Searching for the C&S narrow gauge: March 2022

Wednesday, March 30, 2022

1963-64 C&S News - Plans to run C&S 9 in Black Hills, Pine Depot burns, Alpine Tunnel visit

A wealth of railfan history exists in the archives of the Rocky Mountain Rail Report, the newsletter of the Rocky Mountain Railroad Club started in 1939. Here is some miscellaneous South Park Line/C&S-related news from the 1963-1964 editions.

1963

March

(C&S No. 9)

Club member W. L. Van Patten has sent us the following report about the Black Hills Central Railroad of Hill City, South Dakota:

The Black Hills Central now has seven steam locomotives: "Klondike Casey," ex-White Pass & Yukon

No. 9 at Black Hills 1961

2-8-0 No. 69, powers a 5-car train between Hill City and Oblivion on the narrow-gauge portion of the CB&Q Keystone branch, which is three-rail between these points. "Chief Crazy Horse," ex-Colorado & Southern 3-foot gauge 2-6-0 No. 9, scheduled for new flues, is to handle a 3-car train over the same 10-mile route. (Ed. This is an awfully interesting note. C&S 9 was leased to the Black Hills by the CB&Q after its last use in the Chicago Railfair of 1949. It was never run on the Black Hills so this plan never came to fruition. Instead No. 9 was repatriated to Colorado in 1988 on the orders of the CB&Q's successor Burlington Northern. She sat on Morning Star siding of the Georgetown Loop in Silver Plume for many years until restored to operation in 2006. She ran for part of one season and was sidelined. Later she was sent for display at Highline Railroad Park in Breckenridge, Colorado, where she is today.)

A standard-gauge Baldwin 2-6-2, ex-Prescott & Northwestern No. 7, runs on the 5-mile segment of the Burlington tracks from Keystone up to Oblivion. Other motive power includes an ex-Sumpter Valley narrow-gauge Shay (currently being re-flued); a narrow-gauge Porter 2-6-0 from Guatemala; an ex-C&NW 2-foot gauge Davenport 0-4-0; and a standard-gauge 10-wheeler, ex-C&NW No. 444.

In its five years of operation, the Black Hills Central has handled over 150,000 passengers.

(DSP&P and Pictorial Supplement Book)

December

At a meeting in early 1960 the Club's Board of Directors was advised that Hotchkiss owned a very fine base map of the State, prepared originally in 1913 by the old Clason Map Company but never carried through to publication. Hotchkiss was interested in completing this old map and approached the Club with regard to also incorporating some of the copyrighted detail area maps which had been included in such historical works as Denver, South Park & Pacific, Rails Around Gold Hill, and the Pictorial Supplement to the South Park book, all published by our organization in preceding years.

1964

(Dow Helmers and his book Historical Alpine Tunnel)

August

Other publications pertaining to railroad history continue to appear. Of interest to Club members is a large volume containing a detailed study devoted entirely to the famous Alpine Tunnel of the old Denver, South Park and Pacific. The volume is the work of Club member Dow Helmers of Pueblo and published by Sage Books of Denver.

(Alpine Tunnel Exploration - Les Logue)

October

The old South Park's legendary Alpine Tunnel continues to fascinate railfans -- and the general public alike. The September 8 issue of the Denver Post carried an interesting illustrated story of a recent exploration of the tunnel by a group of Leadville, Climax and Boulder people, prominent among whom was Rocky Mountain Railroad Club charter member Les Logue of Leadville. The "Empire" Section of the same paper for the following Sunday, September 13th, published an excellent story on the same subject by Club member Dow Helmers of Pueblo. Dow is author of "Alpine Tunnel," a detailed history of this famous bore published this past summer by Sage Books of Denver.

(Pine Depot Burns, Westall Monument Vandalized)

Pine depot 1951 as antique shop

Also bringing sorrow to railfans in recent weeks were two other items of little importance to the general
public -- one, news that the old South Park depot building at Pine, Colorado built in the late 1870's to serve the little town in the middle reaches of South Platte Canon, was destroyed by fire early Sunday morning, August 30th. (Ed. Pine, today is the site of a display of two narrow gauge gondolas. They are former Rio Grande cars, one repainted in C&S garb and the other as a DSP&P car).

The second, not even publicized, was the loss by vandalism of the bronze marker placed several years ago by Rocky Mountain Railroad Club members on the granite monument to South Park Engineer Billy Westall who lost his life when DL&G engine 195 ran into a wash in and turned over near Dome Rock on August 28th, 1898.

