Freight & Passenger Trains

Rio Grande Freight & Passenger Trains

Excerpts from "Discussion Program, Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad 1941-1942, The Pueblo Division" by E. W. Deuel, Superindendent, October 6, 1941
This material is presented verbatim from a copy of Mr. Deuel's remarks. It has been re-formatted for presentaiton on the Web.

Principal Passenger Trains - D&RGW and Connections

Train No. 1	Known as the Scenic Limited. Westbound, it leaves Denver daily at 8:40 a.m. - operates through to Ogden via Royal Gorge Route, and has following connections to make on Pueblo Division. Denver - Cars received from CB&Q No. 39 - Expostion Flyer Pueblo - Connects with Missouri Pacific No. 15 from St. Louis at which point a through line Express car is received from the Missouri Pacific.
Train No. 2	The Scenic Limited on the eastbound run from Ogden to Denver, leaves Salida at 1:00 p.m., connects with Missouri Pacific No. 16 at Pueblo (exchange through express) and arrives Denver 7:30 p.m., at which point it connects with CB&Q Aristocrat, and also makes exchange of passenger to Union Pacific and other evening trains.
Train No. 3	This is a Missouri Pacific train running through between Denver and St. Louis, which is handled by the D&RGW between Denver and Pueblo. Leaving Denver at 3:40 p.m., it arrives at Pueblo at 6:30 p.m. where it is scheduled out via Missouri Pacific at 6:40 p.m. No. 3 receives standard Pullman from train No. 6 at Denver, which car runs between Salt Lake and St. Louis
Train No. 4	This is a Missouri Pacific train running from St. Louis to Denver. It arrives Pueblo on the Missouri Pacific at 5:50 a.m. and is handled by the D&RGW beyond, leaving Pueblo 6:00 a.m. and arriving Denver 8:45 a.m. This train carries a Pullman standard that runs through from St. Louis to Salt Lake, the car being switched into train No. 5 at Denver.
Train No. 5	Our westbound Exposition Flyer. Leaves Denver 9:05 a.m. and arrives Bond 1:22 p.m. At Denver, it connects with CB&Q's Exposition Flyer and equipment runs through between Chicago and San Francisco. In addition, as already indicated, No. 5 receives a standard Pullman at Denver from train No. 4
Train No. 6	Our eastbound Exposition Flyer. It is received at Bond at 7:28 a.m. and arrives Denver 11:50 a.m. This train consists of through equipment San Francisco to Chicago, and one Pullman for No. 3 enroute Missouri Pacific to St. Louis. At Denver, balance of train is delivered to CB&Q and leaves Denver via that line at 12:15 p.m.
Train No. 15	Operates from Denver to Salida. It leaves Denver at 7:30 p.m. and arrives Salida 8:30 a.m. It has no connections at Denver, but at Pueblo it splits, and four of its cars, consisting of baggage, coach and Pullman, are run as No. 115 from Pueblo to Alamosa. Schedules for No. 115 calls for it leaving Pueblo at 11:25 p.m. and arriving Alamosa at 4:30 a.m. At Pueblo, three baggage cars of merchandise and one trailer flat car are added to No. 115 for Alamosa. Tow of this baggage cars and the trailer load at Denver and are moved Denver to Pueblo in freight train No. 35, the other baggage car of merchandise loads at Pueblo. The schedule for the balance of No. 15 calls for it leaving Pueblo at 11:15 p.m. and arriving Salida at 2:30 a.m. This latter portion of the trains consists of mail, baggage and coach - three cars.
Train No. 16	Operates from Salida to Denver, leaving Salida at 12:15 a.m. and arriving Denver at 7:15 a.m. It handles three cars Salida to Pueblo, where it connects with No. 116 from Alamosa and picks up No. 116's equipment which it handles Pueblo to Denver. No. 116 leaves Alamosa at 9:40 p.m. and arrives Pueblo 2:45 a.m.

