Celebrating the 100 year anniversary of the San Luis Central, the railroad operated a special passenger train on the 13-mile line from Monte Vista to Center in Colorado’s San Luis Valley. The railroad owned only one steam locomotive early in its history, a Baldwin 2-8-0 numbered 1, that was bought new in 1913 and retired in 1955. To help with celebrations, San Luis & Rio Grande relettered and renumbered their 2-8-0 No. 18, to SLC No. 1, that pulled the special passenger train. Here, SLC No. 1 is about to be added to the end of the train at SL&RG’s Monte Vista station where invited quests have boarded for a ride to Sugar Junction and a trip up the SLC. The open passenger car on the left is SL&RG No. 1056 “Lookout Mountain,” of Southern Railway steam trips fame.
