Last Streamliners through the Rockies

Ride two streamliner trains on the former Rio Grande through the Colorado Rocky Mountains. Ride the famous California Zephyr in a dome car from Denver, then ride the historic “Last Run” of the “Royal Gorge” through the Royal Gorge Canyon for the last time. This concept for this program began with the finding of two 16mm color films shot by Everett Rohrer: 1) A ride aboard a Rio Grande dome car on the California Zephyr and 2) the last run of the Royal Gorge passenger train. Rohrer’s footage on the CZ is all shot from a dome car, with nice views of the train ahead, the many tunnels, the scenery, and even a meet with the eastbound Zephyr. The footage of the last run of the Royal Gorge passenger train with an F-unit and 3 coaches as heads south of Denver toward Colorado Springs and Pueblo.

Then the train heads west through the Royal Gorge, where a stop is made for passengers. Then it’s on to Salida, where the train is turned on a wye, for the return to Denver for the last time. Again we stop at the Hanging Bridge in the Royal Gorge, and this time there is a rock slide. Later our Rohrer gets a cab ride into Denver Union Station. These two segments are silent film, backed up on this DVD by music and narration. Another segment covers Amtrak through the Rockies and features sound as well as narration. Bonus footage includes some steam scenes in the early 1950s at Pueblo.