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 1967 editions.
1967
January
Union Pacific Donates $10,000 to aid Georgetown Loop Rebuilding Project
The Union Pacific late last month presented a $10,000 check to the Colorado State Historical Society to further the organization’s plans to rebuild the famous old Georgetown Loop. UP president Ed H. Bailey made the presentation to the Society, saying he hoped the donation would "aid in the study of the part railroads have played in the opening and development of the west."
The move was actually history repeating itself since the railroad was involved in financing the original line, which lifted tracks in a spectacular combination of curves and trestles from Georgetown to Silver Plume. The most famous portion of the construction, a spot where rails crossed themselves several hundred feet up the mountain on a high curving trestle, was the most publicized piece of rail construction in the country during the time it was in operation.
The loop line between the two high mountain towns was constructed as soon as it became apparent that rich mineral deposits in the Silver Plume area would require rail service if they were to be fully exploited. The Colorado Central finished its line into Georgetown in August, 1877. With the boom up the hill in Silver Plume, UP's fast-dealing Jay Gould purchased the CC and began construction on the precipitous extension. The line operated variously under UP, Burlington and C&S heralds until 1939 when a mining decline combined with the threat of a U.S. involvement in World War II brought its abandonment.
A gash on the side of the mountain and a Historical Society marker are all that remain today of the spectacular construction. (Ed. We would all do well to remember and give thanks for how far things have come!) The Society, under the leadership of Stephen H. Hart, president, and James G. Rogers, chairman of the board, has been talking reconstruction of the loop for several years. Interstate 70, which now stretches westward from Denver to the Silver Plume town limits, was planned to by-pass the railroad's construction area in the event the dream would see reality.
The depot has been saved (see Rail Report #88, December, 1966) and will eventually become part of the project. The old building is now being used as headquarters by the Loveland Basin Ski Patrol. Patrol leader Ed Schroeder reports that the move has been completed, and that restoration work will start just as soon as manpower is available.
Georgetown, in the meantime, is enjoying a mild boom, with several near-by ski areas to attract business to refurbished hotels and restaurants during the winter, and a well planned round of summer activities -- plus a variety of mountain grandeur that attracts local people as well as visitors to Colorado. An enlightened town council controls all building and remodeling to make certain that the entire town will present itself to the public much as it did on that bright summer day 90 years ago when the railroad arrived.
The Rocky Mountain Railroad Club has given its full support to this venture and we hope to be on the first train to chuff into Silver Plume, recreating the time, the spirit and the atmosphere that must have accompanied the first, first train these many years past.
April
Rebirth of the Georgetown Loop?
Representatives of the State Historical Society of Colorado met with the Denver Federal Executive Board on February 7, 1967, and discussed the establishment of a State Historical Park in the valley between Georgetown and Silver Plume, to be known as the Georgetown Loop Mining Area Restoration Project. It is planned to build a state park from the city limits of Georgetown to the city limits of Silver Plume, and from Interstate 70 across Clear Creek to Sunrise Mountain. It is the plan to open the most suitable of the old mines. The tracks into some mines are still in place and people will be able to ride a mine car into the mine. The narrow gauge railroad loop will be restored and will provide about a 4-1/2 mile ride for tourists. The Historical Society hopes to get matching funds from the Bureau of Outdoor Recreation, the Historic Preservation Act and the Highway Beautification Act to build the picnic areas, trails and high way rest areas.
It is anticipated the cost will amount to one million dollars. As reported in a previous newsletter, the Union Pacific Railroad has presented a $10,000 check to the State Historical Society of Colorado to further the organization’s plans to rebuild the famous old Georgetown Loop .
September
(Alpine Tunnel Days and placement of the Mac Poor Informational Marker)
 |
| from Historic Alpine Tunnel (L: Dow Helmers, R: M.C. Poor) |
On Saturday and Sunday, August 26 and 27, the Annual Alpine Tunnel Days celebration was held at Pitkin, Colorado. A most impressive program was planned, with Dow Helmers , Art Pearson, Mac Poor, Don Smith, F. B. Trudgeon, and Charlie Webb presenting the programs for the two days. The number of people attending exceeded all expectations and it was necessary to move the meetings in Pitkin to larger quarters to accommodate all those present. Bad weather, unfortunately, forced cancellation of quite a bit of the activities planned.
A marker has been placed at the West Portal of the Alpine Tunnel (Ed. on August 27th, 1967). The marker, approximately 20” x 40", is of Colorado Rose-red granite, and was quarried near Lyons, Colorado, by the G & L Granite Co. The sketch on the marker, a train emerging from the West Portal, was drawn by W. T. Harks. The marker was made by the Erickson Memorial Company.
The marker was named the "Mac C . Poor Informational Marker. " Mr . F. B. Trudgeon, Tunnel Days Chairman tells us, “The purpose in naming it after Mac C. Poor, author of the book, D. S. P.& P., was to publicly recognize him for his many years of research and effort in publishing his book on this historic narrow-gauge railroad. By his initiative he leaves for this and future generations, an authentic story on the struggles, triumphs and demise of this fascinating railroad that faithfully served many early day Colorado Mining camps."
(Ed. "The marker was conceived and sponsored by Francis B. Trudgeon"-Historic Alpine Tunnel)
 |
| Source |
(Ed. At some point the marker sustained damage as seen in the above photo. I have never found an explanation for the reason for the crack at the top right of the historical marker. Most attribute it to vandalism, but it begs the question who would have hauled such a large instrument which could do this type of damage up to this remote place, unless it was done with a rock or happened naturally through a rock/snow slide)
Comments on the South Park
In reading some old newspapers from a by-gone era, some interesting comments were discovered in "The Whooper", an independent paper published in Kokomo, Colorado Vol. I., No. 34, Friday, October 21, 1898:
"Kokomo needs a vigilance committee, needs one badly too, The South Park train leaving Leadville takes baggage for this place but does not deliver it until 5:27 that day, carries it to Como and back. This will break the people who patronize this road of sucking eggs and add to the passenger business of the D. & R.G., also their express business. A vigilance committee would have work to do to compel the Park to live up to its common carrier contracts, you can’t do it, that is, not easily by law."
October
More on the South Park
Another item discovered in"The Whooper”, an independent paper published in Kokomo, Colorado, Vol 1 , No. 34, Friday, October 21, 1898:
"O Lord, how long, how long? are we to suffer with this railroad called the South Park. Kokomo is very unluckily situated on a side track a few hundred yards from the main track and every morning for the past week the train en route from Leadville to Denver has stopped on the main track and compelled passengers, agent and everyone who patronizes it, to wade out through the snow to meet it. We say train but we are in a quandary as to what to call it for it is composed of a passenger coach, a mail coach, an ore car, a hog car, a box car or any dilapidated thing that happens to have wheels, It is neither passenger freight and by no means an accommodation but it calls forth the damnation of all who are compelled to patronize it. Como, Breckenridge and Kokomo are the three towns between Leadville and Denver on this line that have aught else than a section house and a barn. Here, we very happily state, we have another railroad and several houses and being one of the principal points of interest on this railroad, they at least might condescend to deliver the mail for we gladly welcome any communications from the outside world even if all we do get is exchanges and several letters which on opening are found to contain a bill and on the bottom “Please remit. This our third notification, we do not wish to press you but etc.”
“The people of Kokomo will gladly welcome a change at the first of the year just for variety’s sake not that they expect a better service, it has always given the best of satisfaction – to the officials.
“A subscription is being taken up for the engraving of an epitaph on the tomb of the passing management which will read ‘Just Behind the Times’.”
No comments:
Post a Comment