Midland Terminal Railway
Encyclopedia
The Midland Terminal Railway was a short line terminal railroad
running from the Colorado Midland Railway
near Divide
to Cripple Creek, Colorado
. The railroad made its last run in February 1949.
Construction began in 1893 with the first segment completed near Divide on December 9, 1893. The track reached the town of Gillette on July 4, 1894. It continued south, reaching the Portland Mine north of Victor
by December 1894 and Victor Junction by mid-January 1895. During 1895 a branch in Victor was built and extended to near Independence Mine
. The line reached the town of Anaconda by the autumn of 1895 and Cripple Creek in December 1895.
Regularly scheduled passenger trains stopped running in 1931 and just two special passenger trains ran in 1949 prior to the Midland line shutting down that year.
in 1955, and the machine shop, which is now the Ghost Town Museum.
Two miles of the former railroad's right of way is currently used by the Cripple Creek & Victor Narrow Gauge Railroad. Another segment is being converted to a multi-use trail
connecting the Pikes Peak Greenway to Manitou Springs. U.S. Route 24
follows the former railroad's route over Ute Pass
. Portions of the roadbed and right of way from Divide, Colorado, to Cripple Creek, Colorado, are in use as Highway 67. A former wood-shored Midland Terminal tunnel was used as a one-lane highway tunnel on CO 67 until the 1990s; after a partial collapse the tunnel was bypassed with a new cut and the tunnel remains as a landmark, its ends are closed with a grille so the interior and shoring can be seen today.
Terminal Railroad
Terminal Railroad or Terminal Railway may refer to:*Terminal railroad, a railroad that operates a terminal facility*Terminal Railway Alabama State Docks*Terminal Railway of Buffalo, predecessor of the New York Central Railroad...
running from the Colorado Midland Railway
Colorado Midland Railway
The Colorado Midland Railway , incorporated in 1883, was the first standard gauge railroad built over the Continental Divide in Colorado. It ran from Colorado Springs to Leadville and through the divide at Hagerman Pass to Glenwood Springs and Grand Junction....
near Divide
Divide, Colorado
Divide is a census-designated place and a U.S. Post Office in Teller County, Colorado, United States. The population as of the 2010 Census was 127....
to Cripple Creek, Colorado
Cripple Creek, Colorado
The City of Cripple Creek is a Statutory City that is the county seat of Teller County, Colorado, United States. Cripple Creek is a former gold mining camp located southwest of Colorado Springs near the base of Pikes Peak. The Cripple Creek Historic District, which received National Historic...
. The railroad made its last run in February 1949.
History
The Cripple Creek gold rush of 1890 inspired the organizers of the Colorado Midland Railway to run a spur line south from the Colorado Midland line to the Cripple Creek District. After construction issues stopped the project, the same organizers formed a new company, the Midland Terminal Railway, and built the proposed line.Construction began in 1893 with the first segment completed near Divide on December 9, 1893. The track reached the town of Gillette on July 4, 1894. It continued south, reaching the Portland Mine north of Victor
Victor, Colorado
Victor is a Statutory City in Teller County, Colorado, United States. The population was 445 at the 2000 census.Victor is in the heart of Colorado's gold country, home to two of the major gold mines in the Cripple Creek mining district...
by December 1894 and Victor Junction by mid-January 1895. During 1895 a branch in Victor was built and extended to near Independence Mine
Stratton's Independence Mine and Mill
Stratton's Independence Mine and Mill is a historic mining site near Victor, Colorado on the south slope of Battle Mountain.-Production output:...
. The line reached the town of Anaconda by the autumn of 1895 and Cripple Creek in December 1895.
Regularly scheduled passenger trains stopped running in 1931 and just two special passenger trains ran in 1949 prior to the Midland line shutting down that year.
Legacy
Some of the old buildings at the Midland Terminal headquarters in Colorado Springs are in use today, notably the old roundhouse, which was purchased by Van Briggle PotteryVan Briggle Pottery
Established in Colorado Springs, Colorado in 1901 by Artus and Anne Van Briggle, the Van Briggle Art Pottery is the oldest continuously operating art pottery in the United States. Artus Van Briggle had a significant impact on the Art Nouveau movement in the United States, and his pottery is...
in 1955, and the machine shop, which is now the Ghost Town Museum.
Two miles of the former railroad's right of way is currently used by the Cripple Creek & Victor Narrow Gauge Railroad. Another segment is being converted to a multi-use trail
Rail trail
A rail trail is the conversion of a disused railway easement into a multi-use path, typically for walking, cycling and sometimes horse riding. The characteristics of former tracks—flat, long, frequently running through historical areas—are appealing for various development. The term sometimes also...
connecting the Pikes Peak Greenway to Manitou Springs. U.S. Route 24
U.S. Route 24
U.S. Route 24 is one of the original United States highways of 1926. It originally ran from Pontiac, Michigan, in the east to Kansas City, Missouri, in the west. Today, the highway's eastern terminus is west of Clarkston, Michigan, at an intersection with I-75 and its western terminus is near...
follows the former railroad's route over Ute Pass
Ute Pass
Ute Pass is a mountain pass west of Colorado Springs, near Divide.The climate is arid, so many plants that grow here are adapted to low water usage. The pass at one time was used by stage coach and equestrian traffic. It is steep on the east side. The pass is traversed by U.S. Highway 24....
. Portions of the roadbed and right of way from Divide, Colorado, to Cripple Creek, Colorado, are in use as Highway 67. A former wood-shored Midland Terminal tunnel was used as a one-lane highway tunnel on CO 67 until the 1990s; after a partial collapse the tunnel was bypassed with a new cut and the tunnel remains as a landmark, its ends are closed with a grille so the interior and shoring can be seen today.
See also
- Colorado Springs and Cripple Creek District RailwayColorado Springs and Cripple Creek District RailwayThe Colorado Springs and Cripple Creek District Railway was a standard gauge railroad operating in the U.S. state of Colorado around the turn of the 20th century.- History :...
- Cripple Creek and Victor Narrow Gauge RailroadCripple Creek and Victor Narrow Gauge RailroadThe Cripple Creek and Victor Narrow Gauge Railroad is a narrow gauge heritage railroad that operates seasonal tourist trains between Cripple Creek and Victor, Colorado...
Further reading
External links
- Midland Terminal Railway photos in the Denver Public Library Western History and Genealogy collection
- Cripple Creek & Victor Narrow Gauge Railroad