The History of Trains in Colorado

388 S. Grand Mesa Dr,Cedaredge CO 81413

05 August, 2021

Description

Cedaredge High School Student, Hunter R. Voss, talks about the history of trains in Colorado, focusing on developments that changed the SCV The Transcontinental Railroad was completed on May 10, 1969, when the final spike was driven into the ground at Promontory Summit, Utah, but this route did not go through Colorado. As the population of the territory grew, it was the job of the rail companies to connect the state, even before there were roads and highways. This presentation will take us from 1856 when the first railway in Colorado was built to the present-day railroad companies. The development of rail travel greatly aided in the westward expansion of the United States including the Surface Creek Valley. The above map of the Colorado railroad network shows that trains went to Alamosa and Leadville in 1880, but did not yet traverse the State. Only 5 years later, in1885, the rails had been extended to Gunnison, Montrose and Grand Junction. A famous narrow gauge line that still runs today was built to connect Silverton to Durango at about the same time.