A Message from the President: Overcoming Challenges Together

Dear Members, As we navigate through 2024, I wanted to take a moment to update you on some of the challenges we've faced with our publications this year. As many of you know, we welcomed Tom Hogan as our new editor at the beginning of the year. Tom has brought

Continue reading

The Prospector 23, Number 2 Has Been Mailed

Arriving soon in a mailbox near you! The Prospector Volume 23, Number 2 started being mailed out this week from our printer. Passenger trains are an important part of the Rio Grande history, and this issue of The Prospector is full of passenger train material. Thornton Waite has submitted a

Continue reading

The Prospector 23, Number 1 Has Been Mailed

Arriving soon in a mailbox near you! The Prospector Volume 23, Number 1 started being mailed out this week from our printer. This issue we delve into winter railroading and snow removal on Colorado’s mountain passes. Our first article, penned by W. George Cook, explores the early days of snow

Continue reading

Rio Grande Southern C-19 #41 Test Run

In 1881, the Baldwin locomotive company built 12 C-19 class 2-8-0 engines for the Denver & Rio Grande RR. In 1916, the D&RG sold number 409 to the Rio Grande Southern RR. The RGS renumbered it to 41. In November 1951, the 41 was sold to Knotts Berry Farm in

Continue reading

View from the Vista Dome – David Lotz

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

Continue reading

The Prospector 22, Number 4 Has Been Mailed

Arriving soon in a mailbox near you! The Prospector Volume 22, Number 3 started being mailed out this week from our printer. This issue features another of the late Mike McLaughlin’s short stories, this one known as “The Stove” is about the daily struggle of a signal gang in the

Continue reading

D&RGW K-28 locomotives celebrated their 100th birthday

The surviving Rio Grande’s 2-8-2 Mikado K-28 locomotives celebrated their 100th birthday in early October, often referred to as the “Sport Model” often compared to the classic '67 Chevrolet Chevelle SS and the smooth Rolls Royce, these locomotives have spent a century hauling tonnage across some of the most challenging

Continue reading

2023 St. Louis RPM (STLRPM)

Our friends with the St. Louis RPM (STLRPM) asked our society to share information regarding the upcoming 16th annual meet in Collinsville, Illinois. With only couple weeks to go, the STLRPM hosts wanted encourage you to plan your trip, get your hotel rooms and bring your models to this years

Continue reading

RGM&HS Prospector Editor Announces Retirement

With Prospector, Volume 21, Number 4, I have wrapped up my sixth year as your Prospector editor. On September 2nd, my wife retired from 44 years of nursing. With this event, I am obligated to fulfill a promise I made to her that I would find a buyer for my

Continue reading

Rod von Bernuth Has Passed

Many folks associated with the preservation of the Rio Grande and the model railroading community in Colorado were saddened to learn about the sudden and unexpected passing of Rod von Bernuth on July 23rd. Rod’s impact to those of us who loved and modeled the Grande was immeasurable. Rod was

Continue reading