Georgetown Loop Railroad (USA) The Georgetown Loop Railroad was one of Colorados first visitor attractions. Completed in 1884, this spectacular stretch of three-foot narrow gauge track was considered an engineering marvel of its time. The thriving mining towns of Georgetown and Silver Plume lie two miles apart in a steep, narrow mountain canyon. To connect them, the railroads builders designed a “corkscrew” route that traveled twice the distance, slowly gaining more than 600 feet in elevation. It included horseshoe curves, grades of up to 4%, and four bridges across Clear Creek, including the massive Devils Gate High Bridge. The Colorado & Southern Railway operated the line for passengers and freight from 1899 to 1938, when it was abandoned. In 1973, the Colorado Historical Society began restoring the railroad as part of its 978-acre Georgetown Loop Historic Mining & Railroad Park. A replica of the High Bridge was completed in 1984 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of its original construction.
Posted on: Tue, 18 Mar 2014 19:42:36 +0000
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