By 1900, the scenic beauty of the PikeA[a¬a[s Peak region had become well known, making it a popular destination with visitors from across the nation. This influx of tourism along with the apex of the Cripple Creek mining boom saw El Paso and Teller Counties become a hub of freight and passenger activity. Over the next 30 years and through challenging economic times, the area would be served by 11 different railroads and an interurban line. The Midland Terminal and the Colorado Springs and Cripple Creek District Railways relied heavily on the revenue gleaned from Cripple Creek ore production, but as the output of these mines declined, so too did the coffers of the railroads that supported them. Larger railroads like the Santa Fe and the Colorado & Southern increased their regional presence through joint agreements and the expansion of local facilities. Still other roads had a more local flair, including the Manitou & PikeA[a¬a[s Peak whose unique cog railway introduced A[a¬AAmericaA[a¬a[s MountainA[a¬A to thousands of tourists. Mass transit also came to the region as the Colorado Springs & Interurban Railway became part of a legacy left by millionaire Winfield Scott Stratton to the people of Colorado Springs.

In the 1880s, the Denver & Rio Grande began building its three-foot railroad toward the San Juan Mountains alongside the Animas River and the budding community of Durango. The D&RG quickly established itself in Durango, constructing a depot as well as a 45-mile connection to the regional mining hub of Silverton. Over 60 years, the towns, the railroad, and the mines it served would weather plummeting silver values and a turbulent economy. By the end of World War II, declining freight volumes left the future of the railroad in doubt, but by the late 1940s, a growing number of train enthusiasts were journeying to Durango for one last ride. The new popularity of the Silverton Branch brought rail fans to the area in increasing numbers through the 1950s. Today the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad continues to preserve the region's railroading past and has become a unique aspect of the history of Southwestern Colorado.

During the gilded age of rail travel in the late 1800s, Colorado Springs became one of the primary portals of westward expansion and a hub for both passenger and freight traffic. Over thousands of miles of tracks traveled merchants, industrialists, tourists, and fortune seekers, all bent on enjoying what Colorado had to offer either on a temporary or permanent basis. Much of the history of the Pike's Peak Region was predicated on the railroads, and the growth that the area enjoyed was dependent on the new residents and the trains that brought them.

American government securities); 1928-53 in 5 annual vols.:[v.1] Railroad securities (1952-53. Transportation); [v.2] Industrial securities; [v.3] Public utility securities; [v.4] Government securities (1928-54); [v.5] Banks, insurance companies, investment trusts, real estate, finance and credit companies ( 1928-54)