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Collection P 026:
Rio Grande Southern Railroad photographs
collection inventory



Links to contents

Preface
Introduction, scope and contents

Administrative info/ Overview of photos

Historical note: RGS
List of photos 

Introduction/ Scope and contents

Collection P 026
Rio Grande Southern Railroad photographs
1892-1952 (bulk 1949-1952)
approximately 367 photoprints; none of these items circulate, but digital or print copies are a possibility

This narrow gauge railroad ran from Durango to Hesperus, Mancos, Dolores, Rico, Telluride, and Ridgway where it joined with the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad.  The Southwest Studies Center has produced digital access images of 187 photoprints -- which is all of the photos in this collection that show scenes along the 163-mile route of the RGS.  Dr. Chione shot most of the photos himself, circa 1949-1952.  For a guide to the images, see the index to the photograph collection, 1 volume, at the end of Collection M 019.


Administrative information

Arrangement note: The photoprints are housed in two document cases.  They are arranged into the following broad subject categories:

Box 1: Buildings and landscapes (arranged by Mile Post number; a few photos that are not identified, including some views of washouts, have been placed at the end of this sequence).  Mounted photoprints 1 through 187 are in this box.  All of these photoprints have been scanned for online digital access.

Box 2: Engines ("motive power") and rolling stock.  Mounted photoprints 188 through 474 are in this box.  Arranged by the number of the engine, etc., as follows:

Acquisition information:  These photoprints were donated to the Center of Southwest Studies by Alfred G. Chione, M.D. of  Illinois (accession #1968:02009).

Processing informationIn a letter to Dr. John Hubbard dated October 6, 1980, Robert W. Delaney (then the Director of the Southwest Studies Center) wrote, "Currently we are putting all of the RGS photos on cards with dry mount.  They will be arranged according to mile posts, etc."   (Note: the attachment of the prints to regular card stock paper was a common procedure given the level of understanding of preservation issues around 1980, but is not a practice that is used today.)  This online guide, including the item level cataloging, was produced by Todd Ellison, Certified Archivist, Center of Southwest Studies, in August of 2003.  For the sake of brevity in the online presentation, the following list does not contain all of the detailed information that the Center has recorded in an Access database to describe the content of these photoprints.

Through its partnership with the (CDP), the Center of Southwest Studies has digitized many thousands of images selected from a number of collections, for viewing on the Web for educational purposes and research.  To search for digital images at the Center of Southwest Studies and elsewhere, go to


The CDP is supported through a National Leadership Grant to the University of Denver Penrose Library from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (a federal grant-making agency in Washington, D.C., which fosters innovation, leadership and a lifetime of learning, by supporting museums and libraries) with additional assistance from the Colorado State Library, and the Colorado Regional Library Systems.

List of Rio Grande Southern Railroad digitized photographs titles with URL links

The following is a listing of the titles of 187 photoprints of views along the 163-mile route of the RGS (from Ridgway to Durango by way of Telluride, Rico, Dolores, Mancos and Hesperus) which have been scanned for online digital access for research purposes.  An additional document case of approximately 180 photoprints in the Rio Grande Southern Railroad Photographs Collection is available for researchers' use in the Delaney Southwest Research Library at the Center of Southwest Studies,  Fort Lewis College, Durango, Colorado.

ARRANGED BY MILE POST

Search suggestion: you can search this web page by name using the Edit-> Find in Page (Ctrl+F) feature on your Web browser.
Click on the web page address in the right-hand column to see the digital image.

Photoprint #

Title

Image Date

Digital File URL -- click to view image

P026005

Rio Grande Southern Railroad advertisement

 

P026002

Map of western Colorado and northwestern New Mexico railroad lines

 

P026004

Stage lines run in connection with the Denver & Rio Grande System

 

P026010

Rio Grande Southern Railroad round house (Ridgway, Colo.)

1952

 

P026014

Rio Grande Southern Railroad turntable, tank, and yards (Ridgway, Colo.)

1952

P026011

Rio Grande Southern Railroad yards viewed from TT (Ridgway, Colo.)

1952

 

P026009

Rio Grande Southern Railroad Office Building end view (Ridgway, Colo.)

1952

 

P026008

Rio Grande Southern Railroad Office Building side view (Ridgway, Colo.)

1952

P026007

Denver Rio Grande and Western depot viewed from Office Building (Ridgway, Colo.)

1952

P026012

Rio Grande Southern Railroad yards and tank (Ridgway, Colo.)

1952

P026006

Rio Grande Southern Railroad buildings and landscapes at Ridgway (Colo.)

1939?

