Happy Easter! Born Again on the C&S

 In 1972, the song that would later become one of the state songs of Colorado, hit the airwaves. John Denver’s “Rocky Mountain High” was a biographical tune containing the lines, “He left yesterday behind him; you might say he was born again.”

Denver’s reference to “born again” was a tip of the hat to what came to be called the Jesus Movement, a generation of young, often long-haired hippies who eschewed both the sex and drugs culture of the 60s and 70s as well as the stodgy nominal church life of many of their parents. Instead, they discovered that to follow Jesus was a radical new life, akin to begin “born again,” a phrase Jesus Himself used when he explained to a seeker that eternal life is life that begins not in Heaven, but now, at the point of following Him.

On this Easter Sunday, when many of us celebrate that Jesus conquered death, making a way for us to be “born again,” it is a delight to see a symbol of this new life in a tiny railroad that has been experiencing many rebirths lately. It might be a stretch to call it a symbol, but I’d like to believe the Lord looks kindly on a our meager attempts to resurrect that which was lost.

One can't think of the C&S these days without considering the resurrection in Como. The Como depot, as just one example, was long dead not that long ago. The only thing left was to finally fall over in one of those characteristic South Park winds. 

But death was not the end-of-the-line for the depot. 

I took this photo in 2004 (with a superimposed image of a train at the same location in operation days). I never would have believed that this historic station would rise again. 

But here it is. Alive again. A foretaste of the Day when He will make all things new.

Happy Easter! He is risen!

I made the following video in 2018, so much, much more resurrection has happened since then, but it's still a great testimony to the hard work of the DSP&P Historical Society and the South Park Rail Society (and all the countless volunteers)

Check out my book Colorado & Southern Narrow Gauge Revival. 

Discovered! The end-of-track after Alpine Tunnel dismantling

 I've always wanted to find the spot where the rails left behind after the 1923/1924 dismantling work stopped. Using Google Earth I was able to pinpoint the spot.

I matched up the below screenshot from Google Earth with one of the photos of the end-of-track and then placed a pin on the DSP&P overlay on Google Earth. I was particularly trying to line up both a turn to the right of the roadbed, a rocky embankment on the right, and a similar background of the mountain contour and trees.

June 24, 1956 R.H. Kindig photo from Tom & Denise Klinger's Gunnison Memories and Then Some

While there is one more right turn (just before the track would straighten out for the Alpine Tunnel station complex), the mountains look a bit too close when viewed on Google Earth. It also doesn't seem to match the rocky bank on the right as well as the spot I chose.

Check out my book Colorado & Southern Narrow Gauge Revival. 

First rail removal near Alpine Tunnel station in 1940

It appears that the first removal of rail from the remaining mile from the east portal to some point down the western slope took place in 1940 and it included rail (at least) running between the engine house and stone section house ruins and the depot and two-story section house. 

First, it is clear that rail was present at this location in 1939, roughly 16 years after the Quartz to Hancock section was officially scrapped, as seen in the 3 photos below. 

1939

Aug. 6, 1939 R.H. Kindig - James Ehernberger Collection-Gunnison Memories

June 1939 Donald E. A. Rogers

June 1939 Donald E.A. Rogers

Undated (possibly June 1939)

D.E. Rogers Mineral Belt 2 - Undated, but judging on the 
fact that the photographer took the photo above this one at
Alpine Tunnel in June 1939, my guess is it is the same date.
Also, the Alpine Tunnel station signs were removed on Aug. 6, 1939. 
This photo shows them still in place.

The next 2 photos are telling. The first (A), from June of 1940 shows the mainline and passing track still in place between the station and engine house. 

1940

PHOTO A: June 1940 Richard Kindig Mineral Belt 2

This next photo (B) is also dated as 1940, but the rail seems to be freshly removed as demonstrated by the discoloration on the ties. The photo does not have a month listed, so it appears that all we know is that sometime after June of 1940 some (not all, as upcoming posts will show) rail was removed in the vicinity of the Alpine Tunnel station complex.

PHOTO B: 1940 John W. Maxwell The South Park Line

The tricky part is-->these 2 photos show slightly different locations. It's possible that the rails are gone at the left of the June 1940 photo (A), but not in front of the section house and depot. It is also possible that the rails are in place beyond the viewpoint of the photographer in the (B)1940 shot. 

I can't verify either theory as the next photo I have of the area in front of the depot is dated "Mid-1950s" which shows rail gone at that spot. I'm assuming that photo (B) shows rail gone all the way past the section house and depot. 

I have no knowledge yet of who removed the rail, for what purpose, and why (as we will see in upcoming posts) there was still much rail left in place east toward the tunnel and outdoor turntable as well as west down the mountain grade.

Check out my book Colorado & Southern Narrow Gauge Revival. 

