The Georgetown Loop

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=90 BGCOLOR="#006699" TEXT="#080000" background="042d05a3.jpg"> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Book Antiqua" ><B>The Colorado Historic Railroad Preservation Association</B></FONT><B>   </B><B> |    </B><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Book Antiqua" ><B> </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Colorado Historic Railroad Preservat"><U><B>home</B></U></A></FONT></div> <div> <A HREF="id2.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="About Us"><U>About Us</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id43.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Como, Colorado April 2006"><U>Como, Colorado - April 2006</U></A>   |   <B>The Georgetown Loop</B>   |   <A HREF="id37.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Loop News"><U>Loop News</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id4.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="CHRRPA Editorial Page"><U>CHRRPA Editorial Page</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id34.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Proposed CHRRPA Projects"><U>Proposed CHRRPA Projects</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id6.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Contact Us"><U>Contact Us</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id18.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Links"><U>Links</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id38.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Photos of Railstar 12"><U>Photos of Railstar #12</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id39.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Georgetown Loop 2005 Day One"><U>Georgetown Loop 2005 - Day One</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id40.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="LPCC Questions"><U>LPCC Questions</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id41.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="LPCC Minutes"><U>LPCC Minutes</U></A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=210 BGCOLOR="#FFCC66" TEXT="#080000" background="043d2123.jpg"> <div>  <STYLE>  </STYLE>  </div> <div> <A HREF="id19.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="News and Updates"><U><B>News and Updates</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id20.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="CHS RFP downloads"><U><B>Colorado Historical Society Request for Proposal downloads</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="http://www.chamachoochoo.com/georgetownloop/glr.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.chamachoochoo.com/georgetownl"><U><B> </B></U></A><A HREF="http://www.chamachoochoo.com/georgetownloop/glr.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.chamachoochoo.com/georgetownl"><U><B>Loop Picture Album</B></U></A><A HREF="http://www.chamachoochoo.com/georgetownloop/glr.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.chamachoochoo.com/georgetownl"><U><B> (by </B></U></A><A HREF="http://www.chamachoochoo.com/georgetownloop/glr.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.chamachoochoo.com/georgetownl"><U><B>Roger Hogan of Chama) </B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="http://www.gssa.state.co.us/purchasi.nsf/444e9694db1e7b81872564dc006ee0a9/faa615f8671338718725654700663793/$FILE/Rules04%20%202-1-04%20Official.pdf" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.gssa.state.co.us/purchasi.nsf"><U><B>Rules and regulations that apply to Colorado State RFP process</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id24.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="CHS Equipment"><U><B>See pictures of CHS proposed equipment</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id23.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="August 17, 2004 Letter"><U><B>August 17, 2004 Letter from GLR</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="http://www.georgetownloop.com" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.georgetownloop.com"><U><B>Official Georgetown Loop Website</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id25.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Contact List"><U><B>Contact List</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id26.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Railstar Proposal"><U><B> Railstar's Proposal to run Georgetown Loop</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id28.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Georgetown Loop Letters"><U><B> Letters </B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id29.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Recent Loop Press"><U><B>Loop Press</B></U></A></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id26.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Railstar Proposal"><U><B> </B></U></A></div> </td> <td valign="top" height=390 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B><U>The current situation at the Historic Georgetown Loop Railroad:</U></B></div> <bR> <div> In summary, the Georgetown Loop Railroad, Inc. (GLRR), a privately owned family run business, and the Colorado Historical Society (CHS), a state run organization established in 1879, are the partners that have made this one of a kind narrow gauge steam operation a success. </div> <bR> <div> The GLRR owns the motive power and the rolling stock and the Colorado Historical Society owns the track and the surrounding land. After 30 years of successful operations, the partners' contract was due for renewal this year, but negotiations were not successful and the Colorado Historical Society began its search for an operator to replace the GLRR, Inc. </div> <bR> <div> After receiving only two responses to the state's bidding process, on August 18th, 2004 (15 days after the RFP deadline), the Colorado Historical Society announced an "intent to award contract" to Railstar Corporation of St. Vincent, New York. </div> <bR> <div> To date, neither Railstar Corporation nor the Colorado Historical Society have acquired the necessary narrow gauge steam equipment necessary to continue operations of this internationally recognized authentic narrow gauge steam operation. </div> <bR> <div> The current operators, The Georgetown Loop Railroad, Inc., have offered to renegotiate with the State Historical Society and have consistently stated that they would like to continue to operate the Georgetown Loop. </div> <bR> <div> On September 30th, 2004 a contract was finalized with the  newly chosen operator, Railstar  and the Colorado Historical Society. As of October 2004, no operable steam equipment that is appropriate for the Georgetown Loop has been acquired. </div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B><U>The Georgetown Loop History</U></B></div> <bR> <div> The mineral strikes of east central Colorado drew hundreds of miners into the Front Range of the Rockies in search of the riches that the mountains had to offer. However, the same peaks and valleys mountains that tempted these miners also created a tremendous difficulty: how to get the heavy ores out of the mountains and down to Denver for smelting into gold and silver bullion. Pack mules and wagons were employed, but these methods were slow and cumbersome, as well as expensive.