, ▁South ▁Park ▁and ▁Pacific ▁Rail road ▁The ▁Den ver , ▁South ▁Park ▁and ▁Pacific ▁Rail road ▁got ▁its ▁start ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 2 ▁when ▁a ▁group ▁of ▁Den ver ▁business men ▁head ed ▁by ▁Colorado ▁Governor ▁John ▁Evans , ▁David ▁M off at , ▁other ▁local ▁business ▁leaders ▁to ▁form ▁a ▁rail road ▁company ▁that ▁would ▁link ▁Den ver ▁and ▁South ▁Park ▁and ▁the ▁min ing ▁country . ▁It ▁was ▁a ▁historic ▁narrow ▁gauge ▁railway ▁that ▁operated ▁in ▁Colorado ▁in ▁the ▁western ▁United ▁States ▁in ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 9 th ▁century . ▁The ▁rail road ▁opened ▁up ▁the ▁first ▁rail ▁routes ▁to ▁a ▁large ▁section ▁of ▁the ▁central ▁Colorado ▁min ing ▁district ▁in ▁the ▁dec ades ▁of ▁the ▁min eral ▁bo om . ▁The ▁rail road ▁took ▁its ▁name ▁from ▁the ▁fact ▁that ▁its ▁main ▁line ▁from ▁Den ver ▁asc ended ▁the ▁Pl atte ▁C any on ▁and ▁travers ed ▁South ▁Park . ▁The ▁company ▁operated ▁as ▁an ▁independent ▁rail road ▁from ▁its ▁found ing ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 2 ▁until ▁it ▁was ▁sold ▁in ▁forec los ure ▁proceed ings ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 9 . ▁Its ▁lines ▁later ▁became ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Colorado ▁and ▁Southern ▁Railway . ▁ ▁Den ver ▁and ▁New ▁Orleans ▁The ▁Den ver ▁and ▁New ▁Orleans ▁Rail road , ▁later ▁to ▁be ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁Den ver , ▁Texas ▁& ▁G ulf ▁Rail road ▁and ▁would ▁become ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Colorado ▁and ▁Southern ▁Railway , ▁was ▁started ▁by ▁Colorado ▁Governor ▁John ▁Evans ,