P026013

Rio Grande Southern Railroad yards viewed from atop round house (Ridgway, Colo.)

1952

P026015

Rio Grande Southern Railroad washout (Pleasant Valley, Colo.)

1952

P026016

Rio Grande Southern Railroad washout (Pleasant Valley, Colo.)

1952

P026017

Rio Grande Southern Railroad track (Valley View, Colo.)

1940-06-03

P026019

Denver and Rio Grande Western Engines 346 and 452 near Dallas Divide (Colo.)

1943

P026018

Rio Grande Southern Railroad Tomahawk & Western caboose (Dallas Divide, Colo.)

1951-11

 

P026021

Rio Grande Southern Railroad Engine #461 at water tank (Brown, Colo.)

1952?

 

P026020

Rio Grande Southern Railroad buildings (Brown, Colo.)

1952?

 

P026022

Rio Grande Southern Railroad Engine #461 approaching Placerville (Colo.)

1951

 

P026023

Rio Grande Southern Railroad depot at Placerville (Colo.): north and rear view

1952

P026024

Rio Grande Southern Railroad depot at Placerville (Colo.): north end view

1952

P026025

Rio Grande Southern Railroad depot at Placerville (Colo.): front view

1952

P026026

Rio Grande Southern Railroad Engines depot at Vance Junction (Colo.)

1951-02

P026027

Rio Grande Southern Railroad trestle and slide at Ames (Colo.)

1952?

 

P026028

Rio Grande Southern Railroad rotary snow plow between Butterfly and Ames (Colo.)

 

 

P026030

Rio Grande Southern Railroad Engine #74 between Vance Junction and Ophir (Colo.)

1949-05-29

P026031

Rio Grande Southern Railroad Engines near Vance Junction (Colo.)

1951-02

P026037

Rio Grande Southern Railroad track near Ophir (Colo.)

1952?

P026032

Rio Grande Southern Railroad low line track 1 mile below Ophir (Colo.)

 

P026034

Rio Grande Southern Railroad track below Ophir (Colo.)

 

P026001

Rio Grande Southern Railroad train with rotary snow plow

 

 

P026029

Rio Grande Southern (?) Railroad rotary snow plow #2 in snow slide (Colo.)

 

P026043

Rocky Mountain Railroad Club excursion train on high trestle above Ophir (Colo.)

1949-05-29

P026045

Rocky Mountain Railroad Club special backing over trestle above Ophir (Colo.)

1947-05-30

P026046

Rio Grande Southern Railroad #74 crossing a trestle above Ophir (Colo.)

1949-05-29

 

P026044

Rio Grande Southern Railroad train crossing high trestle above Ophir (Colo.)

1949-05-29

 

P026035

Rio Grande Southern Railroad train nearing Ophir (Colo.)

1949-05-29

 

P026041

Rio Grande Southern Railroad train on butterfly trestle 44A (Ophir Loop, Colo.)

1946

 

P026040

Rio Grande Southern Railroad trestle at Ophir Loop (Colo.)

1949

 

P026033

Rio Grande Southern Railroad track below Ophir (Colo.)

1952?

P026036

Rio Grande Southern Railroad track near Ophir (Colo.)

1952?

P026048

Rio Grande Southern Railroad view at Ophir Loop (Ophir, Colo.)

1949?

P026042

Rio Grande Southern Railroad high bridge at Ophir (Colo.)

1949?

P026054

Rio Grande Southern Railroad Engine #461 at Ophir (Colo.) depot in winter

1951-11-18

P026053

Rio Grande Southern Railroad depot at Ophir (Colo.)

1948?

P026047

Rio Grande Southern Railroad view near Ophir (Colo.)

1949

P026050

Rio Grande Southern Railroad postcard view at Ophir Loop (Ophir, Colo.)

1949?

P026051

Rio Grande Southern Railroad postcard view of Silver Bell Mines (Ophir, Colo.)

1949?

P026049

Rio Grande Southern Railroad postcard view at Ophir Loop (Ophir, Colo.)

1949?

 

P026052

Rio Grande Southern Railroad depot at Ophir (Colo.)

1940-06-03

P026038

Rio Grande Southern Railroad bridge 45A near Ophir (Colo.)

1949

P026039

Rio Grande Southern Railroad bridge 45A near Ophir (Colo.)

1949

P026067

Rio Grande Southern Railroad water stand and tank at Telluride (Colo.) depot

1949

P026065

Rio Grande Southern Railroad depot at Telluride (Colo.)

1949

P026068

Rio Grande Southern Railroad structures at Telluride (Colo.) depot

1949?

