Hanging Bridge
An interesting part of the Santa Fe Railroad's construction through the gorge is the hanging bridge at a point where the gorge narrows to 30 feet. Here the railroad had to be suspended over the river along the north side of the gorge as shear rock walls go right down into the river on both sides. C. Shallor Smith, a Kansas engineer, designed a 175-ft plate girder suspended on one side by "A" frame girders spanning the river and anchored to the rock walls. The bridge cost $11,759 in 1879, a princely sum in those days. Although it has been strengthened over the years, this unique structure has served on a main rail line for over 118 years.
Passenger Service Ends
Through the Royal Gorge
Taken from the Green Light Vol. 28, No. 5 Published monthly by the Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad August, 1967
"The Colorado Public Utilities Commission (PUC) granted the Rio Grande railroad authority to discontinue trains No. 1 and No. 2, the daily passenger trains between Denver and Salida, on July 28. This authority meant the last run of the two trains would be on July 27.
The first passenger train arrived at Salida in 1880. In 1882 the Royal Gorge route became a transcontinental rail link between Denver and Salt Lake. The first rails laid were "slim gauge," 36" between rails; later it was standard gauged to 4'81/2" between rails to facilitate the movement of foreign line cars.
The Grand Canyon of the Arkansas River, known as the Royal Gorge, was one of the highlights on the route through the Rockies. The Denver & Rio Grande was then known as the Scenic Line of the World. When surveying parties first examined the route, it seemed impossible to construct a railway through the rugged canyon. The perpendicular granite walls scarcely left room for the river. Blasting away the obstructions, a roadbed was constructed hugging the canyon walls. As the railway progressed, the rugged canyon walls grew higher and higher, the river became a raging torrent to the sea, and areas the sun could not penetrate. At the narrowest point, which is 30 feet wide, a long, iron bridge was suspended from the smooth canyon walls. This became the famed hanging bridge. Passenger trains have stopped at this point for decades to allow passenger to alight and marvel at the sights and sounds of nature and see how man had conquered one of nature's obstacles. The walls of the canyon at this point rise 1,300 feet above the track.
During the 90's, four transcontinental passenger trains a day passed through the Royal Gorge. The original route between Denver and Salt Lake went over Marshall Pass, through Gunnison, Montrose, and Grand Junction. Later, the main line was constructed over Tennessee Pass through Glenwood Springs and into Grand Junction. With the opening of the Moffat Tunnel in 1928, passengers could go either way to Salt Lake. If they chose the Royal Gorge route, they would leave early in the morning arriving at Grand Junction in time for their train to be combined with the overnight Prospector for the run into Salt Lake. Planes, with their faster schedules, automobiles, for the independent traveler, and buses, were the downfall of the Royal Gorge, as passengers took to other forms of transportation.
The last segment of this famous train was between Denver and Salida. April 1 was the crowning blow, when the U.S. Post Office Department cancelled the mail contract on this train, leaving the Rio Grande with empty head-end cars and coaches.
The handwriting was on the wall. Authority was soon forthcoming for discontinuance of the Royal Gorge trains No. 1 and No.2. On July 26, 56 passengers and 34 Head Start children boarded train No. 1 at Denver. The children, many having their first train ride, detrained at Littleton. Passengers boarded the train at every station along the way that day.
Arriving at Cañon City, 104 passengers got on the train for the ride through the Royal Gorge, getting off at Parkdale, the first stop beyond the hanging bridge. Over 300 passengers had ridden the train the day before it was to be discontinued. Arrival at Salida saw 171 passengers still on board. To many at the depot, the alighting mass brought back memories of days of long ago. For the final run of No.2 out of Salida, 120 persons found their seats in the three coaches.
The trip was uneventful except for the feeling of nostalgia that prevailed at a time like this. Each one on the train knew they were part of Rio Grande history, being made on the last trip through the Gorge from the west."
We thank the Royal Gorge Route for detailed contributions and photos making this article possible. Please visit the Royal Gorge Route's web site for more information about riding the rails through the Royal Gorge.
