Railroad Timelines

1940 to 1972

From To Type Activity
1940 2009 Train Ski Train, Denver-Winter Park
1940 1967 Train Texas Zephyr (Train)
1941 Pre 1982 Loco Alco S-2 (D&RGW)
1941 Pre 1982 Loco EMD NW2 (D&RGW)
1941   Note AAR recommends 3 flatcar designs - 53'6" (50-ton & 70-ton) & 50' (70-ton)
1941 1967 Train Prospector, Denver-Salt Lake City & Ogden, #'s 7 & 8
1942 Pre 1982 Loco EMD FT (D&RGW)
1942 1971 Train Colorado Eagle (train) MP
1946   Cvd Hoppers GA: 2-bay hopper car
1,958-cf. 70-ton
1946 1950 Loco Alco RS2 Loco
1946 Pre 1982 Loco EMD F3 (D&RGW)
1946 1971 Train City of St. Louis (train) UP
1946 1967 Train Royal Gorge, Denver-Grand Junction (via Royal Gorge), # 1 & 2
1947 Pre 1982 Loco Alco PA-1  (D&RGW)
1947 1967 Loco EMD F-3 (C&S) 
1947 1983 Loco EMD NW-2 (C&S) 
1948 Pre 1982 Loco FM H10-44 (D&RGW)
1948 Pre 1982 Loco FM H15-44 (D&RGW)
1949 Pre 1982 Loco EMD F7 (D&RGW)
1949 1971 Train California Zephyr (train)
1949 - Yard North Yard (D&RGW)
1950 1956 Loco Alco RS3 Loco (D&RGW)
1950 1968 Loco EMD F-7 (C&S) 
1950 - Loco EMD GP7 Loco (D&RGW)
1951   Loco Up to GP7/F7/RS3
1953   Cvd Hoppers PS-2: 3-bay hopper car
2,893-cf. 70-ton
1953 1983 Loco EMD SD7 (C&S) 
1953 - Loco EMD SD7 Loco (D&RGW)
1953   Trailers SP 28' "Truck Service" piggybacks  - 2 trailers per flatcar
1954 1964 Loco EMD E9
1954   Note 19,000 gal 70 ton tankcar introduced
1954 1968 Train Yampa Valley, Denver-Craig, #'s 9 & 10
1955 Pre 1982 Loco EMD F9 (D&RGW)
1955 Pre 1982 Loco EMD GP9 (D&RGW)
1955   Note Trailer Train created by PRR
1956 - Loco EMD SD9 (C&S) 
1957 - Loco EMD SD9 Loco (D&RGW)
1957   Trailers 40' trailers allowed on highways
1957   Trailers 85' flatcars were introduced
1958   Cvd Hoppers PS-2: 3-bay hopper car 
3,219-cf. 70-ton
1958 1963 Loco EMD SD24 Loco (ATSF 80; CB&Q 16; SOU 48; UP 75)
1958   Loco Up to GP9/SD9/F9/SD24
1958   Note CB&Q  started to update from Boxcar red to Chinese Red
1959 - Loco EMD SW-1200 (C&S) 
1960   Cvd Hoppers GA: Airslide hopper car
2,600-cf. 70-ton
1960   Loco GE U25B (CBQ)
1960   Note SP, ATSF & UP joined Trailer Train
1960   Note Tri-level automobile racks for 85' flatcars introduced
1960   Note Standard freight car now 50' long & 70 tons capacity
1961 1963 Loco EMD GP30 Loco (D&RGW)
1961   Loco Up to GP30/SD9/F9/U25B
1961   Note The use of a single black, seven-inch stripe was first used on D&RGW locomotives in 1961. The first units with this scheme, the A-B-B-A set of passenger F3s (D&RGW 5521, 5522, 5523, 5524) assigned to the California Zephyr, were completed in mid-April 1961.
1962   Cvd Hoppers PS-2CD: 3-bay hopper car
4,000-cf. 100-ton
1963 ? Loco Alco C-420 "Century" loco introduced
1963 1965 Loco EMD GP35 Loco (D&RGW)
1963   Loco GE U25C (CBQ)
1963   Note DRGW joined Trailer Train
1964   Cvd Hoppers PS-2: 3-bay hopper car
4,427-cf. 100-ton
1964   Cvd Hoppers ACF: 4-bay hopper car
4,650-cf. 100-ton
1964 1996 Loco EMD SW1000/1200 (D&RGW)
1964   Note 17' high 10' wide 87' long Hi-cube boxcars (with NO running boards) introduced
1964   Trailers 89' flatcars were introduced
1965 1971 Loco EMD SD45 Loco (D&RGW)
1966 1972 Cvd Hoppers PS-2: 3-bay hopper car
4,740-cf. 100-ton
1966 - Loco EMD GP40 Loco (D&RGW)
1966   Loco Up to GP40/SD45
1966   Note New cars could be constructed without running boards
1966   Note Roof walks not included on new equipment after 10/66 
1967 1999 Loco EMD FP45 Loco
1967 1987 Loco EMD SD40 (C&S) 
1967 1977 Trailers ACI (Automatic Car ID) plate introduced - abandoned 
1968   Cvd Hoppers ACF: 2-bay hopper car 
2,970-cf. 100-ton
1968 1971 Loco EMD F45 Loco
1968 1987 Loco GE U30C (C&S) 
1968   Note Roller-bearing trucks required on all new equipment
1969   Loco EMD DD40AX introduced
1969   Note ACF® Industries built general-purpose, single-compartment, 23,500 gallon, insulated, coiled, non-pressurized tank car introdced
1970 1995 Railroads Burlington Northern (March)
1971   Railroads Amtrak Commenced operations on 1/05/1971
1971 1983 Train Rio Grande Zephyr (train)
1972   Cvd Hoppers PS-2: 3-bay hopper car
4,750-cf. 100-ton
1972 1986 Loco EMD GP40-2 Loco (D&RGW)