Colorado Railroad Museum to have three locomotives under steam May 15-16

Event with three coal-fired locomotives will be a first in museum's 62-year history

Steam locomotive moves out of a roundhouse. — Rio Grande Southern No. 20, which made its debut in 2020, will be one of the three locomotives under steam at the Colorado Railroad Museum May 15-16.

GOLDEN, Colo. — For the first time in its 62-year history, the Colorado Railroad Museum will have three coal-fired narrow-gauge locomotives under steam and operating for two days in May. This first-ever-of-its-kind event will offer fans of Colorado history an exciting opportunity to experience the sights, sounds, and smells of a time when steam locomotives were an important part of the state’s transportation network, its economy, and its social fabric.

The locomotives are Rio Grande Southern No. 20 (vintage 1899, it debuted in 2020 after a 14-year, $2 million-plus restoration); Colorado’s oldest operating steam locomotive, Denver & Rio Grande Western No. 346 (vintage 1881, celebrating its 140th birthday); and Colorado’s largest coal-fired steam locomotive, Denver & Rio Grande Western class K-37 No. 491 (vintage 1927).

Saturday and Sunday, May 15-16, the museum grounds will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. A parade of all three locomotives will kick things off at 9:30 a.m. each morning, with train rides beginning at 10 a.m. and continuing every half-hour until 3 p.m. Special double-headed steam trains will operate at 10 a.m. and again at 1 p.m. both days. No. 491 will return to the roundhouse after the morning’s parade and remain there, under steam, for viewing and occasional demonstration trips onto the turntable.

Museum grounds and train ride capacity remain limited due to pandemic-related restrictions, so advance purchase of admission and train ride tickets is strongly recommended. Tickets go on sale April 15. Regular admission is $10 adults, $8 seniors, $5 ages 2-17, museum members and under age 2 free. Train Rides are an additional $4 adults and seniors, $2 ages 2-17. Members and under age 2 ride free. Masks are required for museum entrance, and must be worn when indoors, aboard trains, and when safe distances cannot be maintained otherwise. Social distancing guidelines remain in effect.

For more information, or to reserve admission and train ride tickets for this special Steam Days event, please visit www.ColoradoRailroadMuseum.org or call (303) 279- 4591 during normal business hours.