Cumbres & Toltec Serving Up A Hot Fourth of July

If you have not made any solid plans for next weekend's Fourth of July festivities, consider heading down to the Cumbres & Toltec for a weekend that promises to be unforgettable. They have a full plate of Independence Day activities. A photo from last year's celebration found itself on the back inside cover of Trains Magazine. If you need any more encouragement to go, read on!

Model Commuter Rail Car Closes After Extended Stay

As of 2 p.m. today, the full-scale model of the commuter train that Denver's Regional Transportation District (RTD) has had on public display for five weeks at Denver Union Station has finally closed. The model depicts the front third of an actual 85-foot commuter rail car. On Monday, a crew will lift the 10,700-pound unit onto a trailer for transport to a storage facility. The model was placed on display for the public to give feedback on the planned interior design of Denver's commuter rail cars.

California Zephyr Crash in Nevada

All the details have yet to emerge, but a semi collided with Amtrak's California Zephyr in Lovelock, Nevada.

New Railroad Construction In Denver

It's always a good sign when your friendly neighborhood railroad, usually BNSF or Union Pacific west of Chicago, starts adding capacity in your region. It could be a second main line between two points only a few miles apart, or it could be a third or (wow!) fourth main for 20 miles or more. After a century of contraction and abandoned routes, railroads are cautiously upgrading and adding rail routes.

Highball! First Run of Passengers Over Lobato Trestle From Chama To Osier

It is all over the narrow gauge world out there this morning that Lobato Trestle on the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic is finally back in service! While there were photos and videos of the trestle with the C&TS diesel switcher and a MOW car with ballast for the abutments, there was no official word when the trestle will be ready for daily service with the two regular trains ...until suddenly yesterday morning when a train loaded up and quietly left Chama, full of passengers.

Copper Thieves Nabbed After Moffat Route Spree

Brothers Gerald and Donald Furrer are caught near Parshall, Colorado, after a month of purportedly stealing cable off the Union Pacific's (ex-Rio Grande, D&SL) Moffat Route. Grand County Sheriff's Deputies nabbed the men after they hid by using a thermal imaging camera. Nathan Holmes has the story at DRGW.net.

New Icons

It's amazing what consumes a blogger's time. I spent most of my useful time today on one--just one!--silly icon. Nevermind that the other three took almost as much time. Icons ...that you might notice. You might even click on them.