Denver & Rio Grande reaches Leadville

On July 25, 1878, the Denver and Rio Grande Railway opened its narrow-gauge extension into Leadville, Colorado, a booming silver camp high in the Rockies. Founded by General William Jackson Palmer, the line conquered steep grades and tight curves using innovative engineering such as switchbacks and trestles. The arrival of the first train sparked an economic surge, hauling ore out and supplies in, and helped establish narrow-gauge railroads as the practical choice for mountain mining districts across the American West.