 

P026069

Rio Grande Southern Railroad yard at Telluride (Colo.) depot

1949

P026066

Rio Grande Southern Railroad depot at Telluride (Colo.) as viewed from the rails

1949?

P026064

Rio Grande Southern Railroad view of Telluride Mines (Colo.)

1949?

 

P026063

Rio Grande Southern Railroad view of Bear Creek Falls (Colo.)

1949?

P026061

Rio Grande Southern Railroad view of Telluride (Colo.)

1949?

P026062

Rio Grande Southern Railroad view of Telluride (Colo.)

1949?

 

P026060

Rio Grande Southern Railroad view of Pandora Basin (Telluride, Colo.)

1949?

P026059

Rio Grande Southern Railroad view of Mt. Sneffels (Colo.) on Telluride Branch

1949?

P026058

Rio Grande Southern Railroad view of Wilson Peak (Colo.) on the Telluride Branch

1949?

P026055

Rio Grande Southern Railroad bridge 46D hiline at Ophir (Colo.)

1949

P026057

Rio Grande Southern Railroad bridge 46E hiline (Ophir, Colo.) looking down track

1951-02

P026056

Rio Grande Southern Railroad bridge 46D hiline of Ophir Loop (Ophir, Colo.)

1949

P026070

Rio Grande Southern Railroad structures at Matterhorn (Colo.) depot

1949?

P026072

Rio Grande Southern Railroad bridge at Meadow Creek (Colo.)

1951

P026073

Rio Grande Southern Railroad bridge at Meadow Creek (Colo.)

1951

P026074

Rio Grande Southern Railroad bridge at Meadow Creek (Colo.)

1949

 

P026071

Rio Grande Southern Railroad bridge at Meadow Creek (Colo.)

1951

P026075

Rio Grande Southern Railroad view near Trout Lake (Colo.)

1951?

P026081

Rio Grande Southern Railroad water tower at Trout Lake (Colo.)

1949?

P026078

Rio Grande Southern Railroad view of Trout Lake (Colo.)

1949?

P026080

Rio Grande Southern Railroad track at Trout Lake (Colo.)

1949?

P026079

Rio Grande Southern Railroad view of Trout Lake (Colo.)

1949?

P026077

Rio Grande Southern Railroad view of Trout Lake (Colo.)

1949?

P026076

Rio Grande Southern Railroad view near Trout Lake (Colo.)

1951-11-17

 

P026084

Rio Grande Southern Railroad Engine #461near Lizard Head Pass (Colo.)

1951-11

P026086

Rio Grande Southern Railroad train near Lizard Head (Colo.)

1949-05-29

P026087

Rio Grande Southern Railroad train near Lizard Head (Colo.)

1890 - 1900

 

P026094

Rio Grande Southern Railroad spring view looking west (Lizard Head, Colo.)

1952-04?

P026089

Rio Grande Southern Railroad cars derailed on tail of wye (Lizard Head, Colo.)

1947-05-31

P026093

Rio Grande Southern Railroad spring view looking west (Lizard Head, Colo.)

1952-04?

P026095

Rio Grande Southern Railroad spring view looking west (Lizard Head, Colo.)

1952-04?

P026098

Rio Grande Southern Railroad spring view looking north (Lizard Head, Colo.)

1952-04?

P026091

Rio Grande Southern Railroad spring view looking north (Lizard Head, Colo.)

1952-04?

P026092

Rio Grande Southern Railroad spring view looking north (Lizard Head, Colo.)

1952-04?

P026097

Rio Grande Southern Railroad depot at Lizard Head (Colo.)

1952-04?

 

P026096

Rio Grande Southern Railroad spring view looking west (Lizard Head, Colo.)

1952-04?

P026090

Rio Grande Southern Railroad spring view (Lizard Head, Colo.)

1952-04?

P026083

Rio Grande Southern Railroad snow plowing at Lizard Head Pass (Colo.)

1951?

P026088

Rocky Mountain Railroad Club special with Lizard Head Peak (Colo.) in background

1947-05-31

P026085

Rocky Mountain Railroad Club special with Lizard Head Peak (Colo.) in background

1947-05-30

P026082

Rio Grande Southern Railroad spring view 2.5 miles south of Lizard Head (Colo.)

1952-04?

P026099

Rio Grande Southern Railroad view of coke ovens (Colo.)

1952-04?

P026100

Rio Grande Southern Railroad snow slide at Bridge #163A (Burns, Colo.)

 

P026123

Rio Grande Southern Railroad depot and tank at Rico (Colo.): looking north

1952-05

P026113

Rio Grande Southern Railroad engine house at Rico (Colo.): interior view

1952-05-21

 

P026128

Rio Grande Southern Railroad coal chute at Rico (Colo.)

