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Keeping track of all of the incarnations of the D&RGW and its predecessor companies can be quite a nightmare. Here's a quick guide:

Denver & Rio Grande Railway Company

(1870-1886)

This is the original, founded in 1870 by General Palmer, that built the majority of the Colorado D&RGW system. It went into receivership in 1884, and emerged in 1886 as the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad Company

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Denver & Rio Grande Railroad Company

(1886-1908)

Took over possession of the property of the original Denver & Rio Grande Railway. Lasted until the merger with the Rio Grande Western of Utah in 1908 to for the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad Company (Consolidated).

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Denver & Rio Grande Western Railway Company

(1881-1889)

The Denver & Rio Grande Western Railway Company was founded by General Palmer to build the western outlet for the Rio Grande, the D&RGW Rwy built the original narrow gauge mainline from Salt Lake City to State Line (the CO/UT border on the way to Grand Junction, CO). In 1889, as part of the conversion of the Utah lines to standard gauge, the assets of the Denver & Rio Grande Western Railway were purchased by the Rio Grande Western Railway.

This should not be mistaken for the Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad, which was formed in 1921 to control all of the former Denver & Rio Grande, D&RGW Rwy/Rio Grande Western, and Denver & Salt Lake lines (as well as a handfull of other, smaller roads).

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Rio Grande Western Railway

(1889-1908)

The Rio Grande Western Railway, often referred to as simply the RGW, was founded in 1889 as part of the standard-gauging of the Denver & Rio Grande Western Railway in Utah. It was a new corporation to provide the credit and structure needed for the 100ish miles of new construction that would take place as a result of the conversion. In 1908, it was consolidated with the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad Company into the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad Company (Consolidated).

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Denver & Rio Grande Railroad Company (Consolidated)

(1908-1921)

In 1908, the original Denver & Rio Grande Railroad Company was consolidated with the Rio Grande Western Railway of Utah. It lasted until the road entered receivership in 1921.

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Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad

(1921-1947)

The Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad was the successor to the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad Company (Consolidated). It was assembled to provide a corporation under the Western Pacific Railroad to absorb the recently-purchased Denver & Rio Grande Railroad Company's (Consolidated) assets. It fell into bankruptcy in 1946, and emerged as the Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad (Reorganized), free of WP control, on 11-Apr-1947.

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Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad (Reorganized)

(1947-1970)

The Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad (Reorganized) was how the railroad emerged from its 1946-1947 bankruptcy. It also merged the Denver & Salt Lake Railroad, the Denver & Salt Lake Western, the Rio Grande Junction, and the Goshen Valley Railroad under the D&RGW name. It lasted in this form until 1970, when the railroad became part of Rio Grande Industries, a diversified parent corporation.

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Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad (RGI)

(1970-1988/1992)

On 13-Oct-1988, Rio Grande Industries purchased the Southern Pacific Transportation Company. Initially, the D&RGW and the SP/SSW continued on as separate operating entities, but in 1992, both the SSW (Cotton Belt) and the D&RGW were consolidated under the Southern Pacific operating banner. Only a year later, on 30-Apr-1993, Rio Grande Industries itself changed its name to Southern Pacific Rail Corporation. On 11-Sep-1996, Southern Pacific was sold to Union Pacific, which continues to operate the majority of the ex-D&RGW system today.