Friday, March 31, 2017
Saturday, March 25, 2017
Aerial footage of a trip from Tunnel Gulch to Tunnel Lake
Check out this amazing video by a Youtube channel called "Silver Plume General Store" as they hike from Tunnel Gulch to Tunnel Lake using their drone to film the trip. Because of the drone you get incredible shots of the topography. My favorites include the aerial drone shots of the turntable and the very short shot about 4:21 showing the Continental Divide with the West Portal facilities in the distance. Enjoy!
C&S 1006 Timeline, Part 10: 2017
The wonderful Colorado & Southern Railway Society continues it's work on 1006, as shown on their recent Facebook posts:
A new frame is being built for the Caboose 1006. the goal is to have the frame completed by Summer 2017. New Sill material was delivered and new End beams will soon be on the way!
The Sills are Douglas Fir and the end beams will be white Oak.
Draft gear has been dismantled on the Caboose 1006.
The draft gear was removed from the Caboose and the end beam was salvaged so that it could be used as a pattern for a new one. Draft gear will be assembled on to a new frame along with the other original hardware.
March 2017:
Progress continues on the Caboose 1006!A new frame is being built for the Caboose 1006. the goal is to have the frame completed by Summer 2017. New Sill material was delivered and new End beams will soon be on the way!
The Sills are Douglas Fir and the end beams will be white Oak.
Draft gear has been dismantled on the Caboose 1006.
The draft gear was removed from the Caboose and the end beam was salvaged so that it could be used as a pattern for a new one. Draft gear will be assembled on to a new frame along with the other original hardware.
C&S 1006 Timeline, part 9: That Pesky Photo!
The following undated photo has been a conundrum to me. When was it taken? Below is some correspondence on this subject between me and Steve Schweighofer. For clarity, we'll call this "Photo 3"
Theory 1 (Kurt)
So, do you think that [Photo 3] was the earliest of the 3 photos here? This had been my original thesis because I thought the C&S just dumped the caboose. It would make sense then that people then fixed it up and set it on boards and so forth. This would make sense of why the steps are present and then gone, possibly to be refurbished before putting them back on.But, the C&S Railway Society makes a good point that the caboose was used on the scrap train between Silver Plume and Idaho Springs. It must have been trucked to Silver Plume somehow. Would the C&S have just dumped it in such an awful condition? Certainly even the photos where it is on boards don’t show an impressive display, but it’s a far cry from the leaning-caboose-of-Pisa look.
Theory 2 (Steve)
Your photo 3, showing 1006 on the ground must have been taken between pulling up the tracks (1939?) and Perry’s 1941 photo, which is already on ties as also shown in your photos 1 & 2. Now, if your photo 3 is the oldest, why is there a newer-model car (1941 Chevy?) in the picture? If it is a 1941 Chevy, then 1006 was placed on ties in 1941 and just before Perry’s photo. If 1006 belongs to the city, there should be records of its relocation, which occurred sometime between 1941 and the 1970s, and probably shortly after 1956 when Interstate 70 was approved to be built west of Denver. This likely would have involved the removal of the depot (and the caboose) and other structures to make way for I-70 and Silver Plume’s Water St.Theory 3 (Kurt)
After reading the account of a Silver Plume resident that the caboose was delivered by a volunteer truck driver, I suspected that maybe this was the initial condition of the caboose after it's arrival in 1941 and before the town propped it up on ties and tidied it up. However, the more persuasive argument comes next as Steve observes the background more clearly in the next comment:Theory 4 (Steve)
I had trouble at first deciding where photo 3 fit in, until I realized which direction the photographer was facing. That photo was taken after the first move, possibly even right after the move and before the caboose was put up on rails. Also notice the steps are not on, but only lying on the ground where they will be installed. The caboose is facing east and the Chevy is parked near the front of the Buckley Brothers’ Store. I know this location by the house visible over the top of the car and the mine dumps on the hill. Compare these two pictures. Also, the degree of fading of the herald more closely matches that of a July 1947 photo than that of a 1949-1950 photo.
C&S 1006 Timeline, part 8: Rethinking Part 1 and Locations
Here is more analysis of 1006 from Steve Schweighofer. Here he provides an alternative to my speculations in the first timeline post. He also, then, observes the differences in display locations over the years (this post looks at the locations even more).
My take on the age of the photos posted:
Your photo 3 appears to be the oldest of the three, but the cupola window glass seems to be missing. It could just be the lighting, apparently overcast. Also note the ground is uneven and the caboose has sunk into the ground with the rear-end brake hose touching the ground as it is not on ties.
Photo 2 seems to follow photo 3 with the steps missing. Photo 1 must be the most recent. Note the rear coupler knuckle fell or broke off and looks like it is sitting on the rear platform.
