On Sept. 2, 1951, the Rio Grande Southern railroad hosted 129 members of the Rocky Mountain Railroad Club for a special excursion train from Ridgway to Lizard Head Pass and back. Here, the train crosses the high trestle above Ophir. By the time of this special trip, it was a foregone conclusion that the line would be abandoned because of the continuing financial struggles of the railroad. In April 1952, with a debt of $9 million ($89 million today), it applied to the Interstate Commerce Commission for abandonment. On March 21, 1953, the last train ran on the RGS. <br><br>Ed Horvat for Animas Museum, edhorvat@animasmuseum.org
On Sept. 2, 1951, the Rio Grande Southern railroad hosted 129 members of the Rocky Mountain Railroad Club for a special excursion train from Ridgway to Lizard Head Pass and back. Here, the train crosses the high trestle above Ophir. By the time of this special trip, it was a foregone conclusion that the line would be abandoned because of the continuing financial struggles of the railroad. In April 1952, with a debt of $9 million ($89 million today), it applied to the Interstate Commerce Commission for abandonment. On March 21, 1953, the last train ran on the RGS. <br><br>Ed Horvat for Animas Museum, [email protected]Courtesy of Denver Public Library