TRACKS TO THE PAST TRACKS TO THE PAST

Rail operation of the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad through the Black Canyon lasted between 1882-1949. The route through the canyon and the towering granite point of the Curecanti Needle would become the emblem of the rail line.

Local historian shares clips of a bygone time

steam and sounds of raw metal made real.

atching video clips of coal-fired steam engines rumbling down narrow-gauge tracks at the bottom of the Black Canyon is like looking through a rip in the fabric of time, the plumes of

But these scenes aren’t just relics of a disappeared century. They live in the heart, mind and hard drive of local resident and historian Russ Lallier, who has spent decades compiling photos and videos of Gunnison Valley trains, dams and town life from as far back as the 19th century.

Right: A young Lallier stands in front of a snowblower car in Chama, Colorado.