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 1975 editions.
1975
Part 1
January
(Theft! Stolen railroad passes)
ON AUGUST 23 a collection of railroad passes was stolen from the home of member Charles Ryland. Some have appeared in antique shops and through the help of some members and friends a number have been recovered. Among those not yet located are an 1879 Colorado Central #679, a Denver Pacific 1870 issued to Casement, several Colorado Midland Indian passes, a Denver, Lakewood & Golden 1899 and many others. Any information about these or others will be appreciated. A list is available from Charles Ryland at 1914 - 19TH St., GOLDEN, COLORADO 80401.
(Ed. Charles Ryland, a WWII vet and a former president of the RMRC, was the man who persuaded M.C. Poor to let the Club publish his DSP&P book when the original publisher demanded Poor cut the book in half. Poor said in 1965, "The silver lining to my dark cloud was none other than Charlie Ryland)
(Theft again! Stolen engine bell)
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| Unloading Potosi & Rio Verde No. 4 in the early '70s |
CAN YOU HELP?? - On or about December 6th, the bell on Mexican Engine No. 4 at the Colorado Railroad Museum was appropriated by persons unknown. Due to the substantial weight of the bell and the fact that it was welded on, it can be assumed more than one person was involved in this theft. The Colorado Railroad Museum would greatly appreciate any information in regards to recent attempts to sell or otherwise dispose of an engine bell. The museum is looking for any clues that will help locating the historic piece.
(Ed. This is the engine, Potosi & Rio Verde No. 4, that was "thrown in the pot" when Bob Richardson of the Colorado Railroad Museum agreed to do the work to get an original Thunder Lake engine from Mexico to a Wisconsin museum. For all the work, Richardson got DSP&P No. 191 from Wisconsin for CRRM, along with a narrow gauge Mexican engine. This engine was later sold to the Huckleberry Railroad in Michigan. See the April edition below for the outcome of the theft)
February
(early filming on the original Georgetown Loop)
"Rivers of Silver, Ribbons of Steel"
As we were about to print this newsletter, we received confirmation that Mr. William L. Loeffler of Long Island, New York will be here for the February meeting and will present a 25 minute, 16mm sound production covering a 100 year retrospective look at the narrow gauge empire in the Rockies. From color sound track of the Durango-Silverton run back through black and white newsreel footage and animated stills including early filming of the Georgetown Loop. Mr. Loeffler has prepared a TV production complete with narration. This should provide a fine climax to the Otto Perry showing.
March
(Early footage of Kenosha Pass and the Loop presented)
The February program was a double barrel "shot in the arm" for narrow gauge enthusiasts and others who "packed the house" for the double feature presentation. Leading off the program portion of the meeting were scenes from the famous Otto Perry movies including the San Juan at various locations along its rout. Rocky Mountain Railroad Club excursions including a Rio Grande narrow gauge trip over a dozen cars including the Silver Vista, the South Park at Kenosha Pass, the Pikes Peak Cog Railway prior to the elimination of steam power and many more views to numerous to mention.
Following the Otto Perry selection we were privileged to view a showing by Mr. William L. Loeffler of "Rivers of Silver, Ribbons of Steel", a 25 minute 16mm color and sound motion picture production concentrating on the history of the narrow gauge railroads in the west. The film is designed for showing to viewers in a television audience who are not familiar with mountain railroading. It is an enjoyable retrospective look at the reason for the narrow gauge form of railroading and the importance it played in the development of the western U.S. including scenes with rare sequences of a Uintah train working up Baxter Pass, a rotary snowplow operation on Cumbres Pass, and a tourist train running over the Georgetown Loop filmed by the Biograph Studio in 1903. (Ed. You can see this footage here)
Recent films taken of the Silverton train portrayed how it is still possible to ride a train similar to those of years ago that provided the only decent form of transportation into the mountains. We are indebted to Mr. Loeffler, who produced the film, for arranging his personal schedule so that he could show the film at the meeting. Mr. Loeffler teaches motion picture production and is involved with educational TV. He is presently with the Department of Communication Arts of the New York Institute of Technology, Long Island, New York and stopped in Denver for the meeting while on his way to the west coast. When the use of the Georgetown Loop, Uintah and Cumbres Pass footage for the production of the film was completed, Mr. Loeffler donated it to the Rocky Mountain Railroad Club film library. The sequences are of high quality and were meticulously copied from the original 35mm nitrate film in the Library of Congress. It was certainly an enjoyable evening for all and we thank Mr. Loeffler for his time and effort in brining “Rivers of Silver, Ribbons of Steel” to Denver for our viewing pleasure.
