Royal Gorge Route

Who we are

On a mission

Mark and Leah Greksa When we set out to run trains through the Royal Gorge, our vision was to offer more than the traditional “tourist” (we don’t like that term) train. We knew we had the scenery and really, the most amazing section of track in the country. Personally, we don’t like sitting on a train all day, so thought a two-hour round-trip would work perfectly with three hours for our dinner and murder mystery trains. We never tire of riding behind our classic 1950's diesel locomotives through the Royal Gorge and enjoy listening to guest comments or watching the faces of children light-up in excitement as they experience a train for the first time. Our mission is to provide the safest, highest quality experience of the Royal Gorge for our guests.

We travel quite a bit, working to stay ahead of the curve in terms of what great food and service should look like. Nothing irritates us more than poor service, mediocre food, or staff that really doesn’t care if you’re there or not, especially when no one says “thank you.” It’s just not acceptable. We spend a lot of time training our staff as to the importance of understanding, from our guest's perspective, what a quality experience entails. We are passionate about good food and wine, and believe that if you buy the highest quality ingredients and combine them with a talented culinary team, the product should be excellent.

Are we the best?

Through the 13-years we’ve been running this railroad, we’ve managed to gather a bunch of “best of” awards for our food, service, and breathtaking scenery. At the end of the day, these awards mean nothing, as they are history once they’re received. It’s the day-to-day challenge of offering you, our guest the consistent standard of excellence in each class of service, whether you’re riding in coach, vista dome, lunch, dinner, our attending one of our special events. We offer a unique experience of the Royal Gorge, sans the amusement park atmosphere. We are not the Royal Gorge Bridge, which is owned by the City. We don’t offer thrill rides, just a chance to enjoy time together with your loved ones in one of the most spectacular surroundings in Colorado. We are a Colorado company.

We are leaders in the scenic railroad industry. Some are attempting to copy our recipe for success. They can’t for we’re a private, family owned business that never tires of this spectacular canyon and continues to raise the bar of excellence. When we say “our service, food, and overall experience are second to none,” we mean it.

It is challenging running a train consisting of 17-cars, 5-classes of service, and 4-kitchens on a standard gauge train. This is like a moving city, complete with climate control, bathrooms, food & beverage, and a professional train crew. Occasionally we may miss the high mark we’ve set, or perhaps an air-conditioner decides to take a break on a particularly hot day. Things like these do happen, not often, but are part of life when running a railroad of this magnitude. We are fortunate to be working together with some of the most talented staff one could ask for, who work diligently to keep this railroad running smoothly every day.

Working to preserve the Royal Gorge for future generations

The Royal Gorge Route has been instrumental in preserving this breathtaking canyon and ensuring a vital part of Colorado history will be passed along to the next generation. We have grown as a major destination attraction through ensuring the Royal Gorge remains a special place and should be preserved much like any one of our National Parks. We believe riding the rails through the Royal Gorge and spotting Big Horn Sheep, Blue Heron,Bald Eagles, and enjoying the tumbling Arkansas River with your family or special someone is a very unique experience. You won't find caged animals in the Royal Gorge, just the wild ones...

Over 100,000 guests from around the world come to ride this train, to experience the beauty of this amazing canyon, enjoy delicious food & wine, and relish the fact that text messages won’t find them deep in the gorge. No, you’re cell phone won’t work when your deep (over 1,000 feet) beneath the granite walls of the Royal Gorge. This is a good thing. You’ll meet some interesting people on your journey, slow down a bit, and enjoy the nostalgia of what quality train travel was like back in the 1950’s. It’s just more comfortable now.

Being local matters

The Royal Gorge Route Railroad is an independently owned business based right here in Colorado. We've been in the scenic railroad industry for 40-years. You know that that means, right? We are passionate about creating something meaningful in our own backyard and more of our dollars go right back into the community. Consider the following:

When you spend $100 at an independent business, $68 returns to the local community, spend that same amount at a national chain and it drops to $43
Small business accounts for 75% of all new jobs
Locally owned businesses reinvest in the local economy at a 60% higher rate than chains and internet retailers
Small businesses create more than half the non-farm private gross domestic product (GDP)
Locally owned and operated businesses create higher-paying jobs for you and your neighbors

When small businesses thrive, everybody wins.
The Royal Gorge Route spends $1 million per year on local payroll. The train generates the most overnight stays in the Royal Gorge Region too â€“ this helps local hoteliers, retailers and restaurateurs to thrive. The Royal Gorge Route also spends more than $500,000 on advertising and marketing each year, to bring over 100,000 people from around the world to the region. This generates millions of tax dollars that go towards schools, roads and public safety right here in Canon City, Colorado. We've opened the Royal Gorge Welcome Center in order to provide quality visitor information what to do and what to see in the area. Our downtown is charming with great restaurants, shops, and unique architecture.

We're proud of our contribution and hope that you'll buy local when you visit the Royal Gorge. We know it can sometimes be difficult to make that commitment- or to even know what's local and what's not. Consider spending some of your time and money on a few local gems too. Here's a list of some truly charming and well-done destinations in Colorado's Royal Gorge Region:

We warmly welcome you aboard and know you will enjoy your journey on the Royal Gorge Route Railroad.

Mark & Leah Greksa
Owners

Motive Power and Rail Cars

The Royal Gorge Route operates a number of locomotives. Our F-7’s, numbered 402 and 403 were built in 1949 and 1950 by the General Motors Corporation in La Grange, Illinois. They were originally Chicago & Northwestern Railway freight engines. Later, they were rebuilt for fast commuter service. Engines 402 and 403 were purchased from the Union Pacific several years ago and capable of speeds in excess of 100 MPH. Our speeds today through the Royal Gorge are between 12 to 20 MPH. We’ve also added an F-7B unit, numbered 1503 to enhance locomotive power. It was used on the Alaska Railroad.

The 5305, an SD-9, was originally owned by the D&RG and used in freight service. The 5305 was involved in a collision in a rail yard in Pueblo, CO. When it was rebuilt, the D&RG put a low nose on it for better visibility.
On Occasion, we use engine number 2283, a GP-7 for motive power.

The coaches we use, are restored 1953 and 1954 Canadian National Railway models that were used on transcontinental routes throughout Canada. These cars were acquired in 1998 prior to our first train run through the Royal Gorge.

In 2005 and 2006 the Royal Gorge Route purchased 4 full-length glass topped Vista Dome cars. This railroad now has the largest collection of these vintage 1950’s dome cars in service in the lower 48. They were previously used by Holland America Cruise lines in Alaska. The vista domes have been updated and now provide comfortable seating, a full service bar, and chef prepared menu items available on all departures.

Royal Gorge Route Railroad
Santa Fe Depot
401 Water Street
Canon City, CO 81212