Happy 4th of July (37 years ago) in Central City

Happy Independence Day! 37 years ago today the Fourth of July of 1987 was the setting for the inaugural run of the Blackhawk and Central City Railroad. C&S 2-8-0 No. 71 was the star of the show, under steam and pulling passengers for the first time since 1941. The riders rode in C&S gondola 4319. It was a festive occasion, complete with dignitaries and people in period dress, to celebrate the values of our country and also the revival of a short stretch of railroad. Unfortunately, the line only lasted through the 1989 season. But for fans of the Colorado narrow gauge and the C&S specifically, it was an exciting, even if short-lived, new beginning.

The following article appeared in the Rocky Mountain Rail Report:

God bless America! Happy Independence Day!

 

Changes to Forks Creek 1870s to the present

The spot known as Forks Creek has changed many times over the years.

It went through numerous changes during railroad days, but also after the C&S abandoned the route in 1941.

Here are a few of the various looks of the spot when it served as the location of the railroad's diversion to Black Hawk and Central City and the other direction to Idaho Springs and Silver Plume.

The photo below show Forks Creek before the two segments were connected by the later wye track.

Forks Creek also saw changes after the railroad was torn up. Below is a Chris Walker photo of Forks Creek in 1982. You can see that the road from Idaho Springs at left crosses Clear Creek a bit farther downstream similar to the location of the railroad's ornate bridge.

Today's road alignment is different. The road from Idaho Springs now crosses both forks of Clear Creek at the location of the railroad's wye connection. A walking path now runs on the former rail and roadbed. This path does not cross the creek at this location like the railroad and road once did.

Finally, a while back I found a few "Then and Now" images of Forks Creek by someone who nailed the locations to a "T." Unfortunately, I don't recall who took the photos. I must give them credit because they took the risk of taking the shots from the road. So many railroad-era photos are taken from this side, but it is unfortunately difficult to access it on foot.

Central City boarding site photos 2024

 Here are a few photos from my family's visit to Central City's former tourist boarding site.

Here I am with two of our daughters after walking the track east of the boarding site.

The above photo shows a rail dolly (not the red car). This track car was used on the 1987-1989 tourist railroad here.

Another photo of the dolly from the past.

This shot shows a gondola with a drop-bottom gondola (red) in front of it.

What is going on in Central City??

I knew some track had been laid up at the old tourist railroad boarding site, but I was unprepared for all that I found there on a recent visit. I made the video below to show all that is on the once-deserted property.

Online searching and a little asking-around haven't produced any substantial information. Does this project have any more "steam" in it, or is what I found just the remains of an aborted attempt at a tourist railroad resurrection. If you know something, please share...

The little background that seems available:

Here is an informational poster for a meeting five years ago regarding the project. It is also includes documents detailing the projects goals and plans.

Here is some info from 2019. This news article gives more detail about the vision.

Here is a post from 2021 when track laying started/happened.

The group's website still exists, but has not been updated for several years.

Forks Creek today (video)

My family and I had a chance to visit the site of Forks Creek for the first time. The trails in Clear Creek have made access to some of these areas very helpful. We parked our car near highway tunnel 5 and hiked the path which begins on the grade. The grade shortly after the start once crossed Clear Creek (the abutments are still there). We followed the trail around until we reached Forks Creek.

Most photos of the area in railroad times were taken from the water tank side, but the path is on the opposite bank. The only recognizable shape from C&S days is the rock/mountain between the divisions of Clear Creek. Using this, I attempted to match up a 1939 Jackson Thode photo of C&S 71 and two gondolas on the wye. The photo can be found in Tom and Denise Klinger's amazing book, Clear Creek District Memories and Then Some.

Enjoy!

Kurt

Below is Forks Creek today. We are walking roughly around the area where the section house and bridge to the other side once stood.

Below is a map showing Forks Creek today. It overlays the RR grade (solid line) and today's walking path (the dotted line).

1979 C&S News (2) - Como Field Trip, Loop gets a Shay

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 more miscellaneous South Park Line/C&S-related news from the 1979 editions.   

1979

September

(The club goes on a "Como Field Trip" over Boreas Pass with Ed Haley who grew up riding the line)

Fall flowers in Como, 2022

THE BOREAS PASS - COMO FIELD TRIP on August 18, provided an opportunity to explore a portion of the old DSP&P right-of-way, learn a bit of Colorado rail history, and take in some great scenery all at the same time. 

