Back in 1890, Colorado was in great anticipation of improved rail travel. The Union Pacific line ran through Wyoming while the Santa Fe ran into New Mexico. What about Colorado?

Colorado was looking at the construction of a connection between Glenwood Springs and Grand Junction giving the state a transcontinental link. A San Francisco newspaper ran an editorial about this event. In it was praise for the two main Colorado routes, the Colorado Midland and the Denver and Rio Grande who would connect with a Utah railroad to form this link. To benefit both companies, deluxe Pullman Sleeping Cars would travel over the new Colorado to Salt Lake City trains; one by the Colorado Midland and the other the Rio Grande. There was hope of even more passengers traveling this way. One community was is great excitement for this development, Glenwood Springs. 

Both railroad companies traveled through Glenwood Springs, putting them at the center of travel through the state. The area’s reputation was already well known. The two lines used different routes through the mountains to Leadville. The Rio Grande then went to Denver via Pueblo. The Midland ran across South Park to Colorado Springs. Leadville was the third largest city in Colorado and looked for more visitors, as well. The story predicts large increases in Colorado’s summer travelers. Even the Front Range would get more travelers and mountain resort communities like Palmer Lake and Canon City might expect more business.