C&Sng 1951 in the Narrow Gauge News

This is part 2 of the C&S details found in Bob Richardson's Narrow Gauge News.  Part 1: 1949-1950 is here.  Below are C&S references in his newsletter from the year 1951.  I have underlined some points of particular interest.

January

RGS ENGINE#74 MAY BE PRESERVED
A move is afoot in Boulder, Colo. To obtain RGS engine 74 for preservation int hat city.  #74 had originally been built for the narrow gauge that until 1918 ran from Boulder to some mining communities.  Later it went to the C&S and several years ago to the Rio Grande Southern.

April

BOULDER APPROVES PROJECT TO SAVE RGS #74
Boulder, Colo. City council April 3rd approved the project of J.B. Schooland [sic] to place on permanent display RGS engine #74 which originated from a line operating out of Boulder until 1919.  The RGS seldom uses the engine, having obtained some heavier power.  The council suggested a coach or freight car be obtained, but it is believed none of the DB&W cars exist except for two D&RGW bunk cars, originally Pullmans of the 1880s, later used as coaches on the DB&W.

SOME FINE GLASS NEGATIVES of trains in the 1890s on Marshall and Alpine (DSP&P) passes were saved from greenhouse use near Salida a few months ago.

May

PHIL RONFOR reports luckily locating an 1878 pass of the DSP&P signed by John Evans, and also one of same  year for Colorado Central.  Eastern Division of the Rocky Mount RR Club will meet June 6th at the Ronfor home near Boonton, N.J.

[list of RGS engines]
74 2-8-0 Built 1898, exColo. & N.W. (later Denver, Boulder & Wn.) ex-Colo. & Southern.

From GENERAL NOTES, ROADS, ETC.:--

Turntable pit at w. portal of Alpine Tunnel 1958-Lew Schneider

The South Park’s Alpine Tunnel is a hike from either Hancock or Pitkin, with track intact, tho east entrance flooded by cavein; the grades of the South Park line follow US 285 closely from Bailey via Como and much of rest of line can also be traced, in some places the roadbed has become the road…out of Denver to Georgetown other traces of the C&S are to be found; for that matter one can hardly cross this state without at sometime driving along what was once a railroad grade…C&S engine 71 and combine-Central City; C&S engine 60, and coach at Idaho Springs; C&S caboose at Silver Plume.

From CAR EQUIPMENT OF THE NARROW GAUGES:--
The RGS has some ex-C&S stock cars; also some box and flats apparently no longer used in revenue service.

July

THE “SOUTH PARK” BOOK has become a collector’s item and sales by book dealers at $40 to $50 have been reported!

August

Alpine Tunnel station 1958-Lew Schneider

ALPINE TUNNEL attracts many visitors in summer, one recent Sunday finding three groups hiking
to the long abandoned rail point.  The west portal is still open.

October

 From SUSPENSION OF RIO GRANDE SOUTHERN OPERATIONS EXPECTED NOVEMBER 1ST.
On the north end engine from Ridgway and Placerville and several times for long trains they had ex-C&S #74 as additional helper, but on Sept. 28 the 74 was placed dead in the engine house.

#74 HAULS CLUB SPECIAL
137 members and others rode the Rocky Mountain Railroad Club’s special over the Rio Grande Southern Sept 1 and 2.  Engine 74 handled the train of gondolas, cabooses and business car, laying overnite at Telluride, second day going to Lizard Head.  It was first use of the 74 in months.  A good trip with fine weather.

BALDWIN BRANCH HAD ITS FIRST TRAIN since Feb. when a stock run was made first week of October from Gunnnison. [former C&S line operated at this time by the D&RGW]

November

COLORADO’S NEWEST NARROW GAUGE RAILROAD: THE “MOUNT BLANCA & WESTERN”

D&RGW on C&S 1936-Otto Perry

The 346 was borrowed by the Colorado & Southern in 1936-7 on their Denver-Leadville line, sometimes acting as passenger helper over Boreas Pass.  The engine was involved in a bad accident when it rolled down the mountainside on Kenosha Pass.  On the C&S it was equipped with their peculiar cinder catching device.

THERE WAS A MIXUP of the descriptive matter for Phil Ronfor’s painting of a C&S train gracing the current TRUE cover.  It seems Phil had submitted a sketch of that engine at Woodstock Tank and later realized that portion of the line had been abandoned along with Alpine Tunnel ten years before the cinder catching device was put on C&S engines.  The magazine however desired the engine as drawn, so Phil changed the background to a scene in Clear Creek canyon based on Elk Creek tank, and somehow the magazine struck to the original copy.  So it isn’t his boner, folks!