I have enjoyed being the Prospector Editor starting with Prospector, Volume 16, Issue 2, for almost seven years! (Not bad for a Burlington guy.) As this is the last issue that I’m involved with, I wanted to say thank you to those who have mentored me in all things Rio Grande. It’s dangerous to do this, but my apologies to those whom I have missed. Starting with Dal DeWitt, who recruited me; Dick Eaton, who has been my biggest supporter and confidant; Jerry Day, who has bailed me out numerous times with excellent last-minute articles; John Tudek, a constant source of illustrative material; Tim O’Fallon and Brent Rush, who have become good friends; my proofreaders, Mike Carlson, Chuck Conway, David Hunt, Jeff Pierce; authors, Jay Bamaby, Josh Bemhard, Ed Cappelle, Mike Chandler, P. Allen Copeland, Matt Darling, Paul Evans, William Fleisher, Chuck Graham, Blaine Hadfield, Brian Holtz, Dylan Hutson, Fred Morton, Dan Quiat, the late Stan Rhine, Bill Robie, Bob Schaefer, Forrest van Schwartz,Robert Sloan, Jim Spencer, Robert Stears, Thornton Waite, Brett Wiebold; photographers Rich Severance, Russ Sharp; Modelers Jeff Simley; and last but not least, those who have served as a Trustee for having faith in my work.

I leave you with one more image from my friend Chuck Zeiler. This is one of the most interesting trains that I have seen on the Grande! We have a very shaggy-looking PA, No. 6011, and F9 No. 5771 with only a coach and baggage car on August 25, 1965. This was Train No. 1, The Royal Gorge, arriving at Salida, Colorado, the western terminus of this train. It left Denver at 9:00 a.m. with cars from CB&Q’s Denver Zephyr (DZ) attached to the rear. The DZ cars were cut off at Colorado Springs, and what remained as The Royal Gorge continued on to Pueblo, where this train met No. 2, the returning Royal Gorge. No. 2 will pick up the DZ cars left by No. 1 and return them to Denver. Meanwhile, No. 1 continued on to Salida, where it would lay over until the next day.