Arlene Lanman Bücher

On February 6, 1949, the final passenger train ran on the historic Midland Terminal, carrying 169 passengers under a bright sun and clear skies. Though I was only three years old at the time and have no memory of this event, our home in Old Colorado City was close to the abandoned railroad bed and roundhouse. As children, we explored the derelict buildings and walked along the line to Cascade, crossing the Crystal Park Trestle and passing through eight tunnels in Ute Pass. As a structural engineer, I became fascinated by the engineering achievements of Colorado Midland's design engineers. Over recent months, I studied and visited various railroad sites, uncovering both familiar and new information. My goal was to narrate the story from a Chief Design Engineer's perspective, exploring why the train stopped at various towns and the significance of their names. This journey into the past revealed intriguing historical questions: Why did the CM start with Palmer and the Kansas Pacific? What led to Colorado City becoming a division hub? What were the motivations behind the coal searches in Jerome Park and the unique coal grades produced? I delved into the backgrounds of key figures, the competition, and the CM's role in transporting gold ore. I also uncovered the connections between the CM and major players like J.J. Hill and Henry Thumbull, as well as the stories behind station names and the CM's reputation as the "Cattlemen's