Working on the Railroad
Like a snarling dragon, the river kept an endless attack on the rail bed in the canyon. Slumping soils on the hills near Cerro Summit pushed tracks toward nearby creeks. Keeping the tracks east and west from Cimarron in good working shape was a constant battle.
Denver & Rio Grande repair crews used "Maintenance of Way" cars like you see here as homes-away-from-home. Inside these converted boxcars you would find coal-burning stoves, closets, and sinks. Living conditions were primitive. A tank held fresh water. There were no built-in bathrooms aboard.
D&RG Car #04414 housed as many as 18 workers until a foreman took it over. He then made that car his office—and a home for his whole family while at the work site.
[Background photo caption reads]
Maintenance of Way cars parked on sidings. This kept the main line clear so that trains could keep rolling.
Erected by National Park Service.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Environment • Railroads & Streetcars.
Location. 38° 26.595′
this page online
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 11 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Narrow Path to Prosperity (here, next to this marker); Geography Sets the Stage (a few steps from this marker); From Mountain to Table (within shouting distance of this marker); All Aboard (approx. 0.7 miles away); Building a Dam (approx. 7.7 miles away); Light at the End of the Tunnel (approx. 7.7 miles away); Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park (approx. 10.3 miles away); Pegmatite Dikes (approx. 10˝ miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Cimarron.
Also see . . .
1. Historic Cimarron. (Submitted on October 30, 2020, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)
2. Narrow Gauge Railroad. (Submitted on October 30, 2020, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)
Credits. This page was last revised on October 30, 2020. It was originally submitted on October 30, 2020, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania. This page has been viewed 97 times since then and 12 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on October 30, 2020, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.