This picture,
found at http://mapio.net/o/1929112/ , is a different location from your three pictures posted, and the same location it was last located before restoration. This picture shows the head end of the caboose facing east. The other three show the caboose facing west. The caboose was originally in a much different location, originally south of its last location and south of Clear Creek. The later location is farther north, very close to the hill behind the buildings as shown in my GoogleEarth photo below. I just may have to go there, and using your three posted photos, pinpoint the original location.
From GoogleEarth, this photo shows the caboose to be just across the street from the hill to the north.
Here’s a later photo, previously shown by you I think, that has the caboose on track, facing east and close to the hill, as in later photos.
DPL picture http://digital.denverlibrary.org/cdm/singleitem/collection/p15330coll22/id/43695/rec/697 shows a caboose sitting on ties, near the remainder of the coal siding, just northwest of the Silver Plume Depot, attributed to Otto Perry, 1941. This is 600-800 feet south of the Woodward & Main Streets location. Note the caboose is facing west.
My take on the age of the photos posted:
Your photo 3 appears to be the oldest of the three, but the cupola window glass seems to be missing. It could just be the lighting, apparently overcast. Also note the ground is uneven and the caboose has sunk into the ground with the rear-end brake hose touching the ground as it is not on ties.
Photo 2 seems to follow photo 3 with the steps missing. Photo 1 must be the most recent. Note the rear coupler knuckle fell or broke off and looks like it is sitting on the rear platform.
Photo 3
This picture,
found at http://mapio.net/o/1929112/ , is a different location from your three pictures posted, and the same location it was last located before restoration. This picture shows the head end of the caboose facing east. The other three show the caboose facing west. The caboose was originally in a much different location, originally south of its last location and south of Clear Creek. The later location is farther north, very close to the hill behind the buildings as shown in my GoogleEarth photo below. I just may have to go there, and using your three posted photos, pinpoint the original location.
From GoogleEarth, this photo shows the caboose to be just across the street from the hill to the north.
Here’s a later photo, previously shown by you I think, that has the caboose on track, facing east and close to the hill, as in later photos.
DPL picture http://digital.denverlibrary.org/cdm/singleitem/collection/p15330coll22/id/43695/rec/697 shows a caboose sitting on ties, near the remainder of the coal siding, just northwest of the Silver Plume Depot, attributed to Otto Perry, 1941. This is 600-800 feet south of the Woodward & Main Streets location. Note the caboose is facing west.
Thursday, March 23, 2017
C&S 1006 timeline, part 7: Closer to the truth
Fellow DSP&P Yahoo group member, Steve Schweighofer, has been doing a lot of analysis and correspondence to get us closer to the truth about 1006's time in Silver Plume.
In trying to trace the bobber's time in town I had not noticed that it had been moved a number of times. Steve, having observed many photos, created the following more accurate timeline:
In 1941, sometime prior to July (I have a dated photo), the caboose was trucked to Silver Plume, either from Golden, Denver or Idaho Springs or wherever it was left at the one-time end-of-track. The steps were removed to prevent damage to them and to facilitate loading and unloading. Upon delivery, the caboose was placed on timbers. The caboose faces west.
By about 1946, the caboose had been turned around, possibly by dragging it by the west end to the north and then east, resulting in it being a little closer to Water St., now facing east and possibly placing it on rails. The Herald and number are badly faded. It is left in this state until the mid- to late-1950s.
In the late 1950s to early 1960s, the caboose is painted in a bright red. At the same time, the letters “C & S” are added above the number. The caboose stays in the same place, on Water St. across from the Buckley Brothers’ Store. Still facing east.
About 1968-1969 the caboose is moved to Woodward and Main Streets to make way for I-70 construction. Still facing east.
Steve graciously created the following very helpful map detailing the caboose's various moves.
In trying to trace the bobber's time in town I had not noticed that it had been moved a number of times. Steve, having observed many photos, created the following more accurate timeline:
In 1941, sometime prior to July (I have a dated photo), the caboose was trucked to Silver Plume, either from Golden, Denver or Idaho Springs or wherever it was left at the one-time end-of-track. The steps were removed to prevent damage to them and to facilitate loading and unloading. Upon delivery, the caboose was placed on timbers. The caboose faces west.
In the late 1950s to early 1960s, the caboose is painted in a bright red. At the same time, the letters “C & S” are added above the number. The caboose stays in the same place, on Water St. across from the Buckley Brothers’ Store. Still facing east.
About 1968-1969 the caboose is moved to Woodward and Main Streets to make way for I-70 construction. Still facing east.Steve graciously created the following very helpful map detailing the caboose's various moves.
A Silver Plume resident tells how 1006 came to Silver Plume!
