Chronology of the Colorado & Southern
by Donald Ray Burger
Attorney at Law
This chronology covers the Colorado & Southern, and the predecessor railroads it acquired. If you know of additional dates, please email them to me.

February 28, 1861: Congress created the Colorado Territory.
October 11, 1861: The Apex and Gregory Wagon Road acquired the rights to build a railroad between Forks Creek and Gregory Gulch and Russel Gulch.
November 19, 1862: The Colorado and Pacific Wagon, Telegraph and Railroad Company gave a lease to William A.H. Loveland and others d/b/a the Clear Creek and Guy Gulch Wagon Road Company for the 7 miles along Clear Creek, but reserved the right to build a railroad along the route.
1865: First smelter in Colorado set up in Black Hawk.
January, 1866: Colorado Central & Pacific Railroad Company organized.
June 8, 1867: Georgetown's first newspaper, The Colorado Miner, began publishing. Dr. J.E. Wharton, owner/editor.
January 14, 1868: Colorado Central & Pacific Railroad Company changed its name to Colorado Central Railroad Company.
June 22, 1870: The Denver Pacific's line between Denver and Cheyenne completed.
August 15, 1870: Kansas Pacific reached from Cheyenne to Denver.
September 15, 1870: Silver Plume officially named by Stephen Decatur, editor of the Georgetown newspaper, The Colorado Miner.
September 24, 1870: Colorado Central Railroad reached Golden.
February 28, 1871: The Clear Creek & Guy Gulch Wagon Road Company acquired the additional rights to build a railroad along the Clear Creek from the Colorado and Pacific Wagon, Telegraph and Railroad Company.
1872: The CCRR acquired the rights of the Clear Creek & Guy Gulch Wagon Road Company to build a railroad along the Clear Creek.
1872: The CCRR acquired the rights of the Apex and Gregory Wagon Road to build a railroad between Forks Creek and Gregory Gulch and Russel Gulch.
September 1, 1872: CCRR tracks reached Forks Creek.
September 8, 1872: the 0-4-0 "Phil Sheridan" derailed.
September 11, 1872: the 0-4-0 "Phil Sheridan" derailed.
December 11, 1872: CCRR arrives in Black Hawk.
February 24, 1873: CCRR completed to Floyd Hill,
May 11, 1874: An 18 ton Mogul was shipped to the CCRR from Dawson & Baily (National Locomotive Works). It was given the Number "1" on arrival, replacing the Phil Sheridan," the former No. 1.
May 18, 1874: First rails layed for DSP&P.
November 9, 1875: J.W. Nesmith of Golden, Colorado, got patent No. 169,831 for a Spark-arrester smokestack.
June 11, 1877: The CCRR tracks reached Idaho Springs.
June 13, 1877: The First regular service of the CCRR in Idaho Springs began.
August 14, 1877: CCRR completed to Georgetown.
May 20, 1878: The first train pulled into Central City.
November 27, 1879: First narrow gauge train arrived at Argo.
December 4, 1879: Third rail extended to the passenger depot at 16th Street.
March 3, 1880: DSP&P tracks reached Buena Vista.
July 2, 1880: DSP&P began service from Denver to Malta (3 miles south of Leadville).
August 19, 1880: Silver Plume incorporated.
1881: UP assumed control of the DSP&P.
July 26, 1881: Alpine Tunnel "holed through" for route to Gunnison.
August 6, 1881: D&RG reached Gunnison via the Marshall Pass.
1882: DSP&P reached Gunnison.
November 25, 1883: Devil's Gate Viaduct officially completed by the firm of Clark Reeves & Co. However, the CCRR's chief engineer, Robert B. Stanton, refused to accept it because the north and south columns were reversed and there was poor riveting. Apparently, first-class riveters refused to work on the high bridge.
January 23, 1884: Devil's Gate Viaduct completed to the satisfaction of the CCRR.
February 28, 1884: The eastbound passenger train from Georgetown was blown off the tracks by wind.
March 10, 1884: Tracks completed to Silver Plume.
March 11, 1884: First locomotive to Silver Plume.
March 29, 1884: CCRR opened route to Silver Plume over the Georgetown Loop.
July 25, 1884: Passenger train derailed after hitting stock on tracks.
November 4, 1884: Fire destroys most of the business section of Silver Plume.
November 12, 1884: Passenger train derailed east of Forks Creek.
February 4, 1885: The eastbound passenger train from Georgetown was blown off the tracks by wind.
May, 1888: DSP&P went into receivership.
