The Galloping Goose Historical Society broke ground in Dolores Friday for a block’s length of narrow gage railroad track to be laid and then used by the historic Engine No. 5.

The Galloping Goose is a unique gasoline powered railroad car operated by a classic Pierce and Arrow engine. It was used for transportation from Dolores to Rico and Telluride during the heyday of hard-rock mining in the late 1800s. The society plans to attract tourism by eventually laying enough track to reach the Line Camp up the Dolores river and beyond.

Some track, RR ties, switches and other hardware were donated by the now-closed Rocky Flats nuclear-weapon facility near Boulder.

Shortly after the ceremony Friday, a 1-inch gas line was cut by a front-end loader beginning construction, causing the Dolores Town Hall and library to be evacuated. No one was injured in the mishap, which occurred because a gas line was buried too shallow.

Dolores Fire and the Montezuma County Sheriff department, along with the Greeley Gas Company responded to the scene and shut off the gas.

"It was not buried as deep as expected," said Rusty Hamilton, a Dolores fireman on the scene. "Normally the lines are buried 36 inches, but this one was only down eight inches."