Aspirations of a
Rocky Mountain Railroader

Work in-progress.

Synopsis

Decorated Civil War veterean William Palmer had a dream of connecting Denver with Mexico City to the south and Los Angeles to the west. The product of his dream was the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad. The D&RG was one of the American West's fabled narrow gauge lines, but it was different from Palmer's original intent. What started as a peaceful venture quickly deteriorated into an infamous series of railroad conflicts over Colorado's profitable mining districts. But despite these obstacles, Palmer's sheer ambition defeated the Rocky Mountains, and his "little road" became a legendary enterprise that would last more than a century. This series of articles describe how General Palmer founded the Denver & Rio Grande, advanced south and clashed with the Santa Fe, turned west toward the Rocky Mountains, conquered the Black Canyon of the Gunnison, and finally staked his claim in Utah's Great Basin to create one of America's legendary railroads.

Chapters

1. General Palmer: The Battling Quaker

2. The Pacific Railroads

3. Genesis of a Fabled Railway

4. The Royal Gorge War