Aspen History: Air-conditioned trains

“No more hot trains for the west,” proclaimed a headline in the Aspen Daily Times on July 30, 1936. “The long, hot reaches of the Western desert country no longer bring perspiration to the traveler’s brow. The railroads have solved the problem of summer travel in the desert country — air-conditioning. This year air-conditioning will be one of the primary factors in an increase in Western vacation travel. These statements were made here this week by Harry G. Taylor, chairman of the Western Association of Railway Executives. In making his statement, Mr. Taylor pointed out that the Western railroads have $27,000,000 invested in air-conditioning equipment of all classes. For 1935 the railroads and the Pullman Company operated 2,500 cars, representing an investment of $19,000,000 on the Western railroads. At the present time there are 3,669 cars of all classes being operated as air-conditioned units in the Western territory.” This image shows a train at Aspen with Smuggler Mountain and Hunter Creek in the background, circa 1934.