Vol. 159 No. 22 October 14, 2021
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BY JW The Colorado Central Railroad ran between the States of Colorado and Wyoming in the late 1800’s. It was created to ship the gold that was produced from the mountain cities of what is now Gilpin County, Colorado. It was expanded from its original Golden to Denver line
to form a crucial link connecting Colorado with the transcontinental railroad and the national railroad network. The history of the railroad in the 1870’s was rife with struggle and legal battles between several powerful locals which were led by W.A.H. Loveland, against the investors of the
Union Pacific Railroad led by Jay Gould. The early struggle of the Colorado Central Railroad to build its rail lines was a major part of the fierce competition between Denver, Golden, and Central City and their quest to become the seat of power in the Colorado territory. Colorado Central Railroad built the very first rail lines connecting the mining communities of Black Hawk, Central City,
and Idaho Springs. Through a series of reorganizations and acquisitions, over many years it eventually became part of the Colorado and Southern Railway. Its smaller 3’ narrow gauge mountain lines were dismantled in the mid-20th century; a portion of its rail lines still survives today as active lines of BNSF Railway System. BNSF is the largest freight railroad network operating in America. It’s nice to know that part of it survives and is still in operation today continuing to provide supplies to America. This is a true testament to the vision of many men full of hopes and dreams of a better future for the Territory of Colorado. Colorado and Clear Creek Railroad Company was
founded on February 9, 1865 by W.A.H. Loveland and a group of local investors in Golden. At that time, Golden was the capital of the territory of Colorado. Loveland and his partners had the vision and desire to build a 4’ x 8.5 standard gauge railroad up the mountains and through Clear Creek Canyon to Black Hawk, Central City, and all the other mining cities, and to then connect to the nearby cities of Denver and Boulder. In January of 1866, the name of the railroad was changed to the Colorado Central & Pacific Railroad. In June of 1867, the company was reorganized and the Union Pacific investors took control, but Continued ON PAGE 12