</div> <bR> <div> Enter the iron horse. Although primitive by today’s standards, steel wheels on steel rails offered a faster and more economical method of transportation. Not only were the Rocky Mountain riches hauled eastward, but supplies, merchandise and passengers were more easily transported west into the mountains.</div> <bR> <div> One limitation to rail transportation, then and now, is the steepness of the grades required to climb the mountains. While automobiles can easily ascend grades of greater than 8 percent (a rise of 8 feet over a distance of 100 feet), 3 percent or more is consider very steep for railroad operations.</div> <div> The distance from Georgetown to Silver Plume is approximately two air miles, but the difference in elevation is more than 600 feet. Rails laid directly up the mountainside would have required and <U>average</U> grade of 5.6 percent and severely restricted the number of loaded cars a single engine could pull.</div> <bR> <div> However, by laying the tracks on both sides of Clear Creek valley and having the railroad loop over itself, the railroad reduced the average grade to 2.5 percent. Occasional sections still have a 4-percent climb, more than the average railroad, but much more manageable than if the rails had been laid straight up the valley.</div> <bR> <div> <B><U>The Devil’s Gate</U></B> </div> <bR> <div> The Devil’s Gate Viaduct is one of the main features of the Georgetown Loop. </div> <div> In order for the railroad to cross from one side of Clear Creek valley to the other, a long, high, narrow bridge was required. The rugged countryside and the need to gain elevation dictated that the bridge be located at the Devil’s Gate, so called because of the constant high winds that blow through the narrow topography at that location.</div> <bR> <div> Completed in 1884, the original Devil’s Gate Viaduct (or “High Bridge”) was 300 feet long and soared nearly 100 feet over Clear Creek and the railroad tracks below.</div> <bR> <div> When silver prices were high, it was economically feasible to operate the Colorado Central Railroad. However, when the Sherman Silver Purchase Act was repealed in 1893, silver went from $1.29/oz. to $.50/oz., forcing mines and smelters to close and railroads to lose many sources of revenue.</div> <bR> <div> One saving feature of the Colorado Central was the High Bridge. Passengers from all over the globe would travel to Denver, then ride the train to Georgetown and Silver Plume just to experience the thrill of riding over the Devil’s Gate Viaduct.</div> <bR> <div> Even passenger excursions could not save the Colorado Central. By 1926, when the Colorado Central had become part of the Colorado & Southern Railway, the C&S petitioned the Public Utilities Commission for permission to terminate passenger service on the Clear Creek branch.</div> <bR> <div> By 1939, operations on the former Colorado Central Railroad had ceased, and the taking up of rails and dismantling of the High Bridge had been completed.</div> <bR> <div> In 1973, Engine No. 44 was brought from Central City to Silver Plume, and in early 1974, steam had returned to Clear Creek County. Through various grants and funding from multiple sources, the Georgetown Loop was gradually rebuilt. In 1983, with the completion of a new, sturdier, Devil’s Gate Viaduct, trains once again ran between the historic towns of Georgetown and Silver Plume, and steam railroading has been present ever since.</div> <bR> <div> For more information on the history of the Georgetown Loop, please visit: </div> <div> <U>www.coloradohistory.org</U><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Book Antiqua" > </FONT></div> <div> <U>www.georgetownloop.com</U></div> <bR> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <TABLE BORDER="1" CELLPADDING="4" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="555" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#000000" BORDERCOLORDARK="#0000BF" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=CENTER HEIGHT= 84 ><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id19.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="News and Updates"><U><B>News and Updates</B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=CENTER WIDTH="113"><div> <A HREF="id20.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="CHS RFP downloads"><U><B>Colorado Historical Society Request for Proposal downloads</B></U></A></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=CENTER WIDTH="108"><div> <A HREF="http://www.chamachoochoo.com/georgetownloop/glr.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.chamachoochoo.com/georgetownl"><U><B> Loop Picture Album (by Roger Hogan of Chama) </B></U></A></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=CENTER WIDTH="163"><div> <A HREF="http://www.gssa.state.co.us/purchasi.nsf/444e9694db1e7b81872564dc006ee0a9/faa615f8671338718725654700663793/$FILE/Rules04%20%202-1-04%20Official.pdf" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.gssa.state.co.us/purchasi.nsf"><U><B>Rules and regulations that apply to Colorado State RFP process</B></U></A></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=CENTER HEIGHT= 34 WIDTH="129"><div> <A HREF="id24.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="CHS Equipment"><U><B>See pictures of CHS proposed equipment</B></U></A></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=CENTER WIDTH="113"><div> <A HREF="id23.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="August 17, 2004 Letter"><U><B>August 17, 2004 Letter from GLR</B></U></A></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=CENTER WIDTH="108"><div> <A HREF="id25.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Contact List"><U><B>Contact List</B></U></A></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=CENTER WIDTH="163"><div> <A HREF="id26.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Railstar Proposal"><U><B> Railstar's Proposal to run Georgetown Loop</B></U></A></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=CENTER HEIGHT= 18 WIDTH="129"><div> <A HREF="id28.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Georgetown Loop Letters"><U><B> Letters</B></U></A></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=CENTER WIDTH="113"><div> <A HREF="id29.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Recent Loop Press"><U><B>Loop Press</B></U></A></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=CENTER WIDTH="108"><div> <A HREF="id30.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Petition"><U><B>Petition</B></U></A></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=CENTER WIDTH="163"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="18" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="163" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> Pictures All Rights Reserved Ron Ruhoff</div> <div> Website All Rights Reserved, Copyright 2004,  CHRRPA</div> </td> </tr></table></body>