A surprise came from the DSP&P Yahoo group when Dale Buxton shared his personal story of hearing how caboose 1006 came to Silver Plume. He heard the tale from Tom Young, the man responsible for the caboose's restoration in the 1980s. He also relates the names of many residents of Silver Plume who played a role in saving the caboose. I thought this type of information may have been lost to history!
My Family is from Silver Plume. So let me add what I know to this story. In mid-eighties Tom Young a resident of Silver Plume, got permission from the town to refurbish 1006. It needed many things but, new siding and paint were on the top of the list. While we were working on the caboose he told me a tale of how it got there.
During the Clear Creek line's abandonment the C&S had offered all the towns of Clear Creek some manor of Narrow Gauge equipment, but the towns where the rails were already gone had to find and pay for the transport to their town.
It seems that the Silver Plume Town Council came late to the idea of getting it's own piece of C&S Narrow Gauge history. The county was still in the grips of the Depression so it had no money to ship the caboose from Denver. It looked like it just wasn't going to happen.
Then at the last minute, with time rapidly running out (literally just a few days) a man with a big truck and heavy equipment trailer showed up and told the town he would bring it to Silver Plume for free. I have no idea who he was other than it seems he liked to move large are (ore?) loads with his truck. I don't think he even got paid for the gasoline he used for the trip. If this load had been too high to get through the many (then new) tunnels on highway 6 he would have had to drive over highway 40 going over the high route to Idaho Springs and beyond.
Two other men in Silver Plume probably figured heavily into this negotiation, Ed and Lon Buckley. They owned the Silver Plume, Buckley Bros. Grocery Store and were members of the town council.
Other members of the Buckley family held the Conoco gasoline concession for Clear Creek and Gilpin Counties. Three other men in Silver Plume might have been involved with caboose move. Dinger Williams, Andy Reeble and lastly a man by the name of George Rowe.
Born and raised in Silver Plume, George severed as the mayor there for many years. He also served as town Constable, Historic Guardian and local person of colorful tales.
One local woman probably figured into at least the later preservation of the caboose. Her name was Josie Marshall, another native born resident of the town. She, like all of the above, lived her entire life in Silver Plume. None of them probably ever imagined in their youth, that the RR would ever leave the town. It was such a focal point there; how could it be imagined?
I knew every one of these people as a child and count myself lucky to have met and known such individuals. I will never meet their like again!
As a child, the local children showed my sister and I how to get into the locked caboose by unscrewing one of the cupola windows. But the Buckley brothers and George Rowe kept a pretty close eye on the caboose. So that happened rarely.
Dale Buxton
My Family is from Silver Plume. So let me add what I know to this story. In mid-eighties Tom Young a resident of Silver Plume, got permission from the town to refurbish 1006. It needed many things but, new siding and paint were on the top of the list. While we were working on the caboose he told me a tale of how it got there.
During the Clear Creek line's abandonment the C&S had offered all the towns of Clear Creek some manor of Narrow Gauge equipment, but the towns where the rails were already gone had to find and pay for the transport to their town.
It seems that the Silver Plume Town Council came late to the idea of getting it's own piece of C&S Narrow Gauge history. The county was still in the grips of the Depression so it had no money to ship the caboose from Denver. It looked like it just wasn't going to happen.
Then at the last minute, with time rapidly running out (literally just a few days) a man with a big truck and heavy equipment trailer showed up and told the town he would bring it to Silver Plume for free. I have no idea who he was other than it seems he liked to move large are (ore?) loads with his truck. I don't think he even got paid for the gasoline he used for the trip. If this load had been too high to get through the many (then new) tunnels on highway 6 he would have had to drive over highway 40 going over the high route to Idaho Springs and beyond.
Two other men in Silver Plume probably figured heavily into this negotiation, Ed and Lon Buckley. They owned the Silver Plume, Buckley Bros. Grocery Store and were members of the town council.
Other members of the Buckley family held the Conoco gasoline concession for Clear Creek and Gilpin Counties. Three other men in Silver Plume might have been involved with caboose move. Dinger Williams, Andy Reeble and lastly a man by the name of George Rowe.
Born and raised in Silver Plume, George severed as the mayor there for many years. He also served as town Constable, Historic Guardian and local person of colorful tales.
One local woman probably figured into at least the later preservation of the caboose. Her name was Josie Marshall, another native born resident of the town. She, like all of the above, lived her entire life in Silver Plume. None of them probably ever imagined in their youth, that the RR would ever leave the town. It was such a focal point there; how could it be imagined?
I knew every one of these people as a child and count myself lucky to have met and known such individuals. I will never meet their like again!
As a child, the local children showed my sister and I how to get into the locked caboose by unscrewing one of the cupola windows. But the Buckley brothers and George Rowe kept a pretty close eye on the caboose. So that happened rarely.
Dale Buxton
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