With F9 #5771 aglow in new Imron paint, the Rio Grande Zephyr train #17 heads west through Spanish Fork Canyon at Detour. Meanwhile, a big thunderhead cloud looms above the Wasatch Range at Soldie... (more)

The Rio Grande Zephyr train #18 glides through the center passing track along the Price River at Kyune. The last run of the iconic RGZ was only 17 days away.

On a cold January evening in 1979, the conductor of D&RGW train #17 awaits baggage and head end business removal from the Rio Grande Zephyr. In a few minutes he will offer the engineer a 'Highball... (more)

The Rio Grande Zephyr train #17 climbs westward along the Price River at Kyune. The D&RGW 5771, 5762, and 5763 have ten additional miles of relatively flat 1% gradient to reach 7440 ft. Soldier Su... (more)

During its final weeks of service, the Rio Grande Zephyr's lengthy train consists were a sight to behold. Pictured on April, 3, 1983, a 10 car #18 heads east toward Soldier Summit amid a dusting o... (more)

After picking up a few passengers at the depot, the Rio Grande Zephyr train #17 departs Granby, Colorado for the next stop at Glenwood Springs. A local D&RGW track inspector offers us a friendly w... (more)

The tiny train order office at Soldier Summit feels the passage of the tri-weekly Rio Grande Zephyr, train #18.

Westbound D&RGW Zephyr somewhere in one of these many spectacular landscapes of the USA.

May 15, 1977 would have been a perfect day to ride the Rio Grande Zephyr. Pick a dome, any dome, we've got five of them! The survivor of the streamliner age grinds its way east toward Soldier Summ... (more)

On a spectacular morning in the Wasatch Mountains, the Rio Grande Zephyr train #18 emerges from the famous Gilluly horseshoe curve between mileposts 659 and 658 on the ascent to Soldier Summit. Th... (more)

On a beautiful springtime morning in the Wasatch Mountains, the Rio Grande Zephyr train #18 climbs through the spectacular upper Gilluly horseshoe curve. What I wouldn't give to take a ride in one... (more)

The iconic Rio Grande Zephyr heads east into the early morning sun at the U-Pace-O Ranch just east of Thistle. The ranch property was owned and operated by Bob Pace, a Rio Grande engineer who work... (more)

Rio Grande opted not to join Amtrak (but reluctantly did about 13 years later) and ran its own Rio Grande Zephyr between Denver and Salt Lake City, over one day, back the next, except on Wednesda... (more)

Rio Grande Aspen Gold paint stands out in sharp contrast to a monochromatic early spring landscape in the lower horseshoe curve at Gilluly. The Rio Grande Zephyr never failed to impress its Utah f... (more)

Rio Grande F9 5771 lights up the night shortly after being restored in original 4-stripe Grande gold and silver at the Colorado Railroad Museum.