Rio Grande Scenic Railroad, Alamosa

The Rio Grande Scenic Railroad of Colorado, owned by Iowa Pacific Holdings of Chicago, was a heritage railway that operated from 2006 to 2019 in and around the San Luis Valley, on trackage of the San Luis and Rio Grande Railroad. Located 200 miles south of Denver, Colorado, the Rio Grande Scenic Railroad operated between Alamosa and La Veta. This 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in standard gauge route, featuring a climb over the Sangre de Cristo Mountains via Veta Pass, dates back to 1899 and is a successor to the original 3 ft narrow gauge La Veta Pass line of the Denver and Rio Grande Railway, completed in 1878. In keeping with the Denver & Rio Grande Western slogan Scenic Line of the World, the trip between Alamosa and La Veta offered views of several of Colorado’s 14,000-foot peaks. The railroad ceased operating excursions following a wildfire that damaged some of their facilities, as well as the parent company SLRG entering Chapter 11 bankruptcy in late 2019. ()