Intro
History
Remains
Models
#455
Goose
Reference
Links

Many of the following references were provided to me by John Borst and Greg Hiley and are in no particular sequence. Thanks again.

Books

  • Ferrell, Mallory Hope. SILVER SAN JUAN. First Edition, Pruett Press Inc, 1973. One of the classic books about the Rio Grande Southern Railroad.

  • Eternberger, James L. SUNSET ON THE RIO GRANDE SOUTHERN: VOLUMES 1 & 2, Cheyenne Wyoming, Challenger Press, 1996/1999.

  • Bergman, Donald L. THE RIO GRANDE SOUTHERN: AN INDEX OF PUBLISHED PHOTOGRAPHS. Printed Index. Holland, Michigan: D. L. Bergman, 1989. [A 179 page book containing the information from an computerised index.]

  • Bergman, Donald L. THE RIO GRANDE SOUTHERN: AN INDEX OF PUBLISHED PHOTOGRAPHS. Computerised Index. Holland Michigan: D. L. Bergman. [Over 7000 published photos indexed by - Date, Location, Engine, Goose, Structure, Special, Focus, Photographer, Page, Title and Size]

    Don can be contacted at 62 Sun Ridge Drive, Holland Michigan, 49424. or by email at DBRenegade@aol.com

  • Blazek, Mike. DETAILED WORKBOOKS. Over 30 volumes. Costa Mesa, California: M. Blazek, 1922-?. [This series provides detailed information on everything required to construct museum quality miniature reproductions of locations on the RGS, D&RGW, C&S, The 3 Silverton lines, as well as some Colorado mines and Mills]. Vol 1: Rico; Vol 2: Telluride; Vol 3: Dolores; Vol 4: Ridgway; Vol 5: Placerville/Dallas; Vol 6: Ophir; Vol 7: Brown/Vance Junction/Matterhorn; Vol 8: Denver & Rio Grande Western, Durango; Vol 9: Pandora; Vol 10: Sargent; Vol 11: ICC Valuation for entire RGS; Vol 12: Keeler; Vol 13: Gato; Vol 14: Chama; Vol 15: Silverton; Vol 16: Silverton, Gladstone & Northerly; Vol 17: Mancos, Lizard Head and Coke Ovens; Vol 18: Silverton Northern; Vol 19: Silverton RR; Vol 20: Como; Vol 21: Ouray; Vol22: Cimarron; Vol 23: Crested Butte; Vol 24: Gunnison; Vol 25: Buffalo and Pine Grove; Vol 26: Baileys and Grant; Vol 27: Webster and Jefferson; Vol28: Chalk Creek Canon; Vol29: Balck Hawk; Vol 30: Alpine Tunnel

    Mike also has available building and structures plan series covering the RGS, D&RGW, White Pass, SPng, C&S, SG&N, Sandy River, and mines and mills of the San Juans. The plan list is available for a SASE.

    Mike can be contacted at 3351 Nevada Ave. Costa Mesa, CA 92626 (ph 714 979-8055) or by email at mikeb@WWarch.com

  • Collman, Russ, Dell A. McCoy, and William A. Graves. THE R.G.S. STORY: RIO GRANDE SOUTHERN. 7 volumes. Denver, Colorado: Sundance Publications Limited, 1990-1997. [Vol. 1: Over The Bridges, Ridgway to Telluride (1990); Vol. 2: Telluride, Pandora, and the Mines Above (1991); Vol. 3: Over the Bridges, Vance Junction to Ophir (1993); Vol. 4: Over the Bridges, Ophir Loop to Rico (1994); Vol. 5: Rico and the Mines (1996); Vol. 6: Rico to Dolores (Over the Bridges, Rico to Dolores) (1997); Vol. 7: Dolores and McFee (1998); Vol 8: Dolores to East Mancos (2000)]

  • Crum, Josie Moore. THE RIO GRANDE SOUTHERN STORY. 1st edition. Durango, Colorado: Railroadiana, 1957.

  • Crum, Josie Moore. THE RIO GRANDE SOUTHERN RAILROAD. 2nd edition. Durango: San Juan History, 1961. [This is a reorganized, augmented, and rewritten edition of RIO GRANDE SOUTHERN STORY, which was published in 1957.]

  • Dorman, Richard L. (comp.). THE RIO GRANDE SOUTHERN: AN ULTIMATE PICTORIAL STUDY. Santa Fe, New Mexico: R. D. Publications, 1990. [This apparently is a supplementary volume to Dorman's THE SOUTHERN: A NARROW GAUGE ODYSSEY.]

  • Dorman, Richard L. (comp.). THE RIO GRANDE SOUTHERN II: AN ULTIMATE PICTORIAL STUDY. Santa Fe, New Mexico: R. D. Publications, 1994.

