Colorado's Georgetown Loop Railroad

The Georgetown Loop Railroad runs three miles between Georgetown (8476 feet) and Silver Plume (9114 feet) Colorado, next to the famous Eisenhower Tunnel, 55 miles west of Denver on Interstate 70. Built in 1884, this three foot narrow gauge railroad was considered an engineering marvel for its time and was one of Colorado's first tourist attractions.

The train travels across the 95 foot high, 300 foot long steel trestle Devil's Gate High Bridge as well as the Georgetown Loop where it circles around and above itself to gain the altitude needed to achieve Silver Plume. The round trip takes only one hour, and there is an optional tour of the Lebanon Silver Mine.   

The six mile round trip features this trip over the 95 foot high Devil's Gate Bridge. While on this 300 foot long steel trestle, the steam locomotive negotiates an 18-and-one-half-degree turn while rising on a 2% grade. There are 14 sharp curves and then the namesake Georgetown Loop where the train loops back on itself.

From atop the trestle, looking down at the lower section of track...

...and from below, looking up at the trestle section of the track...