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Wikipedia:WikiProject Trains/ICC valuations/Rio Grande Southern Railroad

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[Interstate Commerce Commission, Valuation Reports, Volume 143]

The Rio Grande Southern Railroad

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Location and General Description of Property

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The railroad of The Rio Grande Southern Railroad Company, herein called the carrier, is a single-track, narrow-gauge, steam railroad, located in southwestern Colorado. The owned mileage consists of a main line extending in a general southerly direction from Ridgeway to Durango, and a branch line projecting from Vance Junction to Pandora, aggregating 171.538 miles of road. The company also owns 23.095 miles of yard tracks and sidings. In addition to the foregoing, the carrier operates under lease 5.552 miles of road and 1.013 miles of yard tracks and sidings, comprising a branch line between Franklin Junction and Perrin, Colo., owned by the Calumet Fuel Company, a noncarrier. Its road thus embraces 194.633 miles of all tracks owned and used and 6.565 miles of all tracks used but not owned, as classified in the trackage table in Appendix 1.

The carrier is controlled by The Denver and Rio Grande Railroad Company and has connections with that carrier's system at Ridgeway and Durango, Colo.

Introductory

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The carrier is a corporation of the State of Colorado, having its principal office at Denver, Colo. It is controlled by The Denver and Rio Grande Railroad Company through ownership of a majority of the capital stock. On the other hand the records reviewed do not indicate that the carrier controls any common-carrier corporation. The property was operated by The Rio Grande Southern Construction Company from the dates the various sections were completed to January, 1892. From January, 1892, to August 1, 1893, and from December 1, 1895, to December 31, 1917, it was operated by its own organization. From August 1, 1893, to November 30, 1895, it was operated by a receiver, and from January 1, 1918, to date of valuation it has been operated by the United States Railroad Administration.

Corporate History

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The carrier was incorporated November 5, 1889, under the general laws of the State of Colorado, for the purpose of constructing and operating a railroad from Dallas, in a general southerly direction, to Durango, Colo., about 160 miles.

Development of Fixed Physical Property

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The owned mileage of the carrier, 171.538 miles, was all acquired by construction. The total mileage recorded as constructed amounted to 181.480 miles, of which 7.270 miles had been abandoned. Of the total recorded mileage, 171.610 miles was constructed by The Rio Grande Southern Construction Company, an affiliated company, 8 miles by Levy and Moore, who were not affiliated with the carrier, and 1.870 miles by the forces of the carrier. The details follow:

Mileage
Acquired by construction, completed:
Ridgeway to Telluride, Nov. 21, 1890 46.290
Vance Junction to Rico, Oct. 3, 1891 29.180
Durango to Muldoon, Dec. 6, 1891 74.000
Muldoon to Rico, Jan. 6, 1892 20.540
Telluride to Pandora, Jan. 6, 1892 1.600
Ute Junction to Ute Mine, Oct. 15, 1892 1.870
Rico to Enterprise Mine, Oct. 15, 1892 4.790
Red Rock Spur, Oct. 15, 1892 .610
Hesperus Spur, Oct. 15, 1892 .730
May Day to May Day Mine, 1908 1.870
Total 181.480
Retired:
Ute Junction to Ute Mine, 1898 1.870
Red Rock Spur, 1894 .610
Rico to Enterprise Mine, 1900 4.790
Total 7.270
Total recorded mileage 174.210
Difference between total recorded mileage and mileage inventoried as of date of valuation 2.672
Mileage inventoried as of date of valuation 171.538

Leased Railway Property

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The carrier used, on December 31, 1917, property owned by other companies to the extent indicated in the statement below. The description of the property, the period and terms of use, and the rentals accrued and charged to income for the year ended December 31, 1917, are as follows:

Rental
Solely used, but not owned, leased from—
Calumet Fuel Company, 5.552 miles of railroad extending from Franklin Junction to Perrin, for an indefinite period from Dec. 27, 1906; no rental paid; carrier maintains the property and pays all taxes, which are charged to its own railway tax accruals account. ......
Denver and Rio Grande, 3 steam locomotives; period of use and rental paid not ascertained. ......
Jointly used, but not owned, owned by—
the Denver and Rio Grande, freight and passenger terminal facilities and tracks at Durango and Ridgeway, for an indefinite period from Jan. 18, 1892, and Feb. 8, 1893, respectively; rental 2.5 per cent per annum on agreed valuation, one-half of maintenance and taxes. $7,487.28