  • Dorman, Richard L. (comp.). THE SOUTHERN: A NARROW GAUGE ODYSSEY. 1st edition. Santa Fe, New Mexico: R. D. Publications, 1986 0r 1987. [Depending on the specific catalog entry, both publication dates were found for this edition.]

  • Dorman, Richard L. (comp.). THE SOUTHERN: A NARROW GAUGE ODYSSEY. 2nd edition. Santa Fe, New Mexico: R. D. Publications, 1988.

  • Dorman, Richard L. (comp.). ROCKY MOUNTAIN RAILROADS - THE RIO GRANDE SOUTHERN 1. Santa Fe, New Mexico: R. D. Publications, 1999.

  • Engel, Charles M. THE GALLOPING GOOSE: STORY OF THE UNIQUE LITTLE TRAIN THAT FOUGHT TO KEEP ALIVE OTTO MEARS' NARROW GAUGE RAILROAD IN THE MOUNTAINS OF SOUTHWEST COLORADO. 1st edition. Dolores, Colorado: Dolores Star/Larry & Marilyn Pleasant, 1969. [Different catalog entries give one or the other of these two publishers.]

  • Engel, Charles M. THE GALLOPING GOOSE: STORY OF THE UNIQUE LITTLE TRAIN THAT FOUGHT TO KEEP ALIVE OTTO MEARS' NARROW GAUGE RAILROAD IN THE MOUNTAINS OF SOUTHWEST COLORADO. 2nd printing. Rico, Colorado?: Larry and Marilyn Pleasant, 1979 (c1969).

  • Grandt, Robert L. (ed.) NARROW GAUGE PICTORIAL. 10 volumes. Oakland, California: R. Robb Limited, 1981-1993?. [The relevant volumes for the RGS are Volume 1 (Rio Grande Southern and D&RGW Motive Power) and Volume 9 (Rio Grande Southern Right-of-Way and Structures, Rico to Durango). Volume 1 was published in 1981. Volume 9 was published in 1992).]

  • LeMassena, R. A. (Robert A.). RIO GRANDE ... TO THE PACIFIC! Denver, Colorado: Sundance Publications Limited, 1974. [Section Nine, pp. 205-228, is entitled "Rio Grande Southern Railroad, 1889-1953." It contains a timeline history of the RGS and many pictures. Section Sixteen, entitled "Rio Grande Territory," contains maps showing the RGS route and some information on the RGS on pages 349-353. Other references to the RGS can be found in the index.]

  • Lynch, Vernon E., Jr. AN ANALYSIS OF THE FIRST RECEIVERSHIP OF THE RIO GRANDE SOUTHERN RAILROAD, 1893-1895. Durango, Colorado: Fort Lewis College, 1990.

  • Maxwell, John W. and Charles S. Small. RIO GRANDE NARROW GAUGE IN THE SUMMER OF 1941. Canton, Ohio: Railroad Publications, 1986. [Deals with both the D&RGW and the RGS.]

  • Mead, Edgar Thorn. ON THE THREE FOOT GAUGE: WITH RIO GRANDE SOUTHERN, DENVER & RIO GRANDE WESTERN, ISLE OF MAN RAILWAY, DONEGAL RAILWAYS, COLUMBIA RAILWAYS, ARGENT LUMBER, UNITED OF YUCATAN, AND EAST BROAD TOP. Washington, D.C. and Etna, New Hampshire: Weedy Rail Books, 1991.

  • O'Berry Dennis. NARROW GAUGE PICTORIAL: MUDHENS. S.l., R. Robb, 1995. [Catalog entries for this book indicate that an alternate title is MUDHENS: A PICTORIAL HISTORY. This book could include the RGS, since the RGS used mudhens it acquired from the D&RGW.]

  • Osterwald, Doris B. BEYOND THE THIRD RAIL: WITH MONTE BALLOUGH AND HIS CAMERA. Lakewood, Colorado: Western Guideways, Ltd., 1994. [Covers both the D&RGW narrow gauge and the RGS.]

  • Rhine, Stanley. TIN FEATHERS AND GASOLINE FUMES: GALLOPING GEESE ON THE RIO GRANDE SOUTHERN. Golden, Colorado: Colorado Railroad Museum, 1971. [Reprinted from COLORADO RAIL ANNUAL NO. 9, 1971.]

  • Rio Grande Southern Historical and Technical Society. THE GALLOPING GOOSE. La Mesa, California: Rio Grande Historical & Technical Society, 1989. [This is a reprint from Volume 2, No. 2, Spring 1989 of the Society's magazine. If you don't have the address for the RGSH&TS, I will find it and send it to you.]

