Show rio grande railroad in bet best condition of 77 year history the year 1947 was an eventful arid and significant one for the denver and rio DID grande western railroad the end of an 11 year trusteeship placed the railroad balk in ili private management in a sound an and d financial position and in the best physical condition of its 77 year history april april 11 I 1 was independence day tor for the rio grande on that day the federal court turned the railroad over to the new management comprised of outstanding colorado and utah men the reorganization plan guarantees that control will remain in the hands oi of independent western interests tor for at least 10 years through it a common d stock escrow during the year too the rio grando grande continued the program of improvements Improve menta which transformed it during the trusteeship into one of the most modern and progressive of all western roads the program was especially heavy during 1947 as a good deal of improvement work especially that involving rail and rolling stock had of necessity to be deferred during the war years yeara As a result the principal item on the 1947 improvement program was new heavy rail of pound and pound per yard a weight of which A total of track miles were laid during the year replacing lighter weight and torn fon r rail 11 on oll main lines to total tal elpe expenditure 0 fior for the rail and fittings including installation costs aggregated more than 25 0 mechanized production line methods pioneered ered by the rio grand grandos 0 s maintenance department e enabled the road to handle a rail program ov orthis this magnitude A 30 nian man gang first distributed the new rail and accessories cess ces ories joint bars bolts tie plates and so on then a man steel gang equipped with the most modern power tools performed the actual work of removing the old rail and and laying the new another 30 man gang then followed up scrap and secondhand second hand material another was spent by the rio grando grande on other roadway improvements and equipment one of the principal items was the installation of nobern automatic block signah f between denver and bragdon pueblo principal equipment item on the 1947 budget was the purchase of diesel electric passenger locomotives at a cost of 1 these engines will be assigned to the new Call california tornia zephyr trains when they go into service between chicago and san francisco during 1948 meanwhile w hile they are being used on tho exposition flyer biyer and the prospector other equipment expenditures including such items as diesel locomotive replacement parts work equipment shop buildings and shop machinery and tools power plants etc totaled ab about ou t 1 I roadway expenditures for ballast bridges yard and industry tracks and other industrial facilities machinery and tools section buildings fuel and water stations etc involved an aggregate of rio grandes moden communications system which includes the use of telegraph telephone and radio was further improved by the expenditure of approximately the big news for 1918 will be the inauguration of the dally daily california zephyr service between chicago and sin francisco in cooperation with lie ho burlington and western pacific railroads r 0 ml a sly complete stainless sterl steel trains will bo placed in tills this service the year they will incorporate the tha new vista dome feathe which will enable passengers to better appreciate the beauties of this scenic line schedules will be so BO ordered as aa to give daylight runs through the spectacular colorado and Cali fornias feather river canyon |