Saturday, March 26, 2022

1962 C&S News - Argentine engineer, 641's last run, Denver Roundhouse, Westall monument TLC

1962

March

(Argentine Central engineer)

Members of the Rocky Mountain Railroad Club were saddened to hear of the death, last month, of John Allen, 82, former conductor and engineer of the Argentine Central Railroad, the Shay-powered narrow-gauge line which operated out of Silver Plume. John Allen was always very obliging in giving interviews to members interested in this line, and we feel it was, indeed, a privilege to have been able to hear from him, first-hand, the story of this railroad. Too little do we realize how fortunate we are still to be able to listen to firemen and engineers who operated the engines during the "Golden Age of Steam".

May

(C&S Denver roundhouse)

In 1899 the Colorado & Southern Railway took possession of the Union Pacific, Denver & Gulf Railway and the Denver, Leadville & Gunnison Railway. As the C&S now had 148 locomotives, it is hard to believe they still had no shops of their own. To quote from the Annual Report to the Stockholders of the Colorado & Southern Railway Co, for the Fiscal Year ended June 30, 1900:

"The Company has had no general shops of its own, but thought it wise to continue the arrangement previously made by the Receiver for use of the Denver shops of the Union Pacific Railroad Company. Under the terms of the lease either company could cancel the same by giving nine month's notice. On December 26th, 1899, the Union Pacific Company having arranged a lease to The Pullman Company of the plant referred to, served notice upon this Company to vacate not later than January 1st, 1901. The erection of complete new general shops by this Company was thus made imperative, and construction was commenced in the spring of 1900. It is expected that the new plant will be ready for occupation by November 15th, 1900, and as it will be admirably located upon ground previously owned by the Company adjacent to the Denver freight yards, and not far from the freight station. Union Depot, and transfers to connecting lines, considerable economies in repairs and other operations are confidently expected. The amount appropriated by the Board of Directors for this work is $350,000.00, and while the necessity for this construction came at an inopportune time, so far as prices of material and machinery were concerned, yet it is a matter for congratulation that The Pullman Company is to inaugurate extensive work in Denver, and the return on this Company's new investment should prove very satisfactory on account of the saving in rental, as well as on account of the economy of modern machinery and favorably located buildings and tracks."

The construction mentioned above included provisions for a 40-stall roundhouse. And it is this very roundhouse which today is all but disappearing before our very eyes. Crews have been chopping away at it bit by bit these past few years until today there are only 5 stalls remaining. Not a very impressive monument to what was once a very extensive steam empire.

(Steam winds down in Leadville)

Colorado & Southern RR 2-8-0 #641 was the star of a recent television show which portrayed the trans-shipment of goods from Leadville to the Climax Molybdenum Mine.

C&S Road Foreman of Equipment (and staunch Club member) Mickey Hansen piloted the engine for the event. Plenty of work in the future for #641 was assured by the Climax Mines' recent announcement of a $20 Million development program. Unfortunately, how long the daily run of #641 will continue depends more on #641 herself--the old girl is just getting plumb wore-out. Fact is, the citizens of Leadville are already discussing where to set her this summer after she is retired-whether in a park or by the court house - sort of like putting up a tombstone before the patient is dead.

The Leadville-Climax run in the wintertime is anything but a "milk-run". The total snowfall of over 300" there this winter has left so much ice that derailments are not an infrequent occurrence. Just a few weeks ago #641 herself was on the ground for a couple of days. Routine switching by itself is a constant challenge at such altitude, due to the ice, snow, and frequent blizzards. Fighting derailments, in addition, really makes it tough.

(DSP&P Book-pricey!)

In view of recent publicity reporting sales of first edition ’’Denver, South Park and Pacific”, published by the Club in 1949, we believe it should be known that Denver area dealers in rare books are anxious to acquire copies. Anyone with a copy available can negotiate on standing offers in the neighborhood of $100 and up per copy, depending, of course, on condition - and bona fide inquiries are invited.

October

(The Last Run of C&S 641)

More unpleasant news – C&S 2-8-0 #641, which used to handle the Leadville-Climax run, has now been replaced by a diesel. Engine #828, an EMD 1750-HP SD-9, supplanted the 641, which made her last run September 12, 1962. Club member S. L. Logue of Leadville tells us that arrangements have been made to place the 641 on permanent exhibition on the east side of the C&S depot at Leadville, between 7th and 8th Streets, with dedication ceremonies tentatively set for October 8th.

Thus, Colorado soon will be without an operating standard-gauge steam engine, and we can be thankful we still have both the Rio Grande's narrow gauge and Bob Richardson's Golden City and San Juan #346 working under steam.

