A C&S nod to history

[Matt Hutson]

Hi guys,
The Town of Silverthorne has had its summer banners up along the highway for a month or so. Here's one that caught my eye:


Interesting as the town did not exist in C&S times, nor did the railroad go to its location when it did. Still, when any Colorado mountain town acknowledges railroad history, I'm pleased.

Cheers,
Matt

[Chris Walker]

Nice Matt!
Well, they did have a spur to the recyling centre on River Rd.  

[Jeff Young]

Huh.  I didn't know that.

Is that about where the modern-day baseball diamond is?

[Chris Walker]

Yes Jeff,

There was a coal trestle and Powerhouse at the end of the Sterne spur.  I meant to look up my notes last night but was too tired.   Somewhere I had come across a reference to the Sterne, maybe a placer operation but (details in my mind at this date are sketchy) there was also a reference to the Summit County Power Company.

The notation to "Aspen Frame" I presume refers to the coal Trestle.  I doubt it would be the PwrHse construction on the Railway books.

C&S Rly. 1918 Valuation snippet.

[Southpark]

What about the DGR grading down the Blue?  Tom Klinger

[Jim Courtney]

Jeff and Chris,

Sterne's Spur was discussed here:
http://c-sng-discussion-forum.254.s1.nabble.com/Freight-trains-at-Dillon-or-Keystone-td1868i80.html




The spur connected to the Keystone Branch, just east of the crossing of the Blue River on the iron truss bridge, and ran back to the northwest. Best I can tell, the terminus was just below the east end of the current dam. While a power house is indicated connecting to the trestle at the end of the spur it is not clear who owned the "power house".

One possibility was the Oro Grande Placer Mining Co. discussed here: http://c-sng-discussion-forum.254.s1.nabble.com/Freight-trains-at-Dillon-or-Keystone-td1868i100.html




Oro Grande was involved with "pit" mining of the gravels of the Blue River near the end of Sterne's Spur, a contemporary of the Gold Pan Pit in Breckenridge. The pipe for the pipeline and penstock, that supplied water pressure for the operation, was likely fabricated at the Gold Pan Shops and moved to the Oro Grande operation by the C&S.

So, Silverthorne actually did have C&S NG rail service, but long before it was Silverthorne.

[Chris Walker]

Thanks Jim, for that memoryhole filler.  

[Keith Hayes]

Chris, "Aspen Frame" = "4-span Frame."

[Chris Walker]

Keith Hayes wrote

Chris, "Aspen Frame" = "4-span Frame."

Oh My,  what an embarrassment!!  Thanks Keith.

[Rick Steele]

Remember Matt,

Earlier on (UP ownership, DL&G days) the townsite of Silverthorne was on the projected line up the canyon to Kremmling where they were to connect with a UP line coming down from Fort Steele (no relation) WY. to create a direct line to Leadville from the UP main line near Rawlins. Yes, if you  know where to look, you can still see the grading south from Fort Steele.

This line (near new Dillon) was also supposed to connect with the projected line by the UP going from Bakerville to Keystone over Loveland Pass.

This convergence of lines is a possible reason for the creation of the station of Dickey, projecting the locomotive needs into the future.

The maps that I quote are in the care of DPL but I don't know if they are available to the public any more.

Another thing to be remembered is that the town of Dillon was relocated to make way for the reservoir. Dillon didn't always reside on that hillside, it used to be in the bottom of the valley

Rick

[Southpark]

I "think" that the location of the  Dillon of today is the 3rd location for the town site.  Someone can perhaps confirm that one way or the other.  Tom Klinger