Views of C&S Rice Yard turntable and roundhouse (1)

 You can find a great album of 1988 photos of the old C&S Rice Yard roundhouse and turntable in Denver from the Historic-Structures website.

What happened to the C&S turntable in Chama?

After my previous post, there has been a lot of confusion as to the whereabouts of the former Denver Rice Yard C&S turntable that went to the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad in May 1997.

Here is an album showing the turntable in pieces in Chama in 1997. 

So far, it is clear that the turntable was never used. It was taken for use for a potential project that included rebuilding the Chama roundhouse. That project never occurred. Individuals on various forums think the turntable is still in Chama (in what is referred to as the 'swamp') while others think it may have been scrapped. 

Below are some excerpts from a 1997 C&TS Dispatch related to the turntable move.

"- heard that Elitch Gardens in Denver was making a 100-foot through-truss bridge turntable available at no cost other than freight from Denver to Chama. The turntable allows for a shallow pit and will be a key element in the roundhouse approach." 

Below is part of an article from the 1997 C&TS Dispatch explaining the roundhouse proposal and how the turntable could fit in with it.

The Denver C&S turntable's 1997 move to the C&TS

From the June 1997 Rocky Mountain Rail Report.