(Studies underway to reconstruct the Loop High Bridge)
A LITTLE CLOSER EVERY DAY - Preliminary engineering studies are underway for the rebuilding of
the high bridge on the Georgetown Loop. The bridge will be designed to resemble as closely as possible the original structure. Construction would begin as soon as the required funding can be obtained.
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| The High Bridge |
the high bridge on the Georgetown Loop. The bridge will be designed to resemble as closely as possible the original structure. Construction would begin as soon as the required funding can be obtained.
(Ed. Funding to rebuild the bridge would not become a reality for roughly seven more years-1982-when the Boettcher Foundation gave one million dollars to the project)
April
(DSP&P book reprint in progress)
PROGRESS REPORT ON REPUBLICATION OF DENVER SOUTH PARK & PACIFIC - Ed Haley reports that the work is going "full steam ahead" with the Denver South. Park & Pacific. All 209 photographs included in the original book have been acquired with the exception of five. Of these, three are being replaced by almost exact duplicates, one is being eliminated and will be replaced by a photo more compatible with the text, and one we are still trying to acquire from Life Magazine. We have added 28 more excellent photos to the 209 in the original book and will possibly add four more.
Four plates required for reproducing one of the paintings in color have been made and proofs are on hand. A second color reproduction is at the engravers now. Negatives for reproduction of photographs in the first third of the book have all been made and proofs received. Negatives for the photos in the second third of the book have been shot and proofs are being made. Photos for the final third of the book are in order and ready to be taken to World Press. World Press has been doing its own camera work and proofs received indicate a remarkable improvement over reproductions in the original book. As of this date there has been no actual printing. The Club has received orders for 1,508 books. Watch for our advertisements in all of the railfan and modelers' magazines.
(Stolen engine bell found!)
GOOD NEWS - The bell stolen off the Mexican Engine in early December at the Colorado Railroad Museum has been recovered.
June
(First annual rail fan weekend at the Georgetown Loop)
Also in June we are pleased to announce that the State Historical Society and the Georgetown Loop Railroad Company are having their first annual rail fan weekend at Silver Plume, Saturday and Sunday, June 21 and 22, starting at 10:00 A.M. each day. $5.00 per person each day. Steam will be operated.
(Colorado Rail Annual)
** BOOK REVIEW **
THE SOUTH PARK LINE, A Concise History, by Chappell, Richardson, and Hauck. (Colorado
Rail Annual No. 12.) 280 pages, illustrated, maps.
This well-produced volume covers the famous South Park line briefly, but adequately. Gordon S. Chappell
has written the history of the line during its construction period and early years of operation. The period of Union Pacific control and subsequent receivership was prepared by Cornelius W. Hauck, while Robert W. Richardson has covered the Colorado and Southern operations, and the final abandonment. A pictorial section on Alpine Pass includes the famous snowplow trails, and a well-deserved tribute to railroad photographer, Richard B. Jackson, provides additional excellent illustrations. A locomotive roster and some miscellaneous information completes the book, which is highly recommended to anyone interested
in this famous Colorado railroad. The book is available from the Colorado Railroad Museum, Box 10, Golden, Colorado 80401, at $14.75 per copy, postpaid. Colorado residents, please send $15.34, to include sales tax.
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