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 Post subject: Steam may return to Central City, Colorado.
PostPosted: Fri Dec 03, 2021 12:41 am 

Joined: Mon Jul 02, 2018 8:04 pm
Posts: 314
I was stunned to read that steam maybe returning to Central City, Colorado. I rode this wonderful train back in the 80's and remember the echo of the steam whistle was really beautiful. Track was torn up some 30 plus years ago, and the #71 was stuffed and mounted, and is currently on display in front of a near by casino. Apparently track has already been laid and they are working on getting the #71 back into ownership. This would really be a amazing come back story as land is extremely expensive and very hard to find. Their Facebook page has some information for those interested.

https://www.facebook.com/Central-City-R ... 7941482942


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 Post subject: Re: Steam may return to Central City, Colorado.
PostPosted: Fri Dec 03, 2021 12:49 am 

Joined: Fri Mar 29, 2013 11:14 pm
Posts: 135
This is being run by the same man involved in the late 80s operation, so I have my doubts.

There is limited row available, a successful museum operation with steam 30 minutes east, and very successful steam tourist operation 30 minutes west. I don't know what central city can offer to attract the 80k people per year they claimed they would attract in their initial proposal on a few thousand feet of track unless liquor and gambling on the train are a thing.


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 Post subject: Re: Steam may return to Central City, Colorado.
PostPosted: Fri Dec 03, 2021 12:42 pm 

Joined: Fri Jan 08, 2010 11:20 am
Posts: 34
Their website contains some photographs that, in my opinion, are a bit mis-leading. The photo of the two enginemen standing in front of Shay #14 dates from when the Central City operation was run by the Ashby family that later operated the Georgetown Loop for many years. The same for the photograph of the 71 on a short trestle with one of the Ashby's ex-IRCA 2-8-0s behind it. The photographs give the impression that the current owners are reviving that operation, which is not accurate. The Ashby's closed the Central City operation in the early '80s to concentrate on what was a better opportunity at the Loop.

The Facebook post hasn't been updated since 2020 and the website says they anticipate welcoming visitors to their museum in 2021, which, is now almost in the history books.

Forgive me for being skeptical, but, there is a past history of a person attempting to revive that operation and C&S 71 that only lasted a brief time.

Ted Krumreich
Engineman
Georgetown Loop Railroad
1987-2004


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 Post subject: Re: Steam may return to Central City, Colorado.
PostPosted: Fri Dec 03, 2021 3:11 pm 

Joined: Sun Sep 05, 2004 9:48 am
Posts: 1531
Location: Byers, Colorado
Feel free to add my name to the list of sceptics. I really should add that I'd be delighted to be proven wrong, and would be happy to help on the 71.

_________________
Ask not what your locomotive can do for you,
Ask what you can do for your locomotive,

Sammy King


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 Post subject: Re: Steam may return to Central City, Colorado.
PostPosted: Fri Dec 03, 2021 7:09 pm 

Joined: Sun Aug 22, 2004 7:19 am
Posts: 6400
Location: southeastern USA
Thanks Ted and Sammy...... that was my first response also followed by "not again!"

Is this the same person that floated a proposal to rebuild the line from Golden to Central City because "the grade is intact"? Yes, carefully preserved under a highway and a lot of fill.

_________________
“God, the beautiful racket of it all: the sighing and hissing, the rattle and clack of the cars over the rails. These were the sounds that made America the greatest country on earth." Jonathan Evison


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