds in the sky.
Track car set off track.
Baby Allison is making her first train trip today.
View looking down into the Arkansas River Valley.
Buckeye Peak.
Interesting patterns in the trees across the valley.
More views down into the valley.
Buckeye Peak.
Mt. Buckskin.
The valley made a turn.
Mt. Buckskin.
The train approaching the Birdseye Curve.
Our train on the Birdseye Curve.
Interesting trees.
The four wheel drive road over Mosquito Pass.
Looking down into the valley.
The old electrical line to the Climax Molybdenum Mine.
The train takes a curve where you can see both ends of the train.
Looking down into the Arkansas River Valley.
