Heritage route
Royal Gorge Route
Cañon City → Parkdale · United States
Rides the canyon won in the 1879 “Royal Gorge War”, the Arkansas River alongside and a suspension bridge 291 m overhead.
The Denver & Rio Grande and the Santa Fe fought an armed “war” for this canyon in 1878–79, because only one railroad could fit where the granite walls squeeze to a few dozen metres. The winning line’s trains still pass over the spot where an 1879 hanging bridge suspends the track above the Arkansas River, while the Royal Gorge suspension bridge hangs 291 m overhead. Dome diners and open-air cars make the run from Cañon City year-round.
Along the way
- Hanging Bridge of 1879
- Royal Gorge Bridge overhead
- Arkansas River rafters
- Bighorn sheep on the canyon walls
- Parkdale turnaround
How this line was checked
- Line drawn from OpenStreetMap relation 1419637 — the same nodes OpenStreetMap holds for this railway, thinned to within under 25 m of them
- Checked against OpenStreetMap: the whole line lies on real track, a median 3 m from it
- Wikipedia has an article for this line
- See for yourself: open this line on the map with OpenStreetMap's own railway drawn underneath it
Questions and answers
How long is the Royal Gorge Route?
The Royal Gorge Route runs 19 km from Cañon City to Parkdale.
How long does the Royal Gorge Route take?
The fastest scheduled journey is 1 h for the 19 km. That is an average of 19 km/h end to end. The line's top service speed is 25 km/h.
Who runs the Royal Gorge Route?
Royal Gorge Route Railroad, with F40PH diesels, Vista Domes.
How old is the Royal Gorge Route?
The line has been in service since 1879. That is the year the atlas dates it from: for a modern brand running over an older railway, it is the railway's date, not the brand's.
How often does the Royal Gorge Route run?
Daily year-round, up to 4 departures.
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