A gallery of rail removal at Alpine Tunnel 1939-1960

About a mile of DSP&P/C&S trackage was left in place after the 1923/1924 scrapping of the Alpine Tunnel line between Quartz and Hancock. This included track inside the tunnel and west a bit downgrade beyond the Alpine Tunnel facilities. I am trying to piece together when the tracks were removed. This seems to have been done in different segments and not all in order.

Below is a collection of photos showing the progression. I hope to analyze what can be determined from the photos. Keep a look out for future posts where I will identify locations and observations of these images. If anyone knows more or can provide other photographs, please chime in. I'm eager to learn.

1939

Aug. 6, 1939 R.H. Kindig - James Ehernberger Collection-Gunnison Memories

June 1939 Donald E. A. Rogers

June 1939 Donald E.A. Rogers

Undated (possibly June 1939)

D.E. Rogers Mineral Belt 2

1940

June 1940 Richard Kindig Mineral Belt 2

1940 John W. Maxwell The South Park Line

 1948

Les Logue, Everett Rohrer and Irv August (left to right) are shown cutting rail at the approach to the Alpine Tunnel Station, October 2, 1948. (Ed Haley Photograph) Feb. 1991 Rocky Mountain Rail Report

1949

July 19, 1949

1953

Richard Kindig 1953

Richard Kindig 1953

Richard Kindig 1953

Mid-1950s (correct?)

Neal Miller, Author's collection

1955

Aug 13 1955 Art Wallace - 2002 The Bogies & the Loop

1956

Bob Richardson RR-1275 Denver Public Library

1950s

Al Chione, 1950s? Ted Weise collection

1956

R.H. Kindig - James Ehernberger collection - Gunnison Memories

1957

Sept. 1957 Ed Haley Mineral Belt 2

Sept. 1957 Ed Haley Mineral Belt 2

1958 

June 29, 1958 Lew Schneider

June 29, 1958 Lew Schneider

June 29, 1958 Lew Schneider

Mid-1950s (correct?)

Neal Miller Gunnison Memories

Mid-1950s Neal Miller-Author's collection

Mid-1950s Neal Miller Gunnison Memories

1960

“Until mid-summer of 1960 the ensuing three miles of grade was impassable to truck or jeep.  Huge granite boulders and rock slides had blocked the way, filling cuts and narrowing the passage.  In the summer of 1960, Gunnison County sent a “Cat” to clear the way to Alpine.  The road could hardly be designated as a Freeway, but it is easily passable for Jeeps and trucks.  The grade, of course, is not steep, the problem being to have sufficient clearance under the vehicle to avoid damage from rocks.” Historic Alpine Tunnel by Dow Helmers p. 96 

Unknown dates

Check out my book Colorado & Southern Narrow Gauge Revival. 

Bucking snow on the South Park Line, 2019 style

Leadville, CO on a snowy February 22. 1934. Otto Perry photo of C&S 76, 73, & 75
Denver Public Library Special Collections, OP-6132

One of the many reasons that narrow gauge railroading holds so much fascination is its struggle with the natural elements. Engineering required to traverse the Rocky Mountains is a marvel in itself, but a close second is fighting the powerful dragon known as snow.

One part of the old South Park Line that fought snow in the narrow gauge days was the line to Leadville. The segment from Leadville to Climax lives on as a standard gauge tourist pike called the Leadville, Colorado & Southern. Below are two clips of a LC&S diesel doing what its old narrow gauge relatives did a century ago: buck snow.

Other surviving C&Sng depots

Via various discussion forums and video comments, these C&S narrow gauge depots are also still in existence (besides the ones in the video from my last post). Does anyone have any more information on any of these in terms of their present status beyond what is below?

Estabrook

Keystone: Now used for Keystone Stables

Empire Junction (Presently a residence. At least since the 1970's, it has been a residence, a car repair shop, and a cabin over the years. Someone recently told me that it is in good condition).

Alma (I think part of it remains but in very bad shape)

Dome Rock (This is one of those "I heard it somewhere" things)

Central City: Definitely still there, but buried for a long time under mine tailings (now with a parking lot on top)

Combined Glenisle/Grousmont wait stations in Bailey at Helen McGraw Tatum Memorial Park

Fairplay Depot (not the fake one on Main Street)

Cassells wait station on the grounds of Camp Santa Maria

Below shows what I think to be the Empire Junction depot (the center building of the three shown) on Google Earth.

The line running across the screen is an estimation of the old C&S roadbed. 

Surviving C&Sng Depots (video)

I was recently reflecting on how many C&S narrow gauge depots are still in existence and put together a video with a look at each. Since I've posted the video, several people have pointed out other C&Sng depots that are still around, so it looks like I'll need to get a part 2 out sometime!