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Sam Furukawa's "Rio Grande Southern"

All photographs by Sam Furukawa

Ophir,  milepost 45, was a small settlement that grew up around the RGS depot.  There was a post office, general store, saloon, hotel, livery stable and a restaurant.  Just north of the depot was the aerial tramway terminal and ore bins that served the Alta Mine high above the Ophir Loop.  The RGS Depot was built to service the mining district about two miles up the Howard Fork (River).

 

 

Left - A double headed RGS freight descends the "High Line" into Ophir from the south.

Below -  Activity around the Ophir depot at train time.

 

  Northbound RGS K-27 #455 is about ready to depart downgrade towards Vance Junction, Placerville, the grade over Dallas Divide and on to Ridgeway.   RGS Work Goose #6 is safely tucked into the tramway spur in order to make way for the northbound train. 
 

  RGS Goose #4, having been converted to carry tourist, heads out of Ophir ahead of train #371 at the authorized speed of 8 mph over bridge 45-A. 
 

Bridge 45-A was about 475' long and about 95' high.  With the exception of the original bridge at Pleasant Valley, it was the highest trestle on the RGS.  Originally the bridge was built with a deck Howe-truss span 108' long near the middle of the bridge.  It was replaced with conventional bents about 1914 when most of the RGS bridges were rebuilt to support larger and heavier locomotives.

 

 

 

 

 

 

RGS #40, a C-19 class locomotive, and K-27 #455 depart Ophir bound for Ridgeway

 
 

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