August 1889: Denver, Leadville & Gunnison Railway formed to operate over the old DSP&P tracks.
1893: Silver Panic of '93.
October 13, 1893: Union Pacific placed in receivership.
August 4, 1894: Denver, Leadville & Gunnison Railway went into receivership.
July 24, 1896: A flood took out much of the railroad between Golden and Beaver Brook. Service was not resumed until September 1, 1896.
December 19, 1898: Colorado & Southern Railway Company chartered.
December 28, 1898: C & S acquired the Georgetown Loop.
January 11, 1899: C & S took over South Park and Clear Creek routes.
February 12, 1899: Two hugh avalanches swept down Cherokee Gulch, destroying several buildings and cabins and killing many residents of Silver Plume.
June 21, 1902: C & S No. 13 derailed on a curve just west of Packard Gulch outside Central City.
July 31, 1905: Engine Number 66 derailed near Smith Hill on a sharp curve. Engineer William Allen and section foreman John Ferguson were killed.
August 10, 1905: The Argentine Central incorporated.
October 27, 1905: Engine number 422, a 2-8-0, rear-ended a passenger car after losing control and going through the main switch.
February 2, 1906: First paying passenger rides the Argentine Central.
February 13, 1906: The Waldorf Mining Company shipped the first carload of ore over the Argentine Central.
August 1, 1906: Argentine Central completed to top of Mount McClellan, making it the highest railroad in the U.S.
August 12, 1906: Argentine Central began tourist operations, using a Shay locomotive pulling two C & S passenger cars to the top of Mount McClellan.
July 15, 1907: The Sunrise Peak Aerial Tramway, which one boarded in Silver Plume, opened for business. The ride was 6,600 feet long and climbed 3,300 feet.
April 18, 1909: Passenger train derailed west of Golden on spread rails.
June 16 or 17, 1909: Captain Edward J. Wilcox sold the Argentine Central for $44,000 to the Gray's Peak Scenic Development Company, which continued operations as the Argentine Central.
June 5, 1912: Gray's Peak Scenic Development Company reorganized as the Georgetown and Gray's Peak Railway Company.
August 30, 1912: Engine No. 21 (a 2-8-0), derailed on a sharp curve outside Central City because of lack of air in the brake system.
October 30, 1913: Passenger train was on a switchback, with No. 69 (a 2-8-0) running backwards, when its tender jumped the track and hit a rock ledge. This caused the engine to flip. The engineer, James Duffy, was pinned inside and scalded to death by steam.
July 26, 1918: Earliest known drawing of the C & S Ridgway Spark Arrestor (aka the Bear Trap).
October 24, 1918: Georgetown and Gray's Peak Railway Company applied to the Public Utilities Commission to abandon the line to Mount McClellan.
November 9, 1918: The Public Utilities Commission granted the request of the Georgetown and Gray's Peak Railway Company to abandon the line to Mount McClellan.
January 13, 1920: Last rails of the Argentine Central removed by the Buckle Brothers, as the connecting switch to the C & S at Silver Plume was removed.
August 16, 1921: C & S patents the Ridgway Spark Arrestor (aka the Bear Trap).
August 10, 1926: C&S petitioned the Public Utilities Commission for permission to suspend passenger service of the Clear Creek Lines.
December 13, 1926: The Public Utilities Commission held hearings in Idaho Springs on the C & S's proposal to stop passenger service on the Clear Creek Line - which would end passenger service to Centrl City, Black Hawk, Idaho Springs, Georgetown and Silver Plume.
December 27, 1926: The Public Utilities Commission held hearings in Denver on the C & S's proposal to stop passenger service on the Clear Creek Line.
May 25, 1927: The P.U.C. issued its order authorizing the C & S to discontinue passenger service on the Clear Creek Line as of June 5, 1927.
June 4, 1927: Last regular passenger train over the Clear Creek Line.
August 17, 1928: Denver's Board of Water Commissioners applied to the Interstate Commerce Commission for abandonment of the "Platte Canon Line" between Waterton and Buffalo, so they could build a dam.
September 28, 1928: The C & S proposed abandonment of the entire Leadville Line because of the Denver Board of Water Commissioners' action of August 17, 1928.
June 2, 1930: The I.C.C. denied the requests of both the Denver Board of Water Commissioners and the C & S for abandonment, but noted that the C & S could reapply after 36 months.
March 27, 1931: C & S applied to adandon the Central City Line.
May 9, 1931: I.C.C. approved abandonment of the Central City Line.
