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
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Helen and her husband |
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."
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.
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