1952-05

 

P026112

Rio Grande Southern Railroad engine house at Rico (Colo.): interior side view

1952-05-21

P026127

Rio Grande Southern Railroad stock pens at Rico (Colo.)

1952-05

P026126

Rio Grande Southern Railroad track leaving Rico (Colo.): wye viewed from tail

1952-05

P026125

Rio Grande Southern Railroad tank at Rico (Colo.)

1952-05

P026124

Rio Grande Southern Railroad tank and depot at Rico (Colo.): front and south 3/4

1952-05

P026111

Rio Grande Southern Railroad engine house at Rico (Colo.): interior view

1952-05-21

P026120

Rio Grande Southern Railroad yard at Rico (Colo.): looking south

1952-05

P026121

Rio Grande Southern Railroad buildings and structures at Rico (Colo.)

 

P026122

Rio Grande Southern Railroad buildings and structures at Rico (Colo.)

 

P026114

Rio Grande Southern Railroad structures at Rico (Colo.) depot

1952-05

P026118

Rio Grande Southern Railroad depot at Rico (Colo.): partial front view

1952-05

 

P026116

Rio Grande Southern Railroad depot at Rico (Colo.): front view

1952-05

P026115

Rio Grande Southern Railroad depot at Rico (Colo.)

1952-05

P026117

Rio Grande Southern Railroad depot at Rico (Colo.)

1952-05

 

P026119

Rio Grande Southern Railroad yard at Rico (Colo.): north end

1951

P026101

Rio Grande Southern Railroad view of Rico (Colo.)

1949?

P026102

Rio Grande Southern Railroad structures at Rico (Colo.) depot

1918?

 

P026108

Rio Grande Southern Railroad yard at Rico (Colo.): engine house, looking north

1952-05

P026109

Rio Grande Southern Railroad engine house at Rico (Colo.)

1952-05

P026110

Rio Grande Southern Railroad engine house at Rico (Colo.): viewed from west

1952-05

P026106

Rio Grande Southern Railroad yard at Rico (Colo.) depot

1952-05

P026107

Rio Grande Southern Railroad switch at Rico (Colo.) depot

1952-05

P026103

Rio Grande Southern Railroad structures at Rico (Colo.) depot

1952-05

P026104

Rio Grande Southern Railroad switch and depot at Rico (Colo.)

1952-05

 

P026105

Rio Grande Southern Railroad structures at Rico (Colo.) depot

1952-05

P026129

Rio Grande Southern Railroad track washout near Montelores (Colo.)

 

P026130

Rio Grande Southern Railroad bridge #78A and tank at Priest Gulch (Colo.)

 

P026131

Rio Grande Southern Railroad water tank at Priest Gulch (Colo.)

1952

P026133

Rio Grande Southern Railroad track washout repair near Stoner (Colo.)

1952

P026134

Rio Grande Southern Railroad tank and buildings at Stoner (Colo.)

1952

P026132

Rio Grande Southern Railroad track washout near Stoner (Colo.)

1951-05?

P026146

Rio Grande Southern Railroad depot at Dolores (Colo.): 3/4 front from north

1951-05

P026147

Rio Grande Southern Railroad depot at Dolores (Colo.): front view

1951-05

P026144

Rio Grande Southern Railroad depot (rear) and engine house at Dolores (Colo.)

1951-05

 

P026143

Rio Grande Southern Railroad depot at Dolores (Colo.): 3/4 front from north

1951-05

 

P026138

Rio Grande Southern Railroad 3 way track and ROW at Dolores (Colo.)

1951-05

 

P026139

Rio Grande Southern Railroad ROW and mills at Dolores (Colo.)

1951-05

 

P026142

Rio Grande Southern Railroad depot and engine house at Dolores (Colo.)

1951-05

 

P026140

Rio Grande Southern Railroad section houses at Dolores (Colo.)

1951-05

 

P026141

Rio Grande Southern Railroad tool houses at Dolores (Colo.)

1951-05

 

P026145

Rio Grande Southern Railroad depot at Dolores (Colo.): south end

1951-05

P026156

Rio Grande Southern Railroad depot and tank (rear) at Mancos (Colo.)

1949-05

 

P026159

Rio Grande Southern Railroad depot at Mancos (Colo.)

1949-05

P026152

Rio Grande Southern Railroad depot (rear) at Mancos (Colo.)

1949-05

P026155

Rio Grande Southern Railroad depot and ROW at Mancos (Colo.)

1949?-05

P026154

Rio Grande Southern Railroad tank and depot at Mancos (Colo.)