Principal Freight Trains - D&RGW and Connections

Via Denver & Salt Lake
Ute	Westbound Denver to Bond, is due out of Denver at 5:00 a.m. daily, via the cut-off, arrives Bond 12:15 p.m., and had following connections: CB&Q No. 61 and 63, CB&Q No. 67, CRI&P No. 91 and 97 and UP No. 251. During the past several months business received from these connections has made it necessary to run two sections of the "Ute" almost each day.
Train No. 75	Due out of Denver 8:00 p.m. arrives in Bond at 4:45 a.m. and connects with CRI&P No. 91 and CB&Q No. 61. This train also has a connection one day a week with No. 68 from Pueblo, to handle meat from Nuckolls Packing Company for Salt Lake. In addition to these connections, this train handles all merchandise and other business loaded at Denver for the Western Slope.
Fruit Block schedules	Eastbound there are three of these schedules known as the "HX", "SX", and "CS". The HX is the Western Pacific block, due out of Bond 2:15 p.m., arriving Denver 2:50 a.m. Upon arriving in Denver we have two set-outs to dispose of on each one of these fruit blocks. The CB&Q business is set out at Prospect. CRI&P and UP business is set out at 7th St. Yard, and crew goes to Burnham. The SX is business received from the SP at Ogden. This block is due out of Bond at 3:00 p.m. and arrives in Denver at 2:50 a.m. The CS schedule is late departure business from the SP at Ogden, and we have more difficulty making schedule with this train than any other because it is set back to zero hour for departure at Ogden, and has to overtake the two preceding trains - the HX and the SX. The CS leaves Bond at 5:00 p.m. and arrives in Denver at 2:50 a.m.
Via Denver & Rio Grande Western
Train No. 35	Known as "The Rocket" This train was inaugurated to overcome truck competition in the movement of LCL business to Colorado points and make early morning delivery to all points except San Juan Basin in extreme Southwestern part of the State. Our freight house at Denver closes at 6:30 p.m. The merchandise is taken to 4th Avenue, from which point train departs at 7:00 p.m. and arrives in Pueblo at 10:45 p.m. Train is switched here and merchandise for San Luis Valley and San Juan Basin is put on Train No. 115 for delivery at Alamosa at 4:30 a.m. We have a trailer flat equipped for Passenger Service, upon which one or two units of Rio Grande Motor Way are loaded and upon arrival at Alamosa the flat is switched to a ramp. Diesel highway engine is then backed onto this unit and leaves quickly as possible for San Juan Basin without any further handling, arriving Durango about 11:00 a.m. From Pueblo, Train No. 35 departs 11:30 p.m. arrives Salida at 4:30 a.m. with merchandise for Gunnison, Montrose, and other Western Slope points.
Train No. 65	This train originates at Denver. It is due out of Denver at 9:30 p.m. and arrives in Pueblo at 3:00 a.m. It handles perishables diverted from Team Tracks and other business originating in Denver; connects at Pueblo with Missouri Pacific fruit blocks going east.
Train No. 66	This train is due out of Pueblo at 10:00 p.m. and arrives in Denver at 3:30 a.m. It connects with Missouri Pacific No. 75 at Pueblo and handle Mo. Pac. buisness for Colorado Springs and Denver. This is one of our most important trains into Denver as it handles business for industries which originates in the East and South, and which must be placed for early morning Denver deliveries.
Train No. 68	This train, leaving Pueblo at 1:15 p.m. and arriving in Denver at 7:00 p.m., handles business into Pueblo on Missouri Pacific train No. 61. It connects with trains handling perishable business from San Luis Valley, and also makes connection with Rio Grande No. 75 at Denver to move Nuckolls Packing Company meat for Salt Lake one day each week.
Train No. 61	Operates from Pueblo to Ogden, leaving Pueblo at 3:30 a.m. and arriving Salida at 7:00 a.m. This train connects with Missouri Pacific No. 75 and Missouri Pacific No. 61. Present business is requiring two sections of this train almost every day. This is a comparable schedule with the "Ute" out of Denver via Bond, as both are scheduled to arrive Salt Lake at the same time.
Fruit Block schedules	Eastbound, Salida to Pueblo, we have the following fruit block schedules: WPF, due out of Salida 8:15 p.m., arriving at Pueblo at 1:00 a.m. This train handle Western Pacific business routed via Pueblo to Missouri Pacific, Santa Fe and Colorado and Southern. SPF, due out of Salida at 8:45 p.m., arriving Pueblo at 1:15 a.m. It handles Southern Pacific business from Ogden, routed Pueblo to Missouri Pacific, Santa Fe and Colorado & Southern. CSP, due out of Salida 10:30 p.m. arriving in Pueblo at 2:10 a.m. Handles late connections from Ogden, leaving there at zero hour, and overtakes earlier trains insofar as connections at Pueblo concerned.
Train No. 51	This train operates from Pueblo to Trinidad, being scheduled to leave Pueblo at 11:30 p.m. and arrive in Trinidad at 7:00 a.m. It connects with No. 35 out of Denver, and handles merchandise and other business to Trinidad six days per week. This schedule beats C&S or AT&SF from Denver to Trinidad by several hours, which is desirable.
Train No. 67	Operates from Pueblo to Alamosa, leaving Pueblo at 11:30 p.m. and arriving in Alamosa at 8:30 a.m. This train connects with No. 35 and Missouri Pacific 75 at Pueblo, and handles all business for San Luis Valley and San Juan Basin, other than merchandise that is moved on No. 115.
Train No. 68	Runs from Alamosa to Pueblo, being scheduled out of Alamosa at 4:30 a.m. and arriving in Pueblo at 4:30 p.m. It handles vegetables out of the San Luis Valley about six months out of the year, for connections with Missouri Pacific No. 68 at Pueblo; also, C&S connection at Walsenburg, and Santa Fe connection at Pueblo. Denver business for following morning delivery is also handled on this train.

Note: At the time that the above information was presented, the Pueblo Division was comprised of all Rio Grande main and branch lines east of Salida and Alamosa. In a sense, it also included a portion of the Denver & Salt Lake main line between Utah Junction and Orestod. Although Rio Grande trains operated on the D&SL main between these two points were supervised by the D&SL, the trains were operated by Pueblo Division power and crews.

As was noted in Mr. Deuel's remarks, "The importance of the division is well indicated by the fact that on its lines are such important Rio Grande terminal cities as Denver, Colorado Springs, Pueblo, Walsenburg, Trinidad, and Canon City."