Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad

The Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad, often shortened to "Rio Grande" or simply D&RG, originally the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad, is a former common carrier passenger and freight system. The company started as a narrow gauge line running south from Denver, Colorado in 1870. At its corporate peak, however, the D&RGW served as a standard gauge transcontinental bridge line between Denver, and Salt Lake City, Utah. The Rio Grande was a major origin of coal and mineral traffic in the region, and is perhaps best remembered for its sizable fleet of narrow gauge steam locomotives and related equipment. Today the tourist hauler Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad operates a historic section of former D&RGW trackage between its namesake towns in southwest Colorado.