November

(Saving the Westall Monument)

Sixty-four years ago, on August 28, 1898, narrow gauge Denver, Leadville & Gunnison engine 195, with Billy Westall at the throttle, rounded a bend in South Platte Canyon just west of Dome Rock, plowed into a wash-in and overturned, fatally injuring Engineer Westall. For his heroism in staying with his train, the American Order of United Workmen erected a monument on the site of the accident on Labor Day, September 4, 1899.

The story behind this little known and sadly neglected historical marker has long been a mystery, even to people who live in the canyon, but this condition has now been remedied. On Saturday, October 20, 1962, five past officers of the Rocky Mountain Railroad Club devoted a day to the Westall Monument, accomplishing the following: A bronze tablet, prepared by and at the expense of one member of the group, was permanently attached to the base of the memorial. This plaque fully explains the events that occurred here and states that the tablet was placed by the Rocky Mountain Railroad Club. All joints in the rock memorial were carefully caulked; its foundation rock was restored where missing; a rock retaining wall was built along three sides and the area between this wall and the monument base filled with compacted earth and sodded; the entire area was cleaned up, weeds cut, papers burned and cans and other debris buried.

We hope that this good beginning will provoke a campaign to locate and mark historical railroad sites in our Rocky Mountains.

Sunday, March 20, 2022

1960-1961 C&S News - Leadville operations, caboose 1006

1960

January

C&S 99201 at CO RR Museum, early 1990s

"Pictorial Supplement to Denver South Park & Pacific" is selling well, and the Book Treasurer Bryant McFadden reports that over 3000 copies had been sold early in February.

May

The regular monthly meeting of the Rocky Mountain Railroad Club will be held on Wednesday, June 8, 1960, at the Farmers Union Auditorium, East 16th and Sherman, Denver, at 8:00 P.M. We will see some of
Otto Perry's interesting movies— some we have never seen before, including pictures of the Colorado & Southern standard gauge rotary on the Leadville-Climax line, photographed in action this year (Ed. This rotary, intended for use on the Alpine Tunnel route but found to be too heavy, was used on both narrow and standard gauge C&S lines, including Boreas Pass. 99201 was donated to the Colorado Railroad Museum by the C&S in 1972).

August

It is with pleasure that we can now announce the attainment of a goal toward which we began working some years ago—we have now paid the last of our obligations for our recent book, "Pictorial Supplement to Denver South Park & Pacific," by club members Kindig, Haley, and Poor. The three authors have agreed to donate all the profits from the sale of the remaining copies of this book to the treasury of the Rocky Mountain Railroad Club—an amount that will eventually add several thousand dollars to the club's funds. New members or others who are interested in obtaining a copy of this book may still secure copies from the club, at 2561 South Cook Street, Denver, 10, Colorado. Free brochures describing the book are also available at this address.

November

Our new book, "Pictorial Supplement to Denver South Park and Pacific" reached the break-even point by summer, and the remaining 300-odd copies will further improve the club's financial status as they are sold.

1961

January

If you are still thinking about obtaining a copy of "Pictorial Supplement to Denver, South Park and Pacific", you'd better get in motion. There are less than 300 copies available from the club.

February

Those of us who live around Denver have many times noticed the long lines of steam engines in the C&S yards, waiting to be scrapped. These engines have been photographed many times, and it was well known they weren't long for this world. Which they weren't. Only 3 engines (all CB&Q) remain in the scrap line — #4947, #4952, and #4994. All the rest have been sent to a scrap dealer in Houston, Texas. There were 18 in all, sent in 3 shipments with 6 locomotives in each shipment. The first shipment was sent between Christmas, 1960, and New Year's — the next shipment 3 weeks later — and the last shipment went the week of February 5, 1961. The C&S locomotives included in these shipments were:

#605 #804 #608 #805 #629 #806 #631 #807

#632 #808 (CB&Q 5509)

C&S SG 641 on display, early 1990s

#634 #809 #644

#647

#648

#904 #909 #914

This leaves only 2 C&S locomotives in usable condition in the vicinity; #638 and #641. #641 works the
Leadville to Climax run, and #638 makes infrequent runs around Denver.

