1974 C&S News (1) - Sundown and Southern is born, C&S 60's bell is stolen, Shay No. 4 comes to Central City

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 more miscellaneous South Park Line/C&S-related news from the 1974 editions.  

1974

Part 1

January

(The ill-fated Sundown and Southern is born)

A NEW NARROW GAUGE RAILROAD ATTRACTION is under development near the town of Fort Lupton. Construction adjacent to the Flying-D-Ranch, a privately owned airport open to the public, will hopefully be completed in time for operation next summer. The mile railroad will be used to bring passengers from the main highway to a reconstructed western town. 

An interesting array of buildings, equipment and rolling stock is being assembled for the project, including the old Fort Lupton depot, the Hudson Colorado jail, several railroad water tanks, one of which is from near Durango, and the turntable from Alamosa.  Rolling stock includes numerous pieces of D&RG freight cars, a business car, caboose and an outside frame IRCA 2-8-0 from Central America- and a baggage car and a combine from the Tweetsie Railroad.  Maintenance will be done in a two track car shop now being built. 

(Ed. Some more info about the Sundown and Southern, the C&S car it once had, and the project's demise can be found in this post)

(C&S 60's bell is stolen)

C&S 60 in 1990 (In '74 the engine was in a different spot)

VANISHED ~ Old C&S Engine No. 60 on display in Idaho Springs is no longer adorned by its bell. It mysteriously disappeared one night this fall.  As it is highly unlikely a strong mountain wind blew it away, it can be safely presumed that it was stolen. Anyone who may have information on this disgusting matter should contact the Depot Gift Shop in Idaho Springs or the proper Authorities. 

April

(Denver Union Station to close)

THE BURLINGTON NORTHERN'S real estate people apparently have cooking on their stove a recipe for closing down Denver Union Station, possible by next year. Not much has been said about it, and information is sketchy, but it appears to be part of their plan for removing rail facilities for the Platt River vicinity and transforming the entire area into a vast office, apartment and hotel complex. They would like to see the 15th and 16th street viaducts removed among other things, and nearby streets that terminate at Wynkoop extended north toward the river. The Denver Union Terminal Railway Company, which is owned by six railroads which operated trains into the city, operates the station and has not been contacted by the BN regarding the matter. All the railroads would have to agree on the closing. The last thing Denver needs is a Cincinnati “Tastee-Freez" style structure out in the sticks somewhere. 

May

(Dave Digerness, author of The Mineral Belt book series, presentation)

PROGRAM FOR THE MAY MEETING OF THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN RAILROAD CLUB.

Dave Digerness, who has been a member of the club since 1959, will present his slide show entitled ’’Over the Sierra Madres of Mexico to the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans".  In the fall of 1971, Dave, who is an excellent freelance photographer, travelled through Old Mexico by rail and toured her cities by many modes of travel including, bus, cab, horse drawn carriage, trolley bus, trolley car, subway and on foot.  Dave is a native of Georgetown, Colorado, being the fifth generation of the family from the famous old silver mining town high in the mountains west of Denver. 

In fact, his interest in railroads stemmed from watching the narrow gauge Colorado & Southern trains in Clear Creek Canyon and has grown until today his interest in railroads has become national. 

Dave’s great grandfather was the founder and publisher of the well-known Georgetown Courier and he wrote and recorded not only the early annals of Georgetown and Clear Creek County but of the other mining counties as well, resulting in valuable historic records. Dave has been employed for almost 

20 years by the United States Geological Survey and his photographic work is renowned not only nationally but around the world, having appeared on the cover of Empire Magazine, Christmas cards and calendars. 

(Shay No. 4 arrives in Central City)

COLORADO’S STEAM LOCOMOTIVE POPULATION increased by one with arrival at Central City of

No. 4 arrives. Jerry Albers photo

Camino, Cable & Northern No. 4 (ex-West Side Lumber Co,) on Saturday, April 27. Three days were required to move the three foot gauge Shay and its tender aboard two trucks from Camino, California.  Crossing of the Continental Divide was done via Berthoud Pass.  Plans are to put the old logging engine in operating condition for use on the Colorado Central Narrow Gauge at Central City.  (Ed. in 1977 she became the sole power at the CCNG).