EMD FT Diesel-electric locomotives of the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad pulling the Royal Gorge passenger train, ca. 1948.
(Plasti-Color Card Company, Denver, CO, Public domain, via W. Lenheim Collection)
ROYAL GORGE (MP, DRGW, WP)
Not to be confused with the Royal Gorge Route Railroad tourist train.
The Royal Gorge was a long-distance passenger train jointly operated by the Missouri Pacific Railroad, Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad, and the Western Pacific Railroad from St. Louis, Missouri to San Francisco, California. The train was inaugurated in 1940 and traversed the Colorado Rockies and the scenic Royal Gorge Route, as well as the beautiful Feather River Canyon. The Royal Gorge featured coaches and Pullmans. It was discontinued in 1967.
A Royal Gorge printed advertisement from 1948.
(Missouri Pacific Railroad, Public domain, W. Lenheim Collection)
Denver & Rio Grande Western (DRGW) Railroad's Alco PA-1 No. 6011 with the "Royal Gorge" passenger train in tow at Royal Gorge, Colorado, 1963.
(Dan Pope Collection, RMP Archive Photo)
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The Denver & Rio Grande's Royal Gorge led by Alco PA No. 6013 at Colorado Springs, CO, June 1967. Photo courtesy Richard R. Wallin.
(© Mary Jayne's Railroad Specialties, Inc., Fair use, Title 17, Section 107, via W. Lenheim Collection)
The Royal Gorge (1948)
The Royal Gorge passenger train - "Through the Rockies, not around them", was the slogan for this Missouri Pacific, Denver & Rio Grande Western, and Western Pacific joint operation. From St. Louis to San Francisco, this film depicts all of the places to see along the way and at each end point. The MP and WP both use streamlined diesel-electric locomotives to pull the train, while the DRGW uses modern super power steam locomotives. The train was inaugurated in 1940 and traversed the Colorado Rockies and the scenic Royal Gorge Route, as well as the beautiful Feather River Canyon. The Royal Gorge featured coaches and Pullmans. All in all, this was a wonderfully scenic train for its day.
