Was privileged to move to Colorado as a tike in 1950, I remember going down to Union Station to pick up grandpa when I was 3 or 4, what a memory... Colorado was AMAZING back in those days when present cities were just small towns and the countryside was covered with small farms instead of housing developments.
As a railfan with family in Colorado, it still strikes me as amazing every time I'm out there. Parents are both Boulder natives, both born in the 50s. I've taken Amtrak to/from Union Station numerous times. Only way to see the Rockies.
@@sturmovik5448 We settled in Boulder in the mid 50s when I was 10, it was a 'beyond wonderful' place to be a kid and grow up, when everything was downtown and the railroad tracks ran along the north side of Water Street, now Canyon Blvd...Another great way to see the Rockies is on a motorcycle, something I got to do in the 70s, 80s and 90s till the thrill was gone...cheers
@@markmark2080 That's the impression my mom had of the place. She was born in 56, and raised mostly just outside the city in a house that was in the family until just last year. Her parents bought the lot as soon as it was on the market, because it was the best view in town. A thousand feet above the city, the whole city perfectly framed between two hills and Denver in the far distance. You could watch cars moving like ants, like from a plane just after takeoff. The patio, basement rec room and both master bedrooms had what anywhere else in the country would have been literal million-dollar views. I'll always love memories of that old house.
Thanks for posting! I've been looking for some fabulous footage of the Rocket with that compact 1200HP EMC TA locomotive on the point. This film delivers in COLOR !! The TA was designed to be only as tall as the passenger coaches. Only the Rock Island had them!
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They should have given the narrator a briefing on some of the pronunciation and nomenclature. It's definitely not "Estees" Park and It's Colorado Ave. Not Colorado St. I have ridden up to Pikes Peak by road and cog road. I remember when they would feel the hubs on the wheels of your car to see if you had been riding your brakes down the mountain. If your wheels were hot you would have to pull over. They have had instances in the distant past where people would burn their brakes out completely on the way back down the mountain.
That's common in travel promo videos from this age. They're selling the destination more than the journey. I do agree the title could make that clearer.
Not a single word about vacations in Iowa, Nebraska or Kansas. And the RM Rocket came in a distant third after the Denver Zyphr or the City of Denver??? Best you could say it that there was some interesting switching at Limon and it had a B unit which could operate as the lead locomotive to Colorado Springs.
That was the top train to Colorado Springs and Denver between 1939 and 1956. The Denver Zephyr wiped it off the map in 56. By 1966 it was a disaster on the rails. Lincoln, Nebraska still has the depot, but the tracks are gone and the poor thing looks lost in its new sterile Post Post-modern environment. Miss that train, but it was in bad shape when I was a little kid.
It's eye-opening, from a 22 year old in 2022 perspective, to see that every person in a service role was black. The race issue is so visible, but everyone is behaving like it's normal in the film.
Actually being a Porter for Pullman was one of the best jobs a black man could get back then. They worked you to death before they unionized. Eventually the union went on to organize the Civil Rights Movement that we talk about in school.
I agree. "Gleaming new"; the Rocket was introduced in 1939 and, as far as I can find out, was not given new cars until its discontinuation in 1966. EDIT: The map at 4:52 does not seem to show US 36 on its current alignment between Denver and Boulder, which as far as I can find out was completed in 1959. 13:00 correct me if I'm wrong, but that view doesn't seem to show the Monument Valley Freeway (now I-25), which would date it before 1955 @ "Recently modernized"; the Pikes Peak Cog Railway replaced steam with diesel power starting in 1939
No. The Zephyrs were run by the Chicago Burlington and Quincy between Chicago and Denver on a different route. There was a whole fleet of zephyrs that ran on many different routes including between Denver and Chicago, Chicago and San Francisco and Denver to Ft Worth.
All the footage of Colorado and not one mention of Bailey, Colorado and the thousands of Bigfoot sightings ! Also, barring Yosemite, more people go missing in Rocky Mountain National Park than anywhere else in the United States .
Was privileged to move to Colorado as a tike in 1950, I remember going down to Union Station to pick up grandpa when I was 3 or 4, what a memory... Colorado was AMAZING back in those days when present cities were just small towns and the countryside was covered with small farms instead of housing developments.
A wonderful life
As a railfan with family in Colorado, it still strikes me as amazing every time I'm out there. Parents are both Boulder natives, both born in the 50s. I've taken Amtrak to/from Union Station numerous times. Only way to see the Rockies.
@@sturmovik5448 We settled in Boulder in the mid 50s when I was 10, it was a 'beyond wonderful' place to be a kid and grow up, when everything was downtown and the railroad tracks ran along the north side of Water Street, now Canyon Blvd...Another great way to see the Rockies is on a motorcycle, something I got to do in the 70s, 80s and 90s till the thrill was gone...cheers
@@markmark2080 That's the impression my mom had of the place. She was born in 56, and raised mostly just outside the city in a house that was in the family until just last year. Her parents bought the lot as soon as it was on the market, because it was the best view in town. A thousand feet above the city, the whole city perfectly framed between two hills and Denver in the far distance. You could watch cars moving like ants, like from a plane just after takeoff. The patio, basement rec room and both master bedrooms had what anywhere else in the country would have been literal million-dollar views. I'll always love memories of that old house.
All that beauty and not an amusement park, mobile phone or fast food joint in sight, pure bliss.
Golden age of train travel.
Thanks for posting!
I've been looking for some fabulous footage of the Rocket with that compact 1200HP EMC TA locomotive on the point. This film delivers in COLOR !!
The TA was designed to be only as tall as the passenger coaches. Only the Rock Island had them!
Incredible Preservation of History. Beautiful as Always ! Thank You
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Did President Ronald Reagan narrate this?
Amazing the number of railroads competing in the Chicago-Denver passenger market. This video shows Colorado as nostalgic exotic place.
Estees Park…lol. I grew up there. It’s just Estes. No matter, I really like these old newsreels. It’s fun to see the town and area before my time.
A lot better then, than now in every way!!!🤔🧐😳
My grandfather worked a couple summers at the YMCA camp out there in the late '40s. Glad I got to visit it with him before he died ten years ago.
It may have been how it was pronounced back then. I've heard similar videos from the era refer to Los Angelees, with a hard G.
It's actually Estes Park Village. Check it out, but we call it Estes, also. 💙 T.E.N.
They should have given the narrator a briefing on some of the pronunciation and nomenclature. It's definitely not "Estees" Park and It's Colorado Ave. Not Colorado St. I have ridden up to Pikes Peak by road and cog road. I remember when they would feel the hubs on the wheels of your car to see if you had been riding your brakes down the mountain. If your wheels were hot you would have to pull over. They have had instances in the distant past where people would burn their brakes out completely on the way back down the mountain.
This seemed more like a, "things to do in Colorado" tourism video, rather than about the train, itself.
That's common in travel promo videos from this age. They're selling the destination more than the journey. I do agree the title could make that clearer.
Beautiful train!
You see how nice, how polite and upright everyone was? You see how we carried ourselves? That's called dignity, you bums!
We look like a bunch of Walmart / Waffle House Democrats now
2:10 look how those kids are dressed. I'm 33 and I don't think I ever dressed that well until until my first high school choir concert.
Now tell us how black people knew their place.
@@farmerdave7965 and all that like that there
You are absolutely right! And good on you for calling the current Generations bums. They are, mine included.
Cool footage of building of the Royal Gorge line. It's quite the experience to travel through.
Not a single word about vacations in Iowa, Nebraska or Kansas. And the RM Rocket came in a distant third after the Denver Zyphr or the City of Denver??? Best you could say it that there was some interesting switching at Limon and it had a B unit which could operate as the lead
locomotive to Colorado Springs.
I was hoping to see the Rock Island line as it came into Colorado Springs. I drive the area where it was daily.
That was the top train to Colorado Springs and Denver between 1939 and 1956. The Denver Zephyr wiped it off the map in 56. By 1966 it was a disaster on the rails. Lincoln, Nebraska still has the depot, but the tracks are gone and the poor thing looks lost in its new sterile Post Post-modern environment. Miss that train, but it was in bad shape when I was a little kid.
🏆🏆🏆👍🇺🇲🙏
Thank you for sharing
It's eye-opening, from a 22 year old in 2022 perspective, to see that every person in a service role was black. The race issue is so visible, but everyone is behaving like it's normal in the film.
Colorado history ain't so colorful... That's sure.
Actually being a Porter for Pullman was one of the best jobs a black man could get back then. They worked you to death before they unionized. Eventually the union went on to organize the Civil Rights Movement that we talk about in school.
This Train Was Started in 1939, when The Rocky Mountain Limited was replaced
Excellent video, but I'm pretty sure its from 1938-39 and not the 50's, thanks for sharing.
I agree. "Gleaming new"; the Rocket was introduced in 1939 and, as far as I can find out, was not given new cars until its discontinuation in 1966.
EDIT: The map at 4:52 does not seem to show US 36 on its current alignment between Denver and Boulder, which as far as I can find out was completed in 1959.
13:00 correct me if I'm wrong, but that view doesn't seem to show the Monument Valley Freeway (now I-25), which would date it before 1955
@ "Recently modernized"; the Pikes Peak Cog Railway replaced steam with diesel power starting in 1939
@@sturmovik5448 Also, in the video they commented on the Colorado Gold Rush 80 Years ago which was in 1858, 1858+ 80 = 1938.
Women's swim suits at 10:51 look like 1950 ish to me.
Super. 💙 T.E.N.
I would not swear to it, but I think the narrator is John Cameron Swazee???
Rocky Mountain Rocket never had the style of the Denver Zephyr.
Volume too low. Otherwise this is a beautiful film of American history. Thank you.
15:00 If Wikipedia can be trusted, it was at that time possible to ride from Colo. Springs to the summit of Cheyenne Mountain on elephants.
Early on it appears the passengers are bouncing around a bit.
Any content available from tucumcari to Amarillo tx?
What year was this film made? We moved from Ill to Colo in 1995 & have been to these spots here many times. RMNP is our park & live abt 50 m from it.
Wasnt this called the Zephyr? Look how dressed up everybody is
No. The Zephyrs were run by the Chicago Burlington and Quincy between Chicago and Denver on a different route. There was a whole fleet of zephyrs that ran on many different routes including between Denver and Chicago, Chicago and San Francisco and Denver to Ft Worth.
Those cars and the women's clothes are not from the 50s. Definitely the 40s.
All the footage of Colorado and not one mention of Bailey, Colorado and the thousands of Bigfoot sightings ! Also, barring Yosemite, more people go missing in Rocky Mountain National Park than anywhere else in the United States .