1949?-05

 

P026153

Rio Grande Southern Railroad water tank at Mancos (Colo.)

1949?

 

P026152

Rio Grande Southern Railroad depot and tank (rear) at Mancos (Colo.)

1949-05

 

P026151

Rio Grande Southern Railroad depot and tank at Mancos (Colo.)

1949?-05

P026150

Rio Grande Southern Railroad depot and ROW at Mancos (Colo.)

1949-05

P026158

Rio Grande Southern Railroad depot (front) at Mancos (Colo.)

1949-05

P026148

Rio Grande Southern Railroad depot and ROW at Mancos (Colo.)

1949-05

 

P026149

Rio Grande Southern Railroad section houses at Mancos (Colo.)

1949-05

 

P026161

Rio Grande Southern Railroad depot at Hesperus (Colo.)

1949-05

 

P026160

Rio Grande Southern Railroad depot at Hesperus (Colo.): rear view

1949?

 

P026164

Rio Grande Southern Railroad depot at Hesperus (Colo.)

1949?

 

P026162

Rio Grande Southern Railroad depot at Hesperus (Colo.)

1949-05

 

P026163

Rio Grande Southern Railroad depot at Hesperus (Colo.)

1949-05

 

P026165

Rio Grande Southern Railroad trestle in Wildcat Canyon, near Porter (Colo.)

1949-05

 

P026168

Rio Grande Southern Railroad track west of Porter (Colo.)

1951?

P026167

Rio Grande Southern Railroad track looking west from Porter (Colo.)

1951?

P026166

Rio Grande Southern Railroad bridge #158B east of Porter (Colo.)

1949-05

 

P026170

Rio Grande Southern Railroad bridge over creek at Franklin Junction (Colo.)

1951?

 

P026171

Rio Grande Southern Railroad bridge over creek at Franklin Junction (Colo.)

1951

P026169

Rio Grande Southern Railroad bridge #160A rebuilt with steel (Franklin, Colo.)

1952

P026172

Rio Grande Southern Railroad bridge #161A over Lightner Creek (Colo.)

1949

P026173

Rio Grande Southern Railroad bridge #161A over Lightner Creek (Colo.)

1949

P026174

Rio Grande Southern Railroad Engine #25 on bridge near Durango (Colo.)

1938-06-30

P026175

Rio Grande Southern Railroad shop buildings at Durango (Colo.)

1932

 

P026177

Rio Grande Southern Railroad train on curve in mountains (Colo.)

 

 

P026180

Rio Grande Southern Railroad track in mountains (Colo.)

 

 

P026137

Rio Grande Southern Railroad track near a chute (Colo.)

1952

P026187

Rio Grande Southern Railroad track reconstruction (Colo.)

 

 

P026186

Rio Grande Southern Railroad track reconstruction (Colo.)

 

P026185

Rio Grande Southern Railroad track washout repair (Colo.)

 

P026184

Rio Grande Southern Railroad track washout repair (Colo.)

 

P026183

Rio Grande Southern Railroad track washout repair (Colo.)

 

P026182

Rio Grande Southern Railroad track washout repair (Colo.)

 

P026181

Rio Grande Southern Railroad track rockslide in mountains (Colo.)

 

 

P026179

Rio Grande Southern Railroad tracks covered by snow (Colo.)

 

P026176

Rio Grande Southern Railroad tracks covered by snow (Colo.)

 

P026178

Rio Grande Southern Railroad view of Santa Rita (Durango, Colo.)

 

P026136

Rio Grande Southern Railroad trestle across Dolores River (Colo.)

1952

P026135

Rio Grande Southern Railroad track at Stapleton (Colo.)

 

 

P026003

Rio Grande Southern Railroad Silver San Juan Scenic Line logo

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Related collection: Collection M 019: Rio Grande Southern Railroad (Colo.) records.

Especially see the index to the photograph collection, 1 volume, at the end of Collection M 019.


Doing your own research: This description of a portion of the collections at the Fort Lewis College Center of Southwest Studies is provided to inform interested parties about the nature and depth of the repository's collections.  It cannot serve as a substitute for a visit to the repository for those with substantial research interests in the collections.

This collection is located at the Center of Southwest Studies on the campus of Fort Lewis College.  Researchers wanting more information about using this material at the Delaney Southwest Research Library at the Center may email the archivist at archives@fortlewis.edu or (or phone the archivist at 970/247-7126).  The Center does not have a budget for outgoing long-distance phone calls to answer reference requests, so please email if you wish to receive a response from the Center. 


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Page last modified: September 05, 2007