This article was published on Mike Robinson-Johnson’s Facebook page on December 4, 2025
Doc Holliday, Bat Masterson, and a War over train tracks?
Yes, the Royal Gorge was a literal Wild West scene for a short time.
The Royal Gorge Route, also known as the Tennessee Pass, was initially started under construction in 1878 when crews from the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe (AT&SF) begin grading bed just 3/4 of a mile from where Denver & Rio Grande (D&RG) track had ended East of Cañon City, Colorado. D&RG hustled to the location to continue construction of their tracks into the Gorge and further into the rich silver and gold country of the Leadville mining district, only to be blocked by AT&SF workers igniting a 2-year power struggle known as the ‘Royal Gorge War’.
AT&SF crews continued to build through the Gorge in 1878-1879 while D&RG tried to leapfrog ahead, sabotage tracks by removing it or blowing it up, and even setting up forts to harass and shoot at rival workers. AT&SF responded by hiring gunfighters as security for their crews and rail line, while both parties went to court to try and establish definitive rights to build. They even spend $11,759 in 1879 hiring Kansas engineer C. shallor Smith and Santa Fe Engineer A.A. Robinson to design and build a bridge in the narrowest spot of the canyon. They design a 175-foot steel plate bridge, that is suspended by A-frame girders.
In April 1879 the courts ruled in favor of D&RG granting the rights to build through the Royal Gorge to them. AT&SF are forced to ‘lease’ the track they built and just spent a ton of money on from D&RG, and in turn AT&SF officials retaliated by manipulating southern freight routes, completely avoiding Denver and any D&RG track.
D&RG officials decided they needed to go back to court June 10, 1879, requesting the lease be broken and AT&SF banned from any of their railway. This resulted in “The Armed Retaking of Railroad”. Denver and Rio Grande crews would literally stop Santa Fe trains at gunpoint, and take control of them, and any depots and stations on their lines. AT&SF responded by hiring Kansas Sheriff W.B. “Bat” Masterson to help retake stations between Denver and Cañon City. Masterson recruited J.M. “Doc” Holliday to his cause and together they enlist over 60 gunfighters and cowboys including Ben Thompson, Henry Jenkins, “Dirty” Dave Rudabaugh and “Mysterious” Dave Mather.
After taking numerous trains, and railway stations hostage, they eventually end up in an AT&SF roundhouse in Pueblo holding down the fort.
June 1879 rolls around and the president of D&RG has had enough. He suggests to his men to go to the State Armory and “borrow” a cannon and Gatling gun to send a message to and “persuade” the AT&SF and Masterson and Holliday to surrender. What he failed to realize is Bat Masterson and Doc Holliday had the same idea and had already “borrowed” the equipment and had it in the roundhouse ready, and waiting.
Rio Grande officials decided to storm the telegraph office in an attempt to get a message to Bat and Doc, and while successfully storming the building they send AT&SF gunman scurrying back to the roundhouse. While climbing out the back windows escaping the hail of gunfire, Henry Jenkins was shot in the back trying to escape, becoming the first and only casualty of the “War”.
D&RG officials do contact Bat Masterson arranging a meeting with him staying “they have important information he must know before continuing this standoff”. Masterson agrees to the meeting and much to everyone’s surprise he and Doc lay down their weapons, turn over the gatling gun, and do indeed surrender. Speculation immediately runs rampant through AT&SF offices that Bat and Doc were paid off as much as $25,000 to surrender.
Reality is the fact Masterson was an active Sheriff, and the D&RG had court orders proving AT&SF was in the wrong. Being a lawman and facing a court order signed by a judge he and Doc had no choice… But maybe it never hurt to have more money than your competitors, and maybe he did get offered more by D&RG, after all in those days it was about who’s checkbook was bigger as a hired gun.
Federal Courts did rule in Denver and Rio Grande favor and on March 27, 1880, both railroads sign the “Treaty of Boston”, and D&RG had to pay the Santa Fe $1.8M for the work and materials they used while construction in the Gorge. This effectively ends “The Royal Gorge War” and signified the start of a joint effort between railroads in a narrow canyon.
Denver Rio Grande would go on to discontinue passenger service through the Gorge in July 1967, while freight service would last until 1997 when they stopped service on the Tennessee Pass.
for over 30 years the only eyes that would see the Royal Gorge from the train tracks below was that of an engineer, and conductor on the railroad. That was until 1999 when The Royal Gorge Route Railroad would resume passenger service, giving a new life and new eyes to the rails in the canyon.
Today Rock and Rail and the Royal Gorge Route share the rails and passenger and freight both roll through a canyon that holds stories and tales about Legends from The Wild West. These historic canyon sights and vibes can only be experienced via train or raft nowadays so hurry and visit Canon City yourself