The Prospector was a passenger train operated by the Denver & Rio Grande Western railroad between Denver, Colorado and Salt Lake City, Utah. There were two incarnations of the train: a streamlined, diesel multiple unit train that operated briefly in 1941 and 1942; and a locomotive-hauled train of conventional passenger equipment that operated from 1945 until 1967.
The train was inaugurated November 17, 1941. The original equipment was a pair of Budd Company-built diesel multiple units numbered M-1 and M-2.
For the inaugural trip in 1941, the railroad made stainless steel pass holders that were intended to be distributed to passengers. The holder was engraved with a line drawing of the train on the outside. On the inside were two cards: one with an embossed picture of a prospector and mule in gold, the other with a message reading:
"Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad is honored to welcome _____ on the inaugural trip of the Prospector. New, diesel power, stainless steel streamlined train designed for overnight every night service between Denver and Salt Lake City."
The holders were not distributed as intended to passengers.[citation needed]
The trainsets had significant reliability problems exacerbated by difficult terrain and the train was discontinued July 5, 1942. The trainsets were returned to Budd and ultimately scrapped.
The Postwar Prospectoredit
Anticipating increases in overnight Denver-Salt Lake City rail passenger traffic after the end of World War II, the Rio Grande restored the Prospector on October 1, 1945, using conventional heavyweight equipment. The railroad also began planning the acquisition of new lightweight equipment for the train. In 1949 it purchased three dome-observation cars built by Budd, and in 1950 it took delivery of 25 Pullman-Standard cars — equipment that had been ordered by the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway, but never used by that railroad. The Pullman-Standard cars began service on the Prospector in late 1950, whereas the Budd dome cars generally served on the Royal Gorge (see below) and therefore only appeared on the Prospector west of Grand Junction, Colorado.
In response to a coal miners' strike, in 1950 the Rio Grande began combining the Prospector and the railroad's Royal Gorge train west of Grand Junction. This combined operation continued until 1964 when Royal Gorge service was cut back to Salida, Colorado. Between 1950 and 1953 the train's western terminus was extended from Salt Lake City to Ogden.
Between 1964 and 1967 the railroad occasionally attached flatcars carrying highway vans —piggyback cars — to the rear of the Prospector, a relatively rare combination of passenger and freight service in the same train.
The Prospector made its final runs on May 28, 1967.
Referencesedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to The Prospector.
^Timetable Treasury. New York: Wayner Publications. 1979. p. 144.
Davis, Michael B. (1971). Prospector: The Judge's Train Colorado Rail Annual Number Nine. Golden, Colorado: Colorado Railroad Museum. ISBN0-918654-09-2..
Eager, Jim (1996). Rio Grande Color Guide to Freight and Passenger Equipment. Morning Sun Books. ISBN978-1878887641.
Griffin, James (2003). Rio Grande Railroad. MBI Publishing Company LLC. ISBN978-0760314425.
Thode, Jackson C. (1972). A Century of Passenger Trains... And Then Some. ASIN B003ZTBUDY.
May 03, 2024
prospector, train, prospector, that, runs, western, australia, between, perth, kalgoorlie, this, article, includes, list, general, references, lacks, sufficient, corresponding, inline, citations, please, help, improve, this, article, introducing, more, precise. For the Prospector that runs in Western Australia between Perth and Kalgoorlie see The Prospector train This article includes a list of general references but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations May 2021 Learn how and when to remove this message The Prospector was a passenger train operated by the Denver amp Rio Grande Western railroad between Denver Colorado and Salt Lake City Utah There were two incarnations of the train a streamlined diesel multiple unit train that operated briefly in 1941 and 1942 and a locomotive hauled train of conventional passenger equipment that operated from 1945 until 1967 ProspectorOne of the Budd built trainsets in 1941OverviewService typeInter city railStatusDiscontinuedLocaleWestern United StatesFirst serviceNovember 17 1941 1941 11 17 October 1 1945 1945 10 01 Last serviceJuly 5 1942 1942 07 05 May 28 1967 1967 05 28 Former operator s Denver and Rio Grande Western RailroadRouteTerminiDenver ColoradoSalt Lake City UtahRoute mapLegend 0 Denver Union Station 50 km31 mi Moffat Tunnel East portal Continental Divide 56 2 mi90 4 km Moffat Tunnel West portal 103 km64 mi Kremmling 129 km80 mi Bond 185 km115 mi Glenwood Springs 212 km132 mi Rifle 275 km171 mi Grand Junction ColoradoUtah 353 km219 mi Thompson 444 km276 mi Price 526 km327 mi Provo 570 km354 mi Salt Lake City Source 1 Postcard photo of the postwar train 1941 1942 Prospector editThe train was inaugurated November 17 1941 The original equipment was a pair of Budd Company built diesel multiple units numbered M 1 and M 2 For the inaugural trip in 1941 the railroad made stainless steel pass holders that were intended to be distributed to passengers The holder was engraved with a line drawing of the train on the outside On the inside were two cards one with an embossed picture of a prospector and mule in gold the other with a message reading Denver amp Rio Grande Western Railroad is honored to welcome on the inaugural trip of the Prospector New diesel power stainless steel streamlined train designed for overnight every night service between Denver and Salt Lake City The holders were not distributed as intended to passengers citation needed The trainsets had significant reliability problems exacerbated by difficult terrain and the train was discontinued July 5 1942 The trainsets were returned to Budd and ultimately scrapped The Postwar Prospector editAnticipating increases in overnight Denver Salt Lake City rail passenger traffic after the end of World War II the Rio Grande restored the Prospector on October 1 1945 using conventional heavyweight equipment The railroad also began planning the acquisition of new lightweight equipment for the train In 1949 it purchased three dome observation cars built by Budd and in 1950 it took delivery of 25 Pullman Standard cars equipment that had been ordered by the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway but never used by that railroad The Pullman Standard cars began service on the Prospector in late 1950 whereas the Budd dome cars generally served on the Royal Gorge see below and therefore only appeared on the Prospector west of Grand Junction Colorado In response to a coal miners strike in 1950 the Rio Grande began combining the Prospector and the railroad s Royal Gorge train west of Grand Junction This combined operation continued until 1964 when Royal Gorge service was cut back to Salida Colorado Between 1950 and 1953 the train s western terminus was extended from Salt Lake City to Ogden Between 1964 and 1967 the railroad occasionally attached flatcars carrying highway vans piggyback cars to the rear of the Prospector a relatively rare combination of passenger and freight service in the same train The Prospector made its final runs on May 28 1967 References edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to The Prospector Timetable Treasury New York Wayner Publications 1979 p 144 Davis Michael B 1971 Prospector The Judge s TrainColorado Rail Annual Number Nine Golden Colorado Colorado Railroad Museum ISBN 0 918654 09 2 Eager Jim 1996 Rio Grande Color Guide to Freight and Passenger Equipment Morning Sun Books ISBN 978 1878887641 Griffin James 2003 Rio Grande Railroad MBI Publishing Company LLC ISBN 978 0760314425 Thode Jackson C 1972 A Century of Passenger Trains And Then Some ASIN B003ZTBUDY Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Prospector train amp oldid 1193715292, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
