D & RG Narrow Gauge Trestle
Encyclopedia
The D & RG Narrow Gauge Trestle (Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad Narrow Gauge Trestle) is a narrow gauge railroad trestle
crossing of the Cimarron River
, located near Cimarron, Colorado
, United States. It is within Curecanti National Recreation Area
, and listed on the National Register of Historic Places
.
The trestle was built in 1895 by the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad
replacing a wooden trestle that was built sometime around 1882. The trestle was originally 288 feet (87.8 m) long but only a small portion of it remains today. Today the D & RG Narrow Gauge Trestle is the last remaining railroad trestle along the Black Canyon of the Gunnison route.
The bridge has a steam locomotive
, boxcar
, and caboose
on display (all from the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad
narrow gauge
). The steam locomotive
is D&RGW #278, a 2-8-0
built by Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1882. The D&RGW used the designation C-16 for this class of locomotive; the letter C stands for consolidation (2-8-0) and the 16 for the number of thousands of pounds of tractive effort of the locomotive. The boxcar
, D&RGW #3132, was built in 1904 by the American Car and Foundry. Caboose #0577 was manufactured in 1886.
Trestle
A trestle is a rigid frame used as a support, especially referring to a bridge composed of a number of short spans supported by such frames. In the context of trestle bridges, each supporting frame is generally referred to as a bent...
crossing of the Cimarron River
Cimarron River (Gunnison River watershed)
The Cimarron River is a tributary that joins the Gunnison River in Curecanti National Recreation Area near Cimarron, Colorado. The river's source is the confluence of two forks near Silver Jack Reservoir in the Uncompahgre National Forest....
, located near Cimarron, Colorado
Cimarron, Colorado
Cimarron is an unincorporated town and U.S. Post Office in Montrose County, Colorado, United States. The Cimarron Post Office has the ZIP Code 81220....
, United States. It is within Curecanti National Recreation Area
Curecanti National Recreation Area
Curecanti National Recreation Area, in Colorado, is formed by three reservoirs, named for corresponding dams on the Gunnison River. The national recreation area borders Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park on the west...
, and listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.
The trestle was built in 1895 by the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad
Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad
The Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad , often shortened to Rio Grande or D&RGW, formerly the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad, is a defunct U.S. railroad company. The railroad started as a narrow gauge line running south from Denver, Colorado in 1870; however, served mainly as a transcontinental...
replacing a wooden trestle that was built sometime around 1882. The trestle was originally 288 feet (87.8 m) long but only a small portion of it remains today. Today the D & RG Narrow Gauge Trestle is the last remaining railroad trestle along the Black Canyon of the Gunnison route.
The bridge has a steam locomotive
Steam locomotive
A steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...
, boxcar
Boxcar
A boxcar is a railroad car that is enclosed and generally used to carry general freight. The boxcar, while not the simplest freight car design, is probably the most versatile, since it can carry most loads...
, and caboose
Caboose
A caboose is a manned North American rail transport vehicle coupled at the end of a freight train. Although cabooses were once used on nearly every freight train, their use has declined and they are seldom seen on trains, except on locals and smaller railroads.-Function:The caboose provided the...
on display (all from the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad
Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad
The Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad , often shortened to Rio Grande or D&RGW, formerly the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad, is a defunct U.S. railroad company. The railroad started as a narrow gauge line running south from Denver, Colorado in 1870; however, served mainly as a transcontinental...
narrow gauge
Narrow gauge
A narrow gauge railway is a railway that has a track gauge narrower than the of standard gauge railways. Most existing narrow gauge railways have gauges of between and .- Overview :...
). The steam locomotive
Steam locomotive
A steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...
is D&RGW #278, a 2-8-0
2-8-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 2-8-0 represents the wheel arrangement of two leading wheels on one axle , eight powered and coupled driving wheels on four axles, and no trailing wheels...
built by Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1882. The D&RGW used the designation C-16 for this class of locomotive; the letter C stands for consolidation (2-8-0) and the 16 for the number of thousands of pounds of tractive effort of the locomotive. The boxcar
Boxcar
A boxcar is a railroad car that is enclosed and generally used to carry general freight. The boxcar, while not the simplest freight car design, is probably the most versatile, since it can carry most loads...
, D&RGW #3132, was built in 1904 by the American Car and Foundry. Caboose #0577 was manufactured in 1886.