Boreas Pass Railroad Day

Join Denver Brass for a FREE public concert at the 24th annual Boreas Pass Railroad Day, Saturday, August 17th at 2:00pm! 

Beginning 1995, the annual Boreas Pass Railroad Day celebration has revived the Denver, South Park and Pacific Railroad. Sponsored by the South Park Ranger District, visitors are invited to tour the many historic sites that lined the railroad line from Como and over Boreas Pass to Breckenridge. In Como, rare opportunities to tour the roundhouse and depot are combined with craft demonstrations, vendors, and exhibits. As visitors drive over Boreas Pass, they can ride a narrow gauge handcar at Rocky Point and then stop for refreshments at the Section House on the summit. 

You probably know Chuck and Kathy Brantigan, the founders of the Denver Brass, but did you know they are the owners of the Como Roundhouse and Klondike Kate? (Train in the picture at the top of the page)They are thrilled to have played a significant role in bringing steam back to Como. Chuck and Kathy look forward to the future of Como and preserving its rich railroad history. 

Klondike Kate #4

Klondike Kate #4 is a Baldwin 2-6-2 narrow gauge steam engine built in February 1912. Her historical significance stems from her role in the Klondike gold rush and her involvement in the building of the ALCAN Highway between Alaska and Canada. She worked the Klondike Mines in the Yukon, but was put in storage when the mines were abandoned in 1913. In 1942 she was purchased by the iconic White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad, but was retired just 10 years later. Following short stays at a few tourist attractions, she wound up in a farmer’s field in Oklahoma where she sadly was dismantled and sat rusting for more than 30 years. Her manufacturer, Baldwin Locomotive Works of Philadelphia, was the preeminent manufacturer of steam locomotives in the early twentieth century. They were known for their classic and artistic approaches to design. Klondike Kate’s long periods in storage make her one of the most original operational narrow gauge steam engines in the United States. Many of her irreplaceable parts still carry the Baldwin stamp.

To see Klondike Kate, Denver Brass, and the beautiful landscape surrounding Como, come to Boreas Pass Railroad Day, Saturday, August 17th. Concert starts at 2:00pm!

Photos by ©Rick DeHoff 2018