The Denver & Rio Grande Western (D&RGW) Yampa Valley, normally a two-car local passenger train that ran between Denver and the northwestern Colorado town of Craig, ceased operation on April 7, 1968. This train also served Steamboat Springs and other northwestern Colorado towns. Originally called the Yampa Valley Mail, the train became the Yampa Valley when the Post Office terminated its mail contract in 1963.
The train’s history goes back quite a bit. The Denver & Salt Lake Railway (D&SL) had, as its goal, the connection of Denver and Salt Lake City. In 1931, it was acquired by the D&RGW as it had advanced only as far as Craig. However, the D&SL built the Moffat Tunnel in 1928, giving it a direct route west. This compared to the D&RGW, whose main line west went south of Denver to Pueblo, then west through the Royal Gorge and over Tennessee Pass, then on to Salt Lake. The D&RGW realized the competitive advantage that the D&SL had with its shorter route. Ultimately, after some long controversy, the D&RGW negotiated the purchase of the D&SL in 1947 and built the Dotsero Cutoff in 1934 between its mainline tracks and the D&SL mainline.
The Yampa Valley Mail, and later the Yampa Valley, had their origins with D&SL local day and overnight trains to Craig. In 1951, daytime local trains and a tri-weekly nighttime mixed train with a coach-sleeper, between Denver and Craig were dropped, and replaced by overnight service. The replacement was part of trains #19 and #20, the western slope Mountaineer between Denver and Bond, Colorado, where the line to Craig diverged, and then was operated to and from Craig as a separate train.
The elimination of daytime service to the northwestern Colorado towns along the line frustrated people that needed that service to Denver. However, three years later, nighttime sleeping car service was dropped, and trains #9 and #10 were reinstated as daytime runs in September 1954. Not having had a train name prior to this, the renewed service was now named the Yampa Valley Mail, a name that brings affection to many who still remember that train in northwestern Colorado.
The 1960s was a sad period as more and more railroads applied for discontinuance of passenger trains, not only in Colorado but across the nation. As interstate highways grew and people abandoned passenger trains for airplane travel, along with the Post Office ending shipping of mail on passenger and mail express trains, the end was near not only for famous trains like the 20th Century Limited, but also for little trains like the Yampa Valley.
Very few people in the 1960s chose to take the train to travel from Craig and Steamboat to Denver. The ride took at least six-and-a-half hours, and sometimes much longer because it often ran late. A Continental Trailways bus required only four hours; an automobile could get there in three. After highway improvements over Rabbit Ears Pass in the 1950s, few people wished to spend long hours in a single coach railroad car with at least 30 scheduled stops and another 20 possible flag stops on the nearly 200-mile route. When the Colorado railroad commission finally allowed the train’s discontinuance, many in the Yampa Valley understood the economic realities, but many felt they were losing a great historic treasure.
The November 1963 D&RGW timetables showed a name change from the Yampa Valley Mail to simply the Yampa Valley. The downhill slide of discontinuances of well-known Colorado passenger trains accelerated as the Missouri Pacific, Denver to St. Louis, Colorado Eagle ended service in May 1966. Also in May 1966, the D&RGW Prospector ended its long run between Denver and Salt Lake City. In July of 1967, the Royal Gorge, (which, by that point, only ran as far west as Salida, Colorado) was discontinued. Sadly, on April 7th, 1968, service to northwestern Colorado ended when the little Yampa Valley ceased operation.
Today, the Union Pacific (UP) railroad owns the D&RGW and the Craig route has been built up to handle heavy coal traffic. The roadbed is in excellent condition for handling heavy coal trains.
The State of Colorado, UP, or some other entity could possibly build a profitable business running a train catering to skiers with stops in Winter Park, Bond, and Steamboat Springs. From Bond, shuttle buses could easily serve Vail and Beaver Creek. This is an especially important option to consider, as coal trains are the main drivers of the Craig branch. With coal usage down, and with power plant and mine closures on the horizon, the Craig branch may no longer have enough traffic to keep it open. If UP shuts down the line, the state of Colorado, as well as its citizens, will have lost a viable transportation alternative for northwestern Colorado, especially in this day and age of climate change and pollution worries. By having a rail alternative to travel to Steamboat Springs and other ski areas, and with strong political leadership, the little train that couldn’t may become the little train that could.
