All Aboard for Alamosa!

Colorado's first home railroad began in 1871. William J. Palmer, a Civil War veteran and founder of the Denver and Rio Grande, believed transportation was the key to success in this new, undeveloped land. Narrow gauge railroad was a new concept, but it worked for mountain travel because tracks were laid fewer than four feet apart, and on this railroad they were built with a three foot span so trains could negotiate tighter curves. By 1890 Alamosa was a junction town and an important railroad hub, with Denver and Rio Grande track radiating from it in four directions. Trains arrived daily bringing passengers and supplies to Alamosa and leaving with ore, lumber, livestock, and produce. As the town grew and the valley developed, Alamosa became the largest and most important town in southern Colorado. The railroad depot, now moved to a more central location, currently houses the Alamosa Chamber of Commerce and the Narrow Gauge Museum.

Alamosa, Colorado · United States