Description

Volume 23, Number 1 of the Prospector, our professionally produced and beautifully illustrated quarterly magazine featuring the finest work of historians and other experts on all aspects of Rio Grande Railroad was published in Quarter 1 of 2024 calendar year.

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 removal using the railroad’s first two new rotary snowplows over their initial three years. In the second article, Patrick Moore provides a modern perspective on keeping the rails clear, featuring a captivating collection of D&RGW’s Snow Dozers at work in 1978.

Additionally, you’ll find three more articles: one on the D&RGW’s ALCO RS-3 locomotive by P. Allen Copeland, and the fourth article by Richard Severance chronicles the pursuit of an ore train along the Ridgway branch line. To round out this issue, we’ve included a reprint from a 1934 Railway Age article covering the bus operations offered by the Rio Grande, which began in 1926.

I hope you all enjoy this issue of Volume 23,  Thomas Hogan, Editor.