********

Not all Burlington engines wind up in the scrap line, however. Some of the old engines which escaped and are now on display are:

CB&Q #967 Built in 1899 — Minden, Nebraska (Pioneer Village)

C&S 71 1964

CB&Q #710 Built in 1909 — Lincoln, Nebraska (Pioneer Park)

CB&Q #3001 Built in 1930 — Ottumwa, Iowa (Ballingall Park)

C&S #9 Built in 1882 — Hill City, South Dakota

C&S #60 Built in 1886 — Idaho Springs, Colorado

C&S #71 Built in 1897 — Central City, Colorado

FW&D #304 Built in 1906 — Wichita Falls, Texas (City Park)

FW&D #501 Built in 1910 — Childress, Texas (Depot)

April

As a result of our recently receiving a number of requests for information concerning the Climax-Leadville run of the C&S, the following is offered to those desiring to view or photograph this standard-gauge operation! C&S 2-6-0 #641 is handling the run at the present time and will probably continue to do so for the remainder of 1961.

The runs from Leadville to Climax are usually made during the first parts of the week. The #641 is ready to go at 8:00 a.m., with the crew called for 8:00 a.m. Climax is reached by 11:30 a.m. Considerable switching is done here, after which the train returns to Leadville. (Ed. The Climax to Leadville stretch was the last remaining stretch of South Park/C&S narrow gauge, operating until August 1943 when it was standard gauged. The standard gauge branch was the last regularly scheduled steam operation by a Class 1 railroad in the US. The C&S dieselized the operation in 1962).

August

We are now about to close the sales book of the "Pictorial Supplement to Denver, South Park & Pacific". There are only about 60 copies remaining to be sold, out of the 4,000 printed, and orders are coming in every day.

C&S 1006 1960s

Colorado & Southern's narrow gauge caboose #1006, on display at Silver Plume, has been recently renovated. The C&S provided the materials, and a few devoted members of the NMRA provided the labor. The caboose was put up on rails, new doors and windows added, and the entire inside and outside was painted. (Ed. the caboose was put on display in 1941 near the Silver Plume depot where it sat on four pieces of wood. It appears to have been moved around a few times. When Mac Poor and Ed Haley visited the caboose in 1945, Poor described its condition this way: "There it sits on four crossties, forlorn and neglected, as if waiting for the inevitable end, which somehow seems close at hand." Thankfully, that was not the case and we are indebted to the various groups who re-rescued her throughout the years including today's Colorado & Southern Railway Society).

C&S 1006 1962

Saturday, March 12, 2022

1939-1958 C&S News - Club founding, books, and films

A wealth of railfan history exists in the archives of the Rocky Mountain Rail Report, the newsletter of the Rocky Mountain Railroad Club started in 1939. Here is some miscellaneous South Park Line/C&S-related news from the 1939-1958 editions.

June 1939

For the benefit of our new friends and prospective members, we'd like to give a brief account of our club and its aims and purposes. To make a long story short, we're a group of hobbyists who have never outgrown our childhood fascination for "Choo-choo trains". At 8 P.M., the second Wednesday of each a month, we meet in the Auction Room of the Union Pacific Freight Depot and talk over matters of general interest to railroad fans, with special programs arranged beforehand for each meeting. Our aims are to impartially publicize ell the railroads of the Rocky Mountains, and to assemble and preserve the history of the famous old abandoned mountain lines before they fade into oblivion. We are proud to list among our most active members some of the most outstanding locomotive photographers to be found anywhere....Some of our members are veterans who once worked on some of the famous old lines such as F&CC, South Park, etc., and their reminiscences alone are well worth your attendance.

September 1939

Helen and her husband

CLUB NEWS

That the railroads of the Rocky Mountains present a fascinating and thrilling panorama of interest for all
of us who are fortunate enough to be Colorado railfans is becoming increasingly apparent at every club meeting. One of the highlights that forcibly impresses us with this fact was the showing by Miss Helen McGraw, at our July meeting, of her moving pictures of a trip over the famous old South Park narrow gauge to Leadville. Everyone who was present on that occasion will agree that not only did Miss McGraw have abundant supply of excellent scenes at her disposal to portray, but that her photography was fully equal to the occasion. To see again the ancient little engines and cars snaking their way around myriads of curves as the slim tracks wind over the rugged heights that will never again hear the chuffing of the little locomotives, we are convinced that Miss McGraw has captured and preserved a vista of mountain railroad history of the first magnitude. Railroad fans who have seen this film shown will unanimously agree that as far as we're concerned, nothing has ever come out of Hollywood to compare with it.

1949

Have you ordered your copy of DENVER, SOUTH PARK AND PACIFIC? The manuscript is at the printers; proofreading begins soon. Don't delay — get that order in the mail today to Les Logue, Treasurer, 3227 Bryant St., Denver 11, Colo.

1955

Morris Cafky was able to hasten completion of his manuscript, “Rails Around Gold Hill,” which is announced in the enclosed brochure. This book will, I am sure, still further enhance the reputation which the club has acquired with publication of “Denver South Park & Pacific.”

