In the spring of 1884, a high-value shipment of gold bullion was scheduled for transport from western Colorado mining towns directly to the Denver Mint. Knowing the immense value aboard the express train, a notorious gang of regional bandits planned a meticulous ambush at a narrow canyon bend near Red Cliff. Their plan hinged entirely on the official pocket timetable published by the railway line, which detailed exact arrival and departure times across the mountain passes.
Unbeknownst to the outlaws, or even the train crew initially, a local print shop had made a critical typesetting error in the public timetable. The pamphlet listed the train's departure time 45 minutes earlier than the master schedule kept by the rail dispatcher. To avoid public outrage from angry passengers misled by the printed guides, the station master decided to load the gold express fast and dispatch it early under a special clearance.
The train thundered through the canyon almost an hour ahead of its intended schedule. When the bandits finally took their positions on the tracks with dynamite and weapons ready, the gold bullion was already miles away, pulling safely into Denver without a single shot fired.