Colorado Springs and Cripple Creek District Railway

Colorado Springs and Cripple Creek District Railway
System map
Locale	Colorado
Dates of operation	1897 – 1920
Track gauge	4 ft 8½ in (1435 mm) (standard gauge)
Headquarters

The Colorado Springs and Cripple Creek District Railway was a standard gauge railroad operating in the U.S. state of Colorado around the turn of the 20th century.

History

On April 13 1897, Lucian D. Ross, Thomas Burk, James L. Lindsay, W.T. Doubt and Kurnel R. Babbitt organized the Cripple Creek District Railway Company to operate a 6.25 mi (10 km) standard gauge electric line between Cripple Creek and Victor, Colorado. The name was changed to Colorado Springs and Cripple Creek District Railway on November 17 1899. An extension to Colorado Springs opened in April 1901. The Colorado and Southern Railroad directed operations from 1904 to 1911.

Losing money due to competition from the Florence and Cripple Creek Railway and the Midland Terminal Railway, the Colorado and Southern Railroad leased the Colorado Springs and Cripple Creek District Railway to the Florence and Cripple Creek in 1911. In 1915 this lease was transferred to the Cripple Creek Central Railway, which also controlled the Midland Terminal Railway.

By 1917 most rail traffic in the area was directed to the Midland Terminal Railway. The loss of the Bear Creek Bridge in May 1918 cut off all direct traffic from Colorado springs. Bankruptcy was declared in 1919, at which time it went into receivership. All operations ceased in 1920 and the line was sold for scrap.