Railblazer
WB Amtrak Train #5 The California Zephyr AMTK 297 244 at Grand Valley Siding Colorado
High desert terrain, plateaus and storm clouds dominate the background as Amtrak Train #5 rolls westbound at Milepost 404.0 on former Denver & Rio Grande Western trackage at Grand Valley Siding, Colorado, June 10, 1992. Originally called Pahchouc (meaning twins) by the Ute people, early settlers mispronounced the word as Parachute so the town was renamed Grand Valley in 1908. Located in the Colorado River valley exactly half way between Glenwood Springs and Grand Junction, in the 1980's the name Grand Valley was changed back to Parachute.
Leading the thirteen car California Zephyr this day are Amtrak F40PH's 297, (built with parts from SDP40F 586 in June, 1979. After retirement, sold to LTEX and scrapped) and 244 (built with parts from SDP40F 563 in September, 1977 and later sold to the Alaska RR). Grand Valley Siding, at 5200 feet in length is located 102 miles west of Minturn, Colorado and 45 miles east of Grand Junction. Parachute's elevation is 5089' and the 2020 census lists the population at 1390 people.
WB Amtrak Train #5 The California Zephyr AMTK 297 244 at Grand Valley Siding Colorado
High desert terrain, plateaus and storm clouds dominate the background as Amtrak Train #5 rolls westbound at Milepost 404.0 on former Denver & Rio Grande Western trackage at Grand Valley Siding, Colorado, June 10, 1992. Originally called Pahchouc (meaning twins) by the Ute people, early settlers mispronounced the word as Parachute so the town was renamed Grand Valley in 1908. Located in the Colorado River valley exactly half way between Glenwood Springs and Grand Junction, in the 1980's the name Grand Valley was changed back to Parachute.
Leading the thirteen car California Zephyr this day are Amtrak F40PH's 297, (built with parts from SDP40F 586 in June, 1979. After retirement, sold to LTEX and scrapped) and 244 (built with parts from SDP40F 563 in September, 1977 and later sold to the Alaska RR). Grand Valley Siding, at 5200 feet in length is located 102 miles west of Minturn, Colorado and 45 miles east of Grand Junction. Parachute's elevation is 5089' and the 2020 census lists the population at 1390 people.