A Train Ride on the Georgetown Loop

We got sidetracked! We took the interstate exit ramp and stopped in the small town of Georgetown, Colorado at the visitors' information office. It was a good move. For it was here that we learned more about the train ride that originates in that town and were given a coupon worth $4 off each ticket for that day only. We were told we could go without reservations, so we decided to go --without reservations.

The ride is in old, open cars;  you can opt for a roof or not. We thought the view would be better in the open ones, even though it was overly sunny and warm. These cars used to run on the narrow gauge rail at Pike's Peak.

There were engines on both ends of the train.

The narrow gauge track was built to connect these two mining towns. The towns are only two miles apart but the altitude difference is something close to 500 feet, so the track was built four miles long to make the grade, so to speak.

It was a steam engine that burned oil. I said I wondered how many carbon credits we needed for that little fun run.

This is the engine house at Silver Plume.

There were a few other cars on the sidetracks there. We liked the snowplow on this one.

The club car below had beautiful leather seats inside.

The workers know their stuff. They are all historical buffs and gave every appearance of enjoying themselves. This guy punched our ticket.

The trip takes 90 minutes and was a blast. We went under the high bridge and then over it (that is the loop part of the name.)

What an adventure: riding a narrow gauge steam train through the Rockies!

Check that off my life list!