Ridgway, Colorado, is home to the Ridgway Railroad Museum, which is dedicated to preserving the history of railroading in Ouray County and the surrounding areas. The museum offers a 16-acre facility with a half-mile loop to operate narrow gauge equipment.
The Ridgway Railroad Museum, which opened in 1999, is dedicated to the history of Ouray County’s three narrow gauge railroads. The Ouray branch of the Denver and Rio Grande Western (D&RGW) ran from Montrose to Ouray from 1887 to 1952; the Silverton Railroad ran from Silverton north over Red Mountain Pass down into the Ironton valley from 1888 to 1923; and the Rio Grande Southern Railroad (RGS) ran from Ridgway to Durango via Telluride, Rico, and Dolores from 1891 to 1952.
The Ridgway Railroad Museum is a non-profit, member-supported organization whose mission is to use exhibits, a reference library, educational programs and publications to explain and interpret the role and significance of railroads in the history of this region. The Museum of Ouray County and the San Juan Mountains of Colorado maintains railroad equipment, relics, historical data, literature and photographs.
The museum is free to visit, although donations are gratefully accepted. From May through October, when they work at the museum on Tuesday mornings, some of the train cars are open. On Saturdays in the summer, they also offer rides on Motor No. 1 and Goose No. 4.
The Ridgway Railroad Museum is located at 200 N. Railroad Street in Ridgway, Colorado.
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