All Aboard the Georgetown Loop Historic Railroad; Narrow-Gauge Steam Train Rides Begin May 28.

DENVER -- The Colorado Historical Society and Railstar Corporation will debut the recently refurbished No. 12 narrow-gauge steam locomotive for the season-opening day of the Georgetown Loop Historic Mining & Railroad Park, Saturday, May 28.

To celebrate, children 15 and under will ride free with a paid adult May 28-29 when tickets are purchased using a coupon from the Rocky Mountain News. Train enthusiasts and families will not want to miss riding on the famed Georgetown Loop, an engineering marvel known throughout the world.

"The Georgetown Loop Historic Railroad offers Colorado residents and visitors a vivid experience that enables them to learn about some of Colorado's fascinating mining and railroad history," said Georgianna Contiguglia, Colorado Historical Society president. "Over the past year, we have worked nonstop to secure an operator and appropriate rolling stock to keep this popular heritage tourism attraction available to visitors in 2005, and we are committed to the long-term preservation of the Georgetown Loop Historic Mining & Railroad Park."

"A ride on the Georgetown Loop with a historic steam engine is like a journey back in time," said Ron Trottier, general manager of Railstar Corporation. "We look forward to providing a safe, enjoyable and educational experience as visitors take in the beautiful Rocky Mountains during their ride."

The Colorado Historical Society has acquired several pieces of historic rolling stock appropriate for a narrow-gauge railroad.

The No. 12 and the No. 9 steam locomotives will be the primary engines used this season (the No. 9 will debut before the end of the summer). The No. 21, a 44-ton diesel/electric engine, will be used for backup and maintenance. Steam locomotive No. 30/74 is expected to be operational by the 2006 season and negotiations are presently underway to acquire an additional 75-ton diesel/electric engine.

Historic Steam

No. 12: The Baldwin Locomotive Works of Philadelphia built steam locomotive No. 12 in 1929. In the 1950s, it was the last steam engine still in use by the Kahului Railroad Company, hauling sugar cane, pineapples and other freight in Hawaii. No. 12 made its last run on May 24, 1966, and was brought to the mainland in 1967. Eventually, Silverwood Theme Park in Athol, Idaho, purchased the engine. Now No. 12 will make Colorado part of its history.

No. 9: Built in 1884, Colorado & Southern Engine No. 9 was used extensively throughout Colorado's narrow-gauge system, including the Georgetown Loop. It operated as both freight and passenger, bringing the last passenger train from Leadville to Denver in 1937. The locomotive was exhibited at the 1939 World's Fair in New York City and at the 1948-49 Chicago Railroad Fair. It was stored for a time in Illinois and placed on display at the Black Hills Central excursion railroad in 1957. The Colorado Historical Society purchased the No. 9 in 1988.

No. 30/74: Colorado and Northwestern (C&N) steam engine No. 30/74, which was built by Brooks Locomotive Works in 1898, is currently being restored and is expected to be operational by the 2006 season. The C&N rail line was based in Boulder and served the mining communities west of the city. Following the demise of the C&N in 1920, the locomotive was sold to the Colorado and Southern as No. 74. In 1948 it became Rio Grande Southern No. 74. The No. 30/74 was part of the narrow-gauge train display that had been in Boulder's Central Park since 1952.

Historic Diesel/Electric

No. 21: Rocky Mountain Steel Mills (formerly Colorado Fuel & Iron) of Pueblo donated the No. 21 -- a 1940s-era, 44-ton General Electric diesel/electric locomotive -- to the Colorado Historical Society to use for backup operations and maintenance at the park. The railroad industry nicknamed this particular type of locomotive "Critter" or "Big Critter." It pulled tons of steel ingots at the plant and operated in that capacity until the 1980s. The engine then sat idle and unnoticed in a field for many years until, in 2004, staff at the plant recognized its historic importance. Narrow-gauge locomotives in this weight class are becoming very rare because of modernization and the operational switch to standard-gauge equipment.

Gondola Cars

The Colorado Historical Society has acquired a number of historic gondolas, which are a type of freight car used to transport bulk cargo including rock, ore, coal and scrap metal. Drop bottom gondolas No. 705 and No. 746, and side dump gondola No. 718, were among a group of a hundred comparable cars manufactured for the Rio Grande American Car & Foundry in 1904. This series of open freight cars were originally built to haul coal and continued in this service for 64 years. When narrow-gauge freight operations ceased, many of the 700 series were moved to Durango for storage. The No. 746 even served for a time as an unofficial community dumpster. These gondolas have now been modified for passenger service. Solid floors replaced drop doors and bench seats were installed along the sides.

The train runs daily until Oct. 2, 2005, and an optional tour of the Lebanon Silver Mine along the route is available until Sept. 5, 2005. For more information about the Georgetown Loop Historic Railroad, prices, reservations, directions to the park and the season schedule, please visit www.georgetownlooprr.com.

Background

The Colorado Historical Society

The Colorado Historical Society is a statewide organization with 12 museums and historic sites across the state, including the Georgetown Loop Historic Mining & Railroad Park. The Georgetown Loop was originally built in the late 1800s and closed in the 1930s. The park was founded by the Colorado Historical Society in 1959 and the three miles of narrow-gauge line that connects Georgetown and Silver Plume, Colorado, as well as the Lebanon Silver Mine, were refurbished and eventually opened as a heritage tourist attraction. The park includes nearly 1,000 acres, 12 buildings and four railway bridges, including the nearly 100-foot-high Devil's Gate bridge over Clear Creek and the railroad. For more information, visit www.georgetownlooprr.com.

Railstar Corporation

Headquartered in Cape Vincent, New York, Railstar Corporation began operating the Georgetown Loop Historic Railroad in 2005. Railstar Corporation also owns and operates the Erie Canal Village historic park and museum in Rome, New York, which includes a two-foot narrow-gauge steam railway and an authentic mule-drawn canal boat, as well as a narrow-gauge equipment manufacturing factory in Watertown, New York. Reservations to ride the Georgetown Loop Historic Railroad and tour the Lebanon Silver Mine can be made by calling 1-888-456-6777.