The DENVER AND RIO GRANDE WESTERN RAILROAD (reporting mark DRGW), often shortened to Rio Grande or D&RGW, formerly the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad, was an American Class I railroad company. The railroad started as a 3 ft narrow gauge line running south from Denver, Colorado in 1870. It served mainly as a transcontinental bridge line between Denver, and Salt Lake City, Utah. By 1970, D&RGW operated on 3,227 miles of track. That year it carried 7,733 ton-miles of revenue freight and 21 million passenger-miles. In 1988, the Rio Grande's parent corporation, Rio Grande Industries, purchased Southern Pacific Transportation Company. As a result of the merger, the larger Southern Pacific Railroad name was chosen for identity. In 1996, the Union Pacific Railroad bought out the Southern Pacific, taking with it the former Rio Grande equipment, routes, and heritage. Thus, the once-proud Rio Grande became one of the many "fallen flag" American railroads. Today, most former D&RGW main lines are owned and operated by the Union Pacific Railroad. Several branch lines are now operated as heritage railways by various companies. The Rio Grande was the epitome of mountain railroading, with a motto of "Through The Rockies, Not Around Them" and later "Main Line Through The Rockies," both referring to the Rocky Mountains. The D&RGW operated the highest mainline rail line in the United States -- the 10,240 feet Tennessee Pass (no longer in service), the famed routes through the Moffat Tunnel (6.2 miles long) and the Royal Gorge. At its height, around 1890, the D&RG had the largest operating narrow gauge railroad network in North America. Known for its independence, the D&RGW operated the last private intercity passenger train in the United States, the Rio Grande Zephyr. So, all we have left of the D&RGWRR are memories, artifacts, photos, and a few videos. The administrators of this page are committed to keeping alive the memory and legacy of the famed "fallen flag" DENVER AND RIO GRANDE WESTERN RAILROAD.
