Colorado Railroad Museum - Golden, Colorado

Rio Grande Southern Motors

The Rio Grande Southern Railroad was built in 1890 from Ridgway to Durango by way of Telluride, Lizard Head Pass, Rico, Dolores, and Mancos. 1892 was a banner year, but when the Sherman Silver Purchase Act was repealed in 1893, the RGS and the country slid into a deep depression. The United States came out of it by the end of the decade, but the San Juan silver camps never did.

As the Rio Grande Southern carried the economy of the San Juans on its back, it slowly sank under the weight of bankruptcy. When the Denver and Rio Grande Western, who operated the RGS, went into bankruptcy in 1930, they cast the little road adrift. Victor Miller was appointed Receiver by the court, and he was ingenious in ways to renegotiate contracts favorable to the RGS and save money.

RGS Motor #6 was built on June 8, 1933. When the work Goose Motor #1 was scrapped, RGS Motor #6 was the replacement work Goose. Original engine was a Buick 6-cylinder and a Buick body. Replacement engine was a Pierce 6 and the Pierce Arrow body it has today. There is a flatbed behind the cab for tools and material. Work Goose #6 is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

It was quickly determined that if train operation expenses could be reduced, there would be substantial reduction of engine expenses and crew costs. Rather than abandon service, Miller and his employees devised self-propelled motors. They were all home built from available steel and old auto bodies. It was trial and error, and no drawings were used or kept.

RGS Motor #1 was built June 1931 and the last RGS Motor #7 was built October 10th, 1936. Besides the seven listed above, one was also built for San Christobal Railroad - eight in all built by the RGS. The railroad was asked for plans periodically, but could not furnish them, as there were none. Buick and Pierce-Arrow car bodies were used. Pierce-Arrow, Buick and Ford engines were original power. Fortunately, all but two of the eight survive. The Colorado Railroad Museum has three: #2, #6, and #7.

RGS Motor #2 was built on August 12, 1931. Many lessons from operation of #1 were incorporated into the design. The original engine was a Buick 6-cylinder on a Buick 4-door body. Later, it was rebuilt with a Buick 6 on a Pierce-Arrow "80" body. #2 can haul about 5 passengers, and has a box body for mail and packages. Motor #2 is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

RGS Motor #7 was built 10/27/36 and started out with a 1936 Ford V-8 and a 1926 Pierce-Arrow "33" body, followed by a large enclosed box for freight, packages, and mail. Later, when tourists wanted to ride the Galloping Geese, the freight body was made into a passenger compartment with seats and windows, which is the way it looks today. While scrapping the RGS, it was used as a sort of crane/flatcar to pull up the rails. #7 is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.