  • Ronfor, Philip A. RIO GRANDE SOUTHERN ALBUM. Highland Mills, New York: Ed Crist, 1989.

  • Strong, William K. THE REMARKABLE RAILROAD PASSES OF OTTO MEARS. Silverton, Colorado: San Juan County Book Company, 1988. [This book contains, according to the library catalog entries, information on the Rio Grande Southern and the Silverton Railroad.]

  • Thode, Jackson C. GEORGE L. BEAM AND THE DENVER & RIO GRANDE: VOLUME II. Denver, Colorado: Sundance Publications, 1989. [George Beam was the company photographer for the D&RG from roughly 1898 to 1934. Chapter VI of this volume, pp. 104-145, is entitled "North Along the Rio Grande Southern" and contains many excellent photographs of towns and scenery along the RGS. Several pages of Beam's photographs of Mesa Verde National Park are included in this chapter. The RGS was the closest railroad to Mesa Verde at the time.]

  • Albi, Charles, R. C. Farewell, and William C. Jones (eds.). COAL, CINDERS AND PARLOR CARS: A CENTURY OF COLORADO PASSENGER TRAINS. Golden, Colorado: Colorado Railroad Museum, 1991. [This apparently is COLORADO RAIL ANNUAL NO. 19, or at least a sizeable portion threrof. The D&RGW and the Durango & Silverton are mentioned, so there should be at least a chance that the RGS is mentioned as well.]

  • Kindig, Richard H. "Otto Perry, Railroad Photographer," COLORADO RAIL ANNUAL NO. 11, 2nd printing, 1981. [CRA No. 11 first appeared in 1973. The Rio Grande Southern was just one of the railroads Otto Perry photographed.]

  • Gordon Chappell, LOGGING ALONG THE DENVER & RIO GRANDE, 1971. This book has 4 chapters on RGS logging operations.

  • The US Department of the Interior / National Park Service, THE RIVER OF LOST SORROWS - A HISTORY OF THE DOLORES RIVER VALLEY, Has Some interesting drawings and information on Dolores.

Videos

  • THE RIO GRANDE SOUTHERN/THE DENVER & RIO GRANDE WESTERN. Green Frog Productions, 1996.

    Narrow gauge action on the Denver & Rio Grande Western and the Rio Grande Southern in the late 1940s. Passenger, freight, and switching action is included. See the Black Canyon of the Gunnison, switching cars at Ouray, crossing Lizard Head Pass in a Galloping Goose, the Monarch Branch, Durang, Cerro Summit, Vance Junction, and Ophir. Both onboard and trackside views are included.

  • RIO GRANDE SOUTHERN: MODELING THE PROTOTYPE. Green Frog Productions, 1995.

    Duane Danielson's On3 layout, black & white photos by Mallory Hope Ferrell, and color video of the Rio Grande Southern's route today are all combined to tell the history of the RGS and how to model it. Tips are included on buildings and scenery in addition to a mini-clinic on building evergreen trees.

  • A FORTIES MEMORIES. WB Video Productions, 1984.

    Railroad photography by Billie Bowne in the post-war 1940s includes steam-powered action on the Denver & Rio Grande, both standard and narrow gauges, and the Santa Fe, Western Pacific, Southern Pacific, and Rio Grande Southern.

  • EXCURSION TO THE THIRITES. WB Video Productions, 1982.

    Compiled from film shot by Richard B. and James R. Jackson between 1937 and 1941, this tour of Colorado narrow gauge prior to World War II includes action on the Colorado & Southern, the Rio Grande Southern, and the Denver & Rio Grande Western.

  • OTTO PERRY'S RIO GRANDE SOUTHERN. Sunday River Productions, 1988.

    The Rio Grande Southern as seen through the camera of Otto Perry.

  • LIZARD HEAD PASS. Sunday River Productions, 1988.

    All four of the only steam powered passenger trains over Lizard Head Pass after 1930. A new addition to this tape shows three Galloping Geese running at once in excursion service.

  • RAILROAD MEMORIES. Colorado Council For Public Television, 1996.

    Features the remembrances of Jackson, Thode, Edward Haley, Charles Albi, Edward Gerlits, and Bob Griswold. These men recount their adventures over decades of chasing steam locomotives through the Colorado high country. This video includes archival still photographs and film footage of the last passenger train to Cirpple Creek, runs of the Rio Grande Southern, the Colorado & Southern, the Galloping Goose, and more.

  • TICKET TO TOMAHAWK. 20th Century Fox, 1949.