1956

Next, the board highballed the second section of “South Park,” with Ed Haley, Dick Kindig, Mac Poor and Francis Rizzari running the show. If you have anything which will be of interest— photos, passes, stories, data, etc.—please get in touch with one of the committee right soon.

Earl Carter of the C.&S. didn’t turn us down on a Leadville-Climax trip. But, we still have to solve the problem of how to get passenger cars up there, without it costing us a fortune. We’ll give you lots of notice. Looks like August or September. (ed. This stretch was now standard gauge but was originally the last remaining segment of the South Park narrow gauge until widened in 1943. Based on the book Journeys to Yesteryear which chronicles all the club's activities, it appears that this excursion never took place)

March 1957

Beyond June, our plans are tentative, but we hope to present programs on such subjects as the Gilpin Country Tram, the Denver, Laramie and Northwestern, the Boulder Valley Railroad, the San Luis Valley Short Lines, the Ohio Creek Palisades of the D.S.P.&P., and many other subjects, both historical and contemporary. So, if you have a pet railroad or railroad subject, please let us know about it, so that you can be a part of our future program plans. The other members will be happy to hear what you know about Colorado's railroads.

Also March 1957

In the latter part of 1949 the Rocky Mountain Railroad Club published a 493-Page history of the DENVER SOUTH PARK & PACIFIC RAILROAD. The publication of this book resulted in a great number of rare old photographs, etc., coming to light. In fact so many fine historical pictures eventually made their appearance that a growing demand arose for their reproduction in book form. Because of this demand the Club has decided to produce a Pictorial Supplement to "Denver South Park & Pacific."

The purpose of this letter is to enlist the aid of any person who might have additional material of this nature, or know where similar items may be available. Wishing to leave no stone unturned, the Rocky Mountain Railroad Club's Book Committee is using this means to contact all those interested in early Colorado railroad history who might possess or know of photographs and material such as tickets, keys, train orders, time tables, passes, advertising, etc., pertaining to the following railroads:

Denver South Park & Pacific

Colorado Central (narrow gauge only) Georgetown Breckenridge & Leadville Denver Leadville & Gunnison

Union Pacific Denver & Gulf

Colorado & Southern (narrow gauge only)

We are very much interested in borrowing any usable item connected with the above mentioned railroads. ABSOLUTELY NO COPIES of any photographs submitted will be made, and they will be retained only long enough to have plates made for use in printing this book.

Each photograph used will carry full credit lines indicating the original photographer (if known) and the present owner. The Rocky Mountain Railroad Club will guarantee proper and careful handling and the safe return of all material submitted. The brochure announcing the publication of this Pictorial Supplement to Denver South Park & Pacific will appear in due time. NO orders for this book will be accepted until this brochure has been distributed.

Address all mail concerning photographs and related material to

Mac C. Poor, 4115 King Street,

Denver 11, Colorado. Sincerely,

THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN RAILROAD CLUB Book Committee.

Richard H. Kindig, Chairman.

1958

In the publications field, work is rapidly progressing on the pictorial supplement to Denver, South Park and Pacific, and an announcement of the price and publication date will be sent to the members this spring. Orders will be taken for the book at that time.

Sunday, March 6, 2022

1959 C&S News-Poor has surgery, one of the last DSP&P employees speaks

On September 28th, our president, M. C . Poor, had a hernia operation, in St. Lukes Hospital. At the time of this writing, Mac was getting along very well and if he continues to improve, by the time you read this he will be at home, 4115 King St., Denver.

In talking to Dick Kindig, he tells us the printing is complete on the main part of the book, "The Pictorial Supplement to Denver, South Park & Pacific". The time tables and maps that go into the cover pockets are being worked on and the binders are expected to start the binding of the book by the end of October. The colored pictures (8) that are used in the book can be purchased from the Colorado Railroad Museum after the book has been published. These pictures will be suitable for framing.

The two remaining programs for the year 1959 will be as follows: November - Charles Ryland will give a program on the Railroads of Golden, Colorado; December-our program will be given by George Champion - the last trip through the Alpine Tunnel as the pilot on a snowplow. George is one of the last D.S.P.& P. RR employees - he worked as an Engineer, Fireman, Hostler and Nut Splitter.

M.C. Poor, Pres. Ane C. Clint, Treasurer D.K. Peterson, Vice-Pres Mike Blecha, Secretary

The previous year, on April 21, 1958, M.C. Poor had recorded the story of George Champion's last run of a rotary through Alpine Tunnel. You can hear it here: