The Georgetown Loop Railroad!

The narrow gauge Georgetown Loop Railroad was built by the Georgetown, Breckenridge and Leadville Railway, and was completed in 1884 and considered an engineering marvel for its time. The thriving mining towns of Georgetown and Silver Plume lie 2 miles apart in the steep, narrow canyon of Clear Creek in the Rocky Mountains west of Denver. Engineers designed a corkscrew route that traveled nearly twice that distance to connect them, slowly gaining more than 600 feet in elevation. The route included horseshoe curves, grades of up to 4%, and four bridges across Clear Creek, including the massive Devil's Gate High Bridge.
Between 1906 and 1918, the Georgetown Loop connected with the Argentine Central Railway in Silver Plume, by which tourists could continue onward to the summit of Mount McClellan. Prior to 1916, the Argentine Central also served several large silver mines on the east side of Argentine Pass.
The line was dismantled in 1939, but was restored in the 1980s to operate during summer months as a tourist railroad, carrying passengers using historic 3 ft narrow gauge steam locomotives.
Georgetown Loop Railroad No. 111 is a 10-26E class 2-8-0 "Consolidation" type narrow gauge steam locomotive built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works of Philadelphia, PA in 1926, originally for the International Railways of Central America (IRCA). After its retirement from the IRCA, it would be donated to the Rotary Snowplow Park in Breckenridge, CO. It sat on static display at the Rotary Snowplow Park for several years until being traded to the Georgetown Loop Railroad between Georgetown and Silver Plume, CO in 2006 in exchange for Colorado & Southern 2-6-0 type locomotive No. 9. It was eventually moved to the Georgetown Loop in 2011 and later restored to operating condition in 2017 where it has remained in tourist excursion service ever since.
As of today, it is currently one of two operable steam locomotives at the Georgetown Loop, the other one being No. 40, another former IRCA 2-8-0 type locomotive.
The Georgetown Loop RR contracted the McHugh Company to rebuild a 1951 GE center-cab diesel-electric locomotive. The unit’s two Cummins 855 turbo-charged diesel engines were remanufactured to provide the essential horsepower required to operate at the high altitude of 9,116 feet. The traction system’s two main generators and four traction motors were also rebuilt. The complete electrical system was upgraded with all new wiring and modern electrical components. The mechanical parts and components were either rebuilt or replaced with new materials. The 3-foot gauge truck assemblies were converted from friction bearings to roller bearings with new wheels supplied. The special triple gear reduction drive gear boxes were also upgraded and rebuilt.
The McHugh Company was also contracted by the Georgetown Loop RR to provide transportation of the #1934 locomotive from our facility in Fairless Hills, PA to Colorado and to assist their staff with assembly of the 1934 at its new home.
This very unique 3-foot gauge diesel electric locomotive supplied by McHugh Locomotive & Equipment has proven to be a very efficient and reliable source of motive power for the Georgetown Loop Railroad. This historic railroad now has the opportunity to operate private charter and various specialty themed trains which was not practical before the arrival of #1934. Additionally, the Georgetown Loop Railroad was able to extend its season by operating diesel-powered trains in April and Christmas Holiday trains in November and December.
The #1934 arrived at the Georgetown Loop RR on September 10, 2017 and was placed into service on September 13, 2017. Today, McHugh Locomotive & Equipment continues to support the Georgetown Loop Railroad as needed.
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