| Cripple Creek and Victor Narrow Gauge Railroad |
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| Locale | Teller County, Colorado |
| Dates of operation | 1967–present |
| Track gauge | 2 ft (610 mm) |
| Length | 4 miles (6.4 km) round trip |
| Headquarters | Cripple Creek, Colorado Bus.(719) 689-2640 Seasonal operations. |
The Cripple Creek and Victor Narrow Gauge Railroad ( RR) is a narrow gauge heritage railroad that operates seasonal tourist trains between Cripple Creek and Victor, Colorado. The railroad uses a revitalized section of the original Midland Terminal Railway and the Florence and Cripple Creek Railway.
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As of the 2008 season, the railroad operates three coal-fired narrow gauge steam locomotives. Engine #1 is an 0-4-4-0 Orenstein & Koppel articulated mallet built in 1902. Engine #2 is a 0-4-0 Henschel built in 1936. Engine #3 is an 0-4-0 H. K. Porter tank built in 1927. Engine #4 is the W. G. Bagnall 0-4-4-0T, built in 1947; this engine is currently in restorations. The 5th engine is a 1951 General Electric, four wheel, Diesel-Electric engine. The engine is currently being used by the CCVNG track crew. This engine was originally a battery operated for underground mining at the Idarado Mine near Telluride.[1]
Although these narrow gauge railroads, when they operated, were laid to 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) (standard gauge) and 3 ft (914 mm) (narrow gauge) respectively, the current railroad is laid to a gauge of 2 ft (610 mm). The new CC&VNG RR started operations on June 28, 1967.[1]
The track system begins at Bennett Avenue/5th Street going south out of Cripple Creek, goes past the old Midland Terminal Wye, then over a reconstructed train trestle, continues past some historic mines and finally terminates very near the abandoned Anaconda mining camp. The return trip to Cripple Creek completes a total of four miles.[2]
The Bull Hill Station, in Cripple Creek was originally built at the Anaconda Mine in 1894 by the Midland Terminal Railroad. However, it was moved to Bull Hill in 1912, east of the town of Victor. Then in 1968, the depot was moved to Cripple Creek.[3]
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