Colorado

Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe
Castle Rock, Colorado
June 9, 1996




This southbound Southern Pacific freight is passing the Castle Rock Kampgrounds of America™ refitted caboose on Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe rails, part of the Joint Line trackage shared with the Denver & Rio Grande Western and Colorado & Southern (Burlington) since 1918. Southern Pacific is of course the current incarnation of the D&RGW since its purchase of the Southern Pacific in 1988 and retention of the Southern Pacific name.

A stay in this Frisco-painted caboose was a memorable experience, as the mainline curved just north of here. A visitor in the caboose would see an approaching headlight shining directly into the end window as the noise level steadily rose; just when the din reached a peak and a disastrous collision seemed imminent the train would veer away from the cabin as it Sounded. Its. Horn. for the grade crossing into the campground. Unforgettable.




This page posted 3/1/2019. Text and photo ©2019 Lamont Downs.