Wagon Wheel Gap Depot

In 1883, Rio Grande built sixteen depot structures[1]. Among them, three depot structures are surviving to this day: Wagon Wheel Gap, Crested Butte, and Santa Fe. I previously represented Santa Fe depot. This time, I’ll introduce the rests surviving in Colorado. The purpose is to clarify the appearance of the depot at Cisco, Utah, which seems first built same year.


This is one of the Rio Grande original facilities remained along its route in Colorado; the depot at Wagon Wheel Gap.

According to Denver & Rio Grande Western Depots Volume 2 by Clive Carter, Wagon Wheel Gap depot was built in 1883 with the two-story frame structure of wood shingles roof and drop siding walls. It was retired in 1954.

The depot structure was registered as National Register of Historic Places in 1976[2]. Today, private home occupies the structure[3].


The depot structure published twice, NMRA Bulletin and Model Railroader[4, 5]. Both articles accompany photos and drawings. But, concerning the position of stairs, the drawings represented in Bulletin seem more accurate.


The branch reached Wagon Wheel Gap in 1883 and converted to standard gauge in 1902[6]. Wagon Wheel Gap was the gateway to the namesake hot springs located a mile south of the depot. Unfortunately, however, the segment between Creede and South Folk including Wagon Wheel Gap was abandoned in 1999.

All photos were taken on Sep. 7, 2017

[1] Carter, Clive (2013) Denver & Rio Grande Western Depots Vol. 1, 2
[2] National Register of Historic Places Inventory Form;
[3] Mar. 2014 The Newsboy, San Luis Valley Rural Electric Cooperative;
[4] Hanschka, Richard Swerdfeger, Mark D. (1971) “Depot at Wagon Wheel Gap” June 1971 Bulletin, National Model Railroad Association
[5] Hediger, Jim (1988) “D&RGW’s Wagon Wheel Gap station” March 1988 Model Railroader, Kalmbach Publishing
[6] Holmes, Nathan D., (2009) “D&RG/D&RGW Creede Branch History” DRGW.Net;




旧D&RGW沿線に今も遺るRio Grandeの遺物を紹介している。

この建物は、元Rio GrandeのWagon Wheel Gap駅舎である。1883年竣工の木造二階建てで、1954年用途廃止になり、現在は個人住宅として用いられている。ユタ州シスコにあった駅舎と同じ、クィーン・アン様式と称されるデザインの駅舎である。規模が比較的大きいのは、開業当初ここがこの支線の終点であったからだろう。

この駅舎は、これまでに二度、趣味誌で取り上げられている。NMRAのBulletinおよびModel Railroaderである。どちらにも写真および図面が添付されているが、階段の表記から推察して、図面に関してはBulletinがより正確だ。

Alamosaを起点とするCreede Branchがここまで到達したのは1883年。近くに湧く温泉に観光客を運んだ。温泉自体は現在も4UR Ranchというリゾートの一施設として存続している。Wagon Wheel Gap駅のあるCreede Branch のSouth Folk・Creede間は1999年に廃線になっている。