A Last Portrait of Buffalo

[Jim Courtney]

While browsing the internet, I just stumbled upon one of the best C&S photos that I've ever seen:


http://cs.trains.com/ctr/b/mileposts/archive/2017/08/29/reviving-the-legend-of-the-south-park.aspx


"Less than a year before the end of service, C&S Mogul No. 8 stands at Buffalo with the daily Denver–Leadville train in mid-1936. The 154-mile trip was scheduled for 10 hours 20 minutes. William Moedinger Jr. photo"


Exquisite photography

[South Park]

  Is it just me, or do others find such a view painful to look at.  The lack
of appreciation and imminent doom of such a wonderful thing, and the
staggeringly impossible task of ever recreating it.  Just consigned to the
scrapper's torch and the junk bin.  What an incredible loss and waste !

  But it is wonderful to just let my eyes and imagination walk all around
the scene and smell the dust, feel the heat, and soak up what I know was
there.  Anyone else able to smell the subtle scent of sun-heated rail on a
summer day ?

[Mike Trent]

I completely agree. One of the things I notice here is that I believe the Engineer, an older man, is looking back out of the fireman's window, probably just kicked on the injector. I also think that may be the fireman who is looking back out of the baggage door, having helped load passenger baggage inside the car. The Brakeman is flagging the train out of sight, and the Conductor is busy with the passengers boarding. This conveys a congenial attitude among the crew, all doing their part and a little extra to keep on schedule.

This is exactly how I remember the C&S crews most of the time as a kid through Boulder many years later.  

Great find, Jim!

[Don Gustavson II]

Nice picture. It is fun to imagine what it was like.
My Dad and I drove through Buffalo on our trip out to Como, based on suggestions of the people on this forum.
Glad we did.

[John Greenly]

Mike, that's a beautiful description.  Jim, this really is a wonderful image.  I wish that if I someday make a layout or diorama of the C&S I could somehow convey the feeling of this image.  

And S.P., yes, it's sad, too.  Life's complicated that way, isn't it.  

"...sun-heated rail on a summer day..." oh, yes.

thanks,
John

[Chris Walker]

Nice find Jim, there a few more from that Photographer out there yet, his RGS shots being the most popular.

Sth Park said Anyone else able to smell the subtle scent of sun-heated rail on a summer day ?

Yes SP I liked the smell of melting Creosote and the reflected heat from the ballast but having had a close call with sun-heated rail on a Summer's day, no thanks.

[South Park]

  At my house, we call the smell of creosote "railroad perfume".

  You make a fair point about heat and bent rails, but I think this also
reflects my lack of interest in running the train/s, perferring instead to
watch them.  When I have done volunteer work on steamers, the help
always fights for the chance to be in the cab.  It's hot and cramped and
you can't see a damned thing.  On the flip side, NO ONE wants to go
out on the line and do ballast work or change ties.  That's where I want
to be.  I get good exercise, clean air, and often great scenery.  When the
train comes by, I have the best seat in the house to see the choreography
of wheels and rods and steam and sound go by.  And the threat of bent
rail is just not a concern.  I can take in the smell of hot steel and enjoy
it for what it is.  

[Jeff Young]

I concur.  While there were no trains running, I thoroughly enjoyed the 3 or 4 times my summer vacations have lined up with work days at Como.

[ComoDepot]

We have dates for this summer's work days, they will also be working, training on the locomotive early summer, Railroad Day is the first official open to the Public Train day, not to say you might get lucky before then but with one locomotive they do not want to over commit.

Propane delivery today, he nearly backed onto the track, well snow drift the track is buried under.

I appreciate the issues trying to determine color etc from B&W photos but what was the scheme of the Depot at the end, looking at the Photo it looks brown or unpainted.

[Jim Courtney]

What was the scheme of the Depot at the end, looking at the Photo it looks brown or unpainted.

By the late 1920's, Buffalo depot was painted CB&Q red with green trim. Generally a barn or freight car red with dark green trim.

Mike Trent's Dickey depot is painted in the same colors: http://c-sng-discussion-forum.41377.n7.nabble.com/Dickey-Station-in-1-4-quot-td1585.html

[ComoDepot]

Thanks, the B&W photos on the link really help.

[Robert Stears]

I also mourn the passing of the Platte Canon resort and fishing culture made possible by the South Park line. It was an essential part of the Denver culture of the time. What a great release valve from the hustle bustle of a hot and dusty Denver summer - only a train ticket away. What I would give to ride the fish train and spend a warm summer day fly fishing on the South Platte. This was, and would be a fantastic resource today. 

I consider myself very lucky to have a C&S logo stamped aluminum fish train circular worn box and a rectangular fly box, as well as a couple fish train schedules. When I have more time I need to read up on the Platte Canon lodges.

With greatest respect for Mr. Harry Brunk, I think the Platte canon line is of equal interest to the Clear Creek line. One last kid through college and then perhaps the I will start my long dreamed of Platte Canon-Leadville On3 layout....

RS

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On Feb 27, 2019, at 5:45 PM, ComoDepot [via C&Sng Discussion Forum] <[hidden email]> wrote:

Thanks, the B&W photos on the link really help.

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[Todd Hackett]

ComoDepot wrote

...looking at the Photo it looks brown or unpainted.

As has been suggested, it was probably Burlington green & red. The Como depot still had these colors long after abandonment. They may have looked much like brown or unpainted in B&W photos. By August 1981, the Como depot only had paint in the upper areas where sheltered by the eaves:

[Ken Martin]

The official CB&Q  colors are Indian red and Bronze green.

Ken Martin

[ComoDepot]

Thanks Todd, photos I have not seen, from c1980 by the look of them.

I bumped into somebody yesterday who knew the Britton Smith's, they owned the Railroad property in Como for more than 20 years.

I was also sent a photo of the Hotel and Depot from 1946 when Cooley was here with a picket fence outside.

Stuff keeps on popping up, still waiting for a pre 1883 photo of Como.

[Todd Hackett]

ComoDepot wrote

... from c1980 by the look of them...

August 1981, as I stated in my original post. I think I had been to Como before that, but it was the first time I took photos.

[ComoDepot]

Should pay more attention, I was looking at the Hotel behind the Depot.

Had the fence between the Depot and Hotel gone? Looks like it with the cars parked there.

[Jim Courtney]

Tom Fitzgerald and his Crystal River Products offered kits in HO and O scales for the Buffalo depot for may years. Here are a couple of photos of his pilot model of Buffalo, painted in the CB&Q scheme:







The new owners of the firm: https://www.crystalriverproducts.com/cacti have asked for feed back on which of the kits in the catalog should be reissued first. I voted for the Buffalo depot in both HO and S scales. I've committed to buying two in each scale. If the little covered waiting area is omitted, it is a perfect copy of the Bailey's depot.

[El Gringo Grande]

That was the plan to offer it as both Buffalo and Bailey. Save the shelter, they are identical. I did much of the design work and built this pilot model. Would love to see it offered again. Tom just didn't love this building and never promoted it.

Chris Lane

[Robert McFarland]

Could Heywood Springs depot be identical?