Colorado railroads: Chronological development

by Tivis E. Wilkins

Invaluable reference work detailing, year by year, what rail trackage was built in Colorado. This includes not only the construction of railroads but also of industrial sidings. Begins in 1867 with the laying of 8.9 miles by the Union Pacific and concludes in 1964 with 14.6 miles of abandonments by the ATSF and the Denver & Rio Grande. Each entry provides the name of the railroad, the location, the number of miles of track, the gauge, and a brief description. The chronological format allows the reader to see readily the overall development of the railroad system in the state, to see the relative pace of construction (and contraction) over the years, and to find out what each railroad was building at any particular time. Illustrated throughout with 250 black and white photos and several maps. With notes and bibliography. 309 pages plus index.

309 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1974

Reviews

[Steve Walden · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is the best compilation of Colorado's railroading growth and recession from 1860 to 1970. It is a year-by-year summary of the construction and abandoning by every railroad, listing the locations and total mileage added or lost, as well as the purposes of each, if known. There is no better compilation of the physical railroad expansion, consolidation and reduction in the first century of Colorado.