The Friends maintain a restoration facility in Colorado Springs, Colorado.  Known as the COS Work Site, it was first established in 1996 at the Mining museums north of town where one of its founders Roger Briggs volunteered.  Roger’s vision was for a year round restoration facility and it now is celebrating its fifteenth year of operation.  Roger continued as Site Leader for many years until for health reasons he retired in 2006. One of the most significant projects during this period was the restoration of Pile Driver OB.  Several of the members who worked on this award winning project remain active today.

Colorado Springs Work

Site Registration Procedures

Two separate procedures are necessary to register for volunteer work at the Friends Colorado Springs Site. The Friends work space there is located on the grounds of the Pikes Peak Trolly Museum.  One of the stipulations governing the use of this space is that Friends members wishing to work on the Trolly Museum property must also be members of the Pikes Peak Historical Street Railway Foundation (PPHSRF).  This arrangement was adopted by the Friends Board of Directors and is now a registration requirement.

a.  Form R-29, Membership Application can be downloaded from  this web site.  It is a facsimile of the PPHSRF membership application.  In order to establish an initial membership, each Colorado Springs volunteer should complete this application  and submit it, along with payment, directly to the address listed on the form.  This will establish initial annual membership in the PPHSRF.  Acknowledgement will be sent by return mail when processed.  In future years each Friends PPHSRF member will receive a renewal notice directly a month prior to expiration of the membership.

b.  Form R-2, Registration for Volunteer Work can be downloaded from this web site. Since the Colorado Springs work program is yearlong, when the registration is for renewal,  Form R-2 should be completed  and submitted along with the required registration and insurance payments to the Friends office at the start of the calendar year.  Otherwise Form R-2 should be submitted at the time of initial application.

Restoration of Car 0252.

The present restoration project undertaken by the COS Work Site is the restoration of car body 0252; originally numbered 470, a Pullman coach classed as a Tourist Sleeper.  At the time the car was removed from service in 1953 it was a Kitchen–Diner used in maintenance of way service.  The Colorado Springs Work Site moved to the Pikes Peak Historical Street Railway, Trolley Museum at the Old Rock Island Roundhouse, in the fall of 2008.  In August of 2009, the Friends moved Car Body 0252 from the north yard in Chama to the work site for restoration with estimated completion in 6-7 years.  The car is being restored to its original condition as a Tourist Sleeper when delivered from Pullman to the D&RG, of course with the addition of a few operational requirements to meet current rail safety standards.  More information on Pullman Car 470.

Hours of Operation. 

Scheduled work days at the site are the 1st, 3rd & 5th Saturdays of each month except during other Friends work sessions.  Start time is generally 8am.  Special (additional) work sessions are scheduled throughout the year based on specific needs.  If you have an interest in participating contact the site leader This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it   or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it   for information.  

COS Work Site Blog.  

Check out what is going on; see pictures of the week long work sessions and view the construction methods of a Pullman 1889 coach.  Duncan Burdick, a Friends member from Colorado Springs, posts updates of the restoration project regularly.  Here is the link:  friendsofthectsrrcos.blogspot.com.