Introduction - History of the RGS and The Track Plan

A Brief History of the Rio Grande Southern

The Rio Grande Southern, built by Russian immigrant and toll road operator Otto Mears, ran in Southwestern Colorado between Ridgeway and Durango.  The RGS operated between 1891 and 1951.  It was built to to transport silver mineral content that was being produced in the mining districts around Telluride and Rico.  Both ends of the RGS were linked to the outside world by the Denver & Rio Grande Western  Railway at Ridgway and Durrango.

The RGS was an instanst success easily earning more than enough to provide a return to the investors and cover the cost of construction.  But that would only last about a year and a half until the Silver Panic of 1893 from which the "Southern" would never recover.  From that point forward, the railroad struggled to survive until it was shut down and dismantled during the winter and spring of 1952-1953.  Along with the loss of mineral traffic, heavy snows in the winter, floods in the spring that caused bridge and trestle wash outs and rock slides caused line closures and excessive maintenance.  The final and fatal blow to the RGS was the loss of the US Mail contract for failing to deliver the mail on time during the winter of 1951-1952.

The Plan

 

    Specification

 

• Railroad - Rio Grande Southern 1st District
• Scale - Sn3 (1/64)
• Room Size - 22.5' X 27.5'
• Benchwork - Modules/Convential L-Girder
• Minum Radius - 32"
• Maximum Grade - 3.5%
• Min Elevation - 51"
• Max Elevation - 81"
• Roadbed - Cork
• Track - Code 70 Handlaid
• Turnout - #6 Fast Track
• Control - Wireless NCE DCC
• Locmotives - P-B-L equipped with Tsunami2 Sound

     The Layout