And that's the beauty about Colorado Springs and the Cripple Creek area! You see:

 I can have/model mainline modeling (ex AT&SF - now BNSF, ex Rio Grande - now UP).
 I can have/model the Colorado Midland (CM) - a standard gauge railroad that penetrated the Rocky Mountains towards the west (it's said it never should have been build, but it was..). That railroad had some really lovely scenic wonders in my meaning, just begging to be modeled - even if the last train ran on that railroad early into the 20th century (August of 1918).
 I can have/model the "sole survivor" Midland Terminal (MT) that in addition to it's own track from Divide to Cripple Creek used some of the track from the CM to get from Cripple Creek via Divide to Colorado Springs - MT got closed in 1949 due to the opening of a new mill in the District and hence no need for it anymore.
 I also can have/model a narrow gauge - the Florence and Cripple Creek RR (F&CC RR). It came into the Cripple Creek area from south and with an interchange with Rio Grande's mainline through Royal Gorge/Tennessee Pass. F&CC RR as a outbound railroad was closed in 1912 after a big washout in Phantom Canyon. Most of the narrow line in the District was still used for many years. Meaning I can have lots of dual gauge action, great! LOL
 I can also have/model another standard gauge railroad that went into Cripple Creek from Colorado Springs. The Short Line - or more correct, The Colorado Springs & Cripple Creek District Railway (CS&CCD Ry.) This line was shut down in 1920 I think. It ran through a very dramatic and beautiful landscape, at least according to pictures I have seen!
 There's even more rail history! You have the Trolley/tram operation in Colorado Springs/Manitou Springs, and the Trolley operation in the Cripple Creek district! Also closed down early in the 20th century, but it was there at least...
 And, not to forget, the worlds highest cog railroad - Manitou & Pike's Peak Railway (M&PP Ry.) - up to the top of Pikes Peak from it's depot in Manitou Springs!
 There where also an other cog railroad to a nearby zoo at one time, and I think there even where a cableway (called an incline) to a top over Manitou Springs.
 Of other things, you have The Garden Of Gods, lots of mining and related industry, and so on... What more do you need...? (Except for a very big house/room so I could model all this...) - Or, as I discovered in late 2002, use Trainz to make it all in a computer...  Then you just need a big hard drive, a very fast computer (mine's not...), lots & lots of time - and some commitment to learn new things like modeling in 3D instead of in "real world".