This branch line was built by the Denver & Rio Grande Western in order to tap silver mines in the area around Aspen; it began at the D&RGW's Tennessee Pass route at Glenwood Springs and was completed in 1887. The line saw significant business in its first few years, but as the silver boom tapered off, traffic along the line declined. Ultimately, the portion of the line south from Woody Creek to its end at Aspen was abandoned in 1968.
The Aspen Branch
The Aspen Branch