Denver Rock Island Railroad
Encyclopedia
The Denver Rock Island Railroad , formerly known as the Denver Terminal Railroad, is a Class III
terminal railroad
in Commerce City, Colorado
. The DRIR works around Denver's stock yards and many industries in that area. The DRIR has two SW1500
locomotive
s, two NW2
locomotives, one SW1
locomotive and one EMD GP16 locomotive. The railroad is currently painting their engines into a uniform look in silver and blue; number 417 was the first completed engine. SW1500s 1083 and 1211 are now in the new blue/silver paint scheme as well.
The locomotive fleet has a varied history. DRIR 417 (NW2) is ex BN 417 and was originally SLSF (Frisco) 257. DRIR 1211 (SW1500) is ex-UPY (Union Pacific
) 1211, exx-SP (Southern Pacific
) 2646. Purchased from UP on April 22, 2003. DRIR 1083 (SW1500), ex-UPY 1083, exx-SP 2480, which was also purchased from UP on April 22, 2003. DRIR 996 (NW2) which is ex-BN (Burlington Northern Railroad
) 419, exx-SLSF 259. DRIR's SW1, with no number, was ex-BN 88 and originally CB&Q 9143
In May 2010 the railroad acquired GP16 1606. This engine was previously on the Aberdeen, Carolina and Western Railroad with the same number and before that was CSX 1835 ex Seaboard Coastline 4789. SCL 4789 was rebuilt from GP7 867 and was originally Charleston and Western Carolina 213
In June 2005, the Denver Rock Island Railroad filed with the Surface Transportation Board
a verified notice of exemption under 49 CFR 1150.41 to acquire from Union Pacific Railroad
and operate rail lines commonly known as the Stock Yard Lead and the North Washington Industrial Track in Denver and Adams
Counties, Colorado
. The Stock Yard Lead consists of track extending from a point of connection with a UP main line north of East 58th Avenue in unincorporated Adams County to a point of connection with existing DRIR trackage at or near Race Court in the City of Denver, Denver County, a distance of 5,750 feet, or 1.09 miles. The North Washington Industrial Track extends north from the UP beltline industrial lead to serve several warehouses in the lumber industry. This line contains both a wye and half a block of street running on 67th ave.
Class III railroad
A Class III railroad, as defined by the Surface Transportation Board, is a railroad with an annual operating revenue of less than $20 million . The term only applies to United States railroads, but is sometimes applied to other countries...
terminal railroad
Terminal Railroad
Terminal Railroad or Terminal Railway may refer to:*Terminal railroad, a railroad that operates a terminal facility*Terminal Railway Alabama State Docks*Terminal Railway of Buffalo, predecessor of the New York Central Railroad...
in Commerce City, Colorado
Commerce City, Colorado
The city of Commerce City is a Home Rule Municipality located in Adams County, Colorado, United States. Commerce City is a northern suburb of Denver and now the 18th most populous municipality in the state of Colorado...
. The DRIR works around Denver's stock yards and many industries in that area. The DRIR has two SW1500
EMD SW1500
The EMD SW1500 was a diesel locomotive intended for switching service and built by General Motors' Electro-Motive Division between June 1966 and January 1974. 808 examples were constructed. It was closely related to the less powerful EMD SW1000 model, forming a line of switchers powered by the new...
locomotive
Locomotive
A locomotive is a railway vehicle that provides the motive power for a train. The word originates from the Latin loco – "from a place", ablative of locus, "place" + Medieval Latin motivus, "causing motion", and is a shortened form of the term locomotive engine, first used in the early 19th...
s, two NW2
EMD NW2
The EMD NW2 is a 1,000 hp , B-B switcher locomotive manufactured by General Motors Electro-Motive Division of La Grange, Illinois. The NW2 was manufactured from February, 1939 to December, 1949, and 1145 were produced – 1121 for the U.S., and 24 were exported to Canada. Starting in late 1948...
locomotives, one SW1
EMD SW1
The EMD SW1 was a diesel-electric switcher locomotive built by General Motors Electro-Motive Division between December 1938 and November 1953. Final assembly was at EMD's plant at La Grange, Illinois. The SW1 was the second generation of 600 hp switcher from EMD, succeeding the SW and SC...
locomotive and one EMD GP16 locomotive. The railroad is currently painting their engines into a uniform look in silver and blue; number 417 was the first completed engine. SW1500s 1083 and 1211 are now in the new blue/silver paint scheme as well.
The locomotive fleet has a varied history. DRIR 417 (NW2) is ex BN 417 and was originally SLSF (Frisco) 257. DRIR 1211 (SW1500) is ex-UPY (Union Pacific
Union Pacific Railroad
The Union Pacific Railroad , headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is the largest railroad network in the United States. James R. Young is president, CEO and Chairman....
) 1211, exx-SP (Southern Pacific
Southern Pacific Railroad
The Southern Pacific Transportation Company , earlier Southern Pacific Railroad and Southern Pacific Company, and usually simply called the Southern Pacific or Espee, was an American railroad....
) 2646. Purchased from UP on April 22, 2003. DRIR 1083 (SW1500), ex-UPY 1083, exx-SP 2480, which was also purchased from UP on April 22, 2003. DRIR 996 (NW2) which is ex-BN (Burlington Northern Railroad
Burlington Northern Railroad
The Burlington Northern Railroad was a United States-based railroad company formed from a merger of four major U.S. railroads. Burlington Northern operated between 1970 and 1996....
) 419, exx-SLSF 259. DRIR's SW1, with no number, was ex-BN 88 and originally CB&Q 9143
In May 2010 the railroad acquired GP16 1606. This engine was previously on the Aberdeen, Carolina and Western Railroad with the same number and before that was CSX 1835 ex Seaboard Coastline 4789. SCL 4789 was rebuilt from GP7 867 and was originally Charleston and Western Carolina 213
In June 2005, the Denver Rock Island Railroad filed with the Surface Transportation Board
Surface Transportation Board
The Surface Transportation Board of the United States is a bipartisan, decisionally-independent adjudicatory body organizationally housed within the U.S. Department of Transportation. The STB was established in 1996 to assume some of the regulatory functions that had been administered by the...
a verified notice of exemption under 49 CFR 1150.41 to acquire from Union Pacific Railroad
Union Pacific Railroad
The Union Pacific Railroad , headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is the largest railroad network in the United States. James R. Young is president, CEO and Chairman....
and operate rail lines commonly known as the Stock Yard Lead and the North Washington Industrial Track in Denver and Adams
Adams County, Colorado
Adams County is the fifth most populous of the 64 counties of the state of Colorado of the United States. The United States Census Bureau estimates that the county population was 441,603 in 2010 census, a 21.4% increase since 2000 census. Adams County is named for Alva Adams, Governor of the...
Counties, Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
. The Stock Yard Lead consists of track extending from a point of connection with a UP main line north of East 58th Avenue in unincorporated Adams County to a point of connection with existing DRIR trackage at or near Race Court in the City of Denver, Denver County, a distance of 5,750 feet, or 1.09 miles. The North Washington Industrial Track extends north from the UP beltline industrial lead to serve several warehouses in the lumber industry. This line contains both a wye and half a block of street running on 67th ave.