September 9, 1931: The C & S decided to convert one coal-burner to oil to test cost savings. Engine number 70 on the Clear Creek Line was eventually chosen. It was the only oil burner ever on the C & S narrow gauge.
July 19, 1932: Final passenger run to Black Hawk-to celebrate the reopening of the Central City Opera House.
1935: C & S engines 4 and 10 were scrapped.
February 28, 1936: C & S applied to abandon the line from Golden to Silver Plume and Forks Creek to Black Hawk.
December 11, 1936: Last "Denver & Leadville R.P.O." stamped as the Post Office switched to trucks.
April 8, 1937: Last freight train from Denver to Leadville.
April 9, 1937: Last passenger train from Denver to Leadville.
April 10, 1937: Last passenger train from Leadville to Denver.
April 10, 1937: South Park Line officially closed down.
April 11, 1937: Last train on the Alma Line.
April 25, 1937: Last regular freight train from Denver to Como.
April 26, 1937: Last regular freight train from Como to Denver.
June, 1938: A roster of the C & S showed engines numbers 5, 6, 8, 9, 58, 60, 65, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 74, 76, and Q-537 (leased from the Burlington) on hand.
September 2, 1938: A flood wiped out the track around Beaver Brook. The line was reopened on October 3, 1938.
January 31, 1939: Georgetown Loop closed.
March, 1939: C & S Number 5 scrapped.
March 18, 1939: Rails removed from the Devil's Gate Bridge.
March 21, 1939: All track on the Georgetown Loop removed.
April, 1939: C & S Numbers 65 & 58 scrapped.
March 21, 1939: Engine number 69 hauls last load of scrap from the dismantling of the Georgetown Loop.
March 27, 1940: C & S applied for abandonment of the remainder of the Clear Creek Line (Idaho Springs to Golden and Forks Creek to Black Hawk).
May 4, 1941: Last freight over the Clear Creek Line between Golden and Idaho Springs. Engine Number 70 had the honors.
June 8, 1941: Engine number 69 becomes the last train through Black Hawk as it operates as a scrap train for the crews removing the rail.
July 8, 1941: Last works train (used in track removal) rolled into Golden.
January 19, 1943: Miners working in the Argo Tunnel blasted in to a flooded mine and flooded the entire Tunnel. Four men were killed. The Tunnel never reopened. Water still drains out of the Tunnel today. April 1943: C & S sold Engines 69 and 70 to the US Army for the White Pass & Yukon.
August 23, 1943: Last narrow gauge train over the Leadville-Climax Line.
1945: C & S engines numbers 74, 75 and 76 sold to Morse Brothers Machinery.
January 1946: C & S numbers 69 and 70 scrapped after three years on the White Pass & Yukon.
1948: C & S engine numbers 75 and 76 sold to Peru for the Cerro de Paseo Copper Railway.
May 4, 1954: The National Society of the Colonial Dames of American in the State of Colorado, through its Historical Foundation, purchased the Hotel de Paris in Georgetown.
September 18, 1973: Engine No. 44 (and tender) moved from Central City to Silver Plume.
August 24, 1974: Engine No. 44 first operated at Silver Plume.
February 24, 1983: Bid notices for rebuilding the Devil's Gate Bridge were published.
May 2, 1983: Ground-breaking ceremonies took place for the new Devil's Gate Bridge in Georgetown.
August 24, 1883: Steel legs set for the Devil's Gate Bridge on the new reinforced concrete piers.
September 1, 1983: All eight towers and crosspieces of the Devil's Gate Bridge are completed.
September 20, 1983: Work began to put the cross-sections on the Devil's Gate Bridge in place.
September 22, 1983: The last cross-section of the Devil's Gate Bridge is put in place.
September 25, 1983: Final section of the Devil's Gate Viaduct put in place.
October 4, 1983: Masonary piers of the Devil's Gate Bridge completed.
October 5, 1983: Iron for the Devil's Gate Bridge arrived in Georgetown.
February 2, 1984: Atlantic Richfield Foundation offered a two for one challenge grant of $200,000 to the Georgetown Loop Project, which the Gates Foundation matched with a $400,000grant.
March 31, 1984: First regularily scheduled passenger train ran over the rebuilt Devil's Gate Bridge.
June 1, 1984: 7:58 am: Test run across the newly completed Devil's Gate Bridge.
June 1, 1984: 10:00 am: First official run across the new Devil's Gate Bridge, with Shay engines Numbers 8 and 14 pulling the load.
August 1, 1984: Official opening of the completed Georgetown Loop.
August 19, 1985: Official dedication of the ticket office and pavilion beneath the Devil's Gate Bridge.

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