The group started on the grade in Breckenridge as planned, making occasional stops enroute over the pass at various points of interest. Ed Haley's commentary at each stop helped us visualize what the rail and mining operations were like on the pass years ago. 

Lunch at Baker's Tank was quite pleasant, and the summit of Boreas Pass was another highlight. Although it was the middle of August, Mother Nature was already trying her hand at snowmaking, fresh traces of which could be seen on some mountaintops. 

Ominous looking clouds in the distance were present throughout the day, but they held off until arrival in Como. Then it was like standing under the spout of a giant water tank. The deluge prevented planned tours of the Como yards while half the group ate dinner in the Como Eating House, unfortunately, but shelter was available in the old schoolhouse. 

The Como Hotel and Eating House Oct. 2022

When everyone completed supper, Ed Haley gave a memorable program on riding the Denver-Breckenridge passenger train. It was a good feeling to see the Como Hotel and Eating House back in business after all these years. Although only in business for a short time, and not really set up for a "group attack" like the one the club dropped on the new proprietors after an already busy day, Keith Hodges and his wife left the same good impression with us that they have been with individual diners. 

If your travels take you through Como at either breakfast, lunch or suppertime, consider stopping in and trying out the "Como Depot Restaurant. " Their prime rib seems to be developing a  reputation all by itself.

(The Sundown and Southern's depot burns to the ground)

Remains of the DSP&P coach No. 3

THE OLD FT. LUPTON DEPOT that had been moved to a planned narrow gauge rail operation east of that town several years ago, tragically burned to the ground this summer, when a weed fire got too close to the structure. (Ed. This was at Don Drawer's planned-tourist railroad destination named The Sundown & Southern. A few South Park pieces made it to the property including refrigerator car 1113 and a coach body-DSP&P coach No. 3 "The Geneva." While moving a Union Pacific depot via trailer to the property, it got stuck in sand and remained on the spot for six months. Later, after the depot finally arrived, Drawer was burning weeds around the building when it caught fire, completely destroying the structure. With no fire hydrants at the remote location, nothing could be done)

Sundown & Southern

October

(Shay No. 8 begins service at the Georgetown Loop)

EX-WEST SIDE SHAY NO. 8 moved to Silver Plume from Gales Creek, Oregon, last fall, passed required inspections, and began operating on the Georgetown loop in September. After several days of test runs, it was assigned to the passenger train, and has performed quite well. Last day of operations on the loop for this year will be on September 30. 

(Ed. The December 1978 Rocky Mountain Rail Report stated: "COLORADO AND THE GEORGETOWN, BRECKENRIDGE & LEADVILLE RAILWAY gained another steam locomotive recently, with the arrival of ex-West Side Lumber Company's 3-foot gauge Shay Locomotive No. 8 at Silver Plume on October 12. The locomotive was trucked all the way from Banks, Oregon, and presented some challenging problems during the move, Parts had to be removed to get it down to a truck-able load, and it took several weeks to make the journey (and a truck with 11 axles and 66 tires!!). It is hoped to have it operational on the Georgetown Loop by the middle of next summer.") 

Shay 8 on display in 2004 - Nathan D. Hale photo

Following the C&S Ry. from Alpine to Glencliff-video

Bottom: west. Top: east

Following the path of C&S eastbound train No. 93, the video below travels from Alpine (later known as Fisher) to Glencliff (formerly known as Cascades). After the train would have left Alpine Tunnel it would travel through Hancock, Romley, St. Elmo, and then Fisher. You can see a video of the St. Elmo to Fisher leg here.

The video ends at the point that today's present road (built on the old South Park roadbed) diverges from the right-of-way at Glencliff. You can see the "Y" separation at the top of the screenshot above. The railroad is the yellow line.

Below is the 1918 C&S Valuation map of Glencliff showing the 630-foot siding the side opposite of Chalk Creek. While the line from Hancock through Alpine Tunnel to Quartz was abandoned in 1910, the segment from St. Elmo east (including the portion in this video) to Buena Vista remained intact until 1924.

I haven't found any railroad-era photos along this stretch. Instead, I've included quotes about the area from M.C. Poor and an 1896 visitor. In addition, Google Earth overlays help to see the geography of the the area the railroad traversed. A few 1800s photos of trains on the shelf right-of-way just beyond the divergence of the road round out the end of the video.