    This is a feature film. This movie is the story of the Tomahawk & Western, a fictional narrow gauge railroad in the Colorado Rockies in 1875. The railroad has to get the first train through to the end of the line so the railroad's charter will be fulfilled. Obstacles include a forty mile gap in the rails and a stage coach company that doesn't want the railroad built. Much of the movie was filmed along the Denver & Rio Grande Western's Durang-Silverton line. The Rio Grande Southern connection to this movie is the appearance of RGS 4-6-0 #20 as Engine #1, the "Emma Sweeney," of the Tomahawk & Western.

Legal and Government Documents

  • GUARANTY SETTLEMENT WITH RIO GRANDE SOUTHERN R.R. IN THE MATTER OF SETTLEMENT WITH THE RIO GRANDE SOUTHERN RAILROAD COMPANY UNDER SECTION 209 OF THE TRANSPORTATION ACT, 1920. 97 I.C.C. 8 (1923). [This is the report on the final ammount necessary for the U.S. Government to settle with the Rio Grande Southern for government operation of the RGS during World War I and damages resulting therefrom. The determination of what was due a railroad was made by the United States Interstate Commerce Commission.]

  • RIO GRANDE SOUTHERN RAILROAD COMPANY. VALUATION DOCKET NO. 1063. 143 I.C.C. 399 (1928). [The Interstate Commerce Commission periodically conducted appraisals of railroads to determine their value for rate-making purposes.]

  • Rio Grande Southern Railroad. FIRST MORTGAGE. THE RIO GRANDE SOUTHERN RAILROAD COMPANY TO CENTRAL TRUST COMPANY OF NEW YORK, TRUSTEE. DATED JULY 1ST, 1890. Denver, Colorado: W. F. Robinson & Company, Printers and New York: C. G. Burgoyne, 1890.

  • United States District Court for the District of Colorado. IN THE DISTRICT COURT OF THE UNITED STATES FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLORADO. CENTRAL HANOVER BANK AND TRUST COMPANY, A CORPORATION, PALINTIFF, V. THE RIO GRANDE SOUTHERN RAILROAD COMPANY, A CORPORATION, DEFENDANT. REPORT OF THE MAJOR OPERATIONS OF THE RECEIVERSHIP, THE RIO GRANDE SOUTHERN RAILROAD, 1929-1937. Denver, Colorado?: s.n., 1837.

  • United States National Park Service, Preservation Assistance Division. DEPOT, TELLURIDE, COLORADO. Washington, D.C.: National Park Service, 1988. [This is part of the National Historic Landmark Condition Assessment Report Series. The catalog entry contains this note: "Dates of inspection and condition assessment report: 1987-1988."]

  • United States National Park Service, Preservation Assistance Division. TELLURIDE HISTORIC DISTRICT: DENVER/RIO GRANDE SOUTHERN RAILROAD DEPOT, TELLURIDE, COLORADO. Washington, D.C.: National Park Service, 1989. [This may be the final condition assessment report.]

Manuscript Collections

  • Beebe, Lucius Morris. PAPERS, 1921-1967. Denver Public Library, Denver, Colorado. This collection includes correspondence with the Western History Department of the Denver Public Library concerning illustrations for his railroad books, 1921-1965; a bibliography of his books, 1921-1967; and photocopies of two typescript chronologies for the Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad Company. [Since Beebe did at least one book on Colorado narrow gauge, it stands to reason that the Rio Grande Southern should be mentioned in the correspondence and possibly in the bibliography of Beebe's books.]

  • Lynch, Vernon E., Jr. A FINANCIAL ANALYSIS OF THE OPERATIONS OF THE RIO GRANDE SOUTHERN RAILROAD DURING WORLD WAR I. Fort Lewis College, Durango, Colorado. This is a manuscript copy of a paper presented at the 1983 Annual Meeting of the Ecomonic and Business Historical Society.

  • Sample, Nathaniel W. AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH (OF) N. W. SAMPLE. Denver Public Library, Denver, Colorado. This is an unpublished copy of a typescript from 1926. Sample was one of the men who followed William Jackson Palmer from the 15th PennsylvaniA Cavalry into railroading after the American Civil War. Sample had connections with the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad, the Denver & Rio Grande Western Railway (ancestor of the Rio Grande Western Railway and Railroad), the Rio Grande Southern, and the Baldwin Locomotive Works.

Official Railroad Documents

  • Rio Grande Southern Railroad. ANNUAL REPORT TO THE STOCKHOLDERS OF THE RIO GRANDE SOUTHERN RAILROAD. Possibly 22 volumes. Denver, Colorado: Smith-Brooks Printing Company, 189?-?. [A note in the Yale University catalog entry says that the report for 1916 is the 21st Annual Report.]

  • Rio Grande Southern Railroad. FINANCIAL PAMPHLETS. S.l., s.n., s.d. [The Yale University catalog entry says these pamphlets contan financial and historical information, but doesn't give any other information.]

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