Comments
As a very young boy I rode
As a very young boy I rode the Mail solo between Rollinsville and Arvada solo. My Mom would hand me over to the conductor in Rollinsville and the conductor made sure I got off in Arvada where I was met by Helen Lerch. After my visit the process was reversed for my return to Rollinsville. At age 5-6 I had a coin purse and would buy my own ticket onboard. The conductor would have me count the change several times and he would tell me he would put me off the train if there was not enough change. There always was enough.
This is such a wonderful
This is such a wonderful story Charlie! To be young again and ride that train! Thank you for sharing.
James
I rode that train from Denver
I rode that train from Denver to Steamboat in the summer of 1958. I was a college student going to Perry Mansfield Camp to be a counselor. That trip on a narrow gauge track up through the mountains was awesome. At one of the little towns where we stopped, someone came aboard selling homemade roast beef sandwiches that were delicious. I am now 84 and I still remember. Too bad that can’t be turned into a tourist destination.
Hi Ellyn,
Hi Ellyn,
I am so glad that you had the opportunity to ride the train. It was a treasure and unfortunately it does not run anymore. As I wrote in the blog, it would be a great train to take skiers up to Steamboat Springs. Maybe one day!
Thanks for reading this!
James
Back in the 1965-66 school
Back in the 1965-66 school year I attended Yampa Valley College in Steamboat. That 6 hour ride was fine with us as a Party Train. Six hours of scenic drinking with no problems from the train crew since my room mate's Dad was President of the D&RGW. He said the Railroad people called it the B&FE. (Back and forth Empty.)
Talk about a lucky guy, he got to work on the Durango - Silverton tourist branch on the steam locomotives every summer. I'd have loved that!
My Appalachians are beautiful but the Rockies are downright Magnificent! I can handle six hours of that scenery.
Oh, Steve told me they couldn't shut it down till the Moffat Tunnel Bonds were paid off even though it wasn't making money.
Hi Dixie,
Hi Dixie,
Your friend was very lucky to have a RR president as his father. As a railfan, that would be a dream! Sounds like the party train was fun too. I wish with all my heart that Colorado won't let this rail line become abandoned in the future. It has great potential to bring passenger service again to Steamboat and Craig.
All the best,
James
Thank you James for the info
Thank you James for the info about this unique Colorado railroad gem. I was particularly impressed Dixie's recollections of the 1960s "party train" out of Steamboat Springs. As a model railroader, I'm always looking for unique trains to model and this one was a joy researching and building. My model of the Yampa Valley Mail consist of an HO scale Rapido ALCO PA1 diesel locomotive with a Walthers heavyweight baggage/railway post office followed up by a Walthers Pullman-Standard 52 seat coach. It was easy to build and it didn't put me into the loony ben like so may other projects. Many thanks to all the readers who shared their personal stories about the Yampa Valley local and I hope that you, James will follow up with more colorful accounts of Colorado life in the late 20th century. It was a joy to read and take notes along the way.
Hi John,
Hi John,
So kind of you for your nice words! I really enjoyed writing the blog and still think the line has potential for future passenger use. I love the PA1 and wished I had grown up when that locomotive was around. My favorite era was the streamliners! Anyway, thank you again and I'm sure your model is beautiful.
All the best,
James
You know James, there is
You know James, there is tremendous potential for a tourist-ski train connection between Denver and Steamboat Springs. The selling point would be that you could leave your vehicle parked at Denver's Union Station and not have to make the trek through the ice and snow to the ski resorts. This would be right up Al Harper's alley as owner of the Silverton & Durango Narrow Gauge Railroad. With the right financial backing, some endorsements from local political/business leaders, and encouragement from visionaries like yourself, the "Yampa Valley Ski Train" could become a reality. Just think of the influx of tourist revenue into area businesses and tax dollars flowing into government coffers... Best of luck and I'll be the first in line to purchase a First-Class ticket if it comes to fruition.
John,
John,
You've nailed it. If we could get funding, this would be a wonderful endeavor. Hopefully getting money from CDOT for at least a study would be a start. We need to find some leaders up in that area that, as you say, have some vision! Hopefully that will happen before the track is in worse shape or abandoned.
Thanks for your comments,
James
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