Beartrap Memories from Under.

[Chris Walker]

 I don't know about you, but I can trace my first exposure to the C&S and predecessors down to the very Month.

 50+*  Years of following the C&S.



Here is the first issue of the RMC I ever saw, during my last year of High School.  American RR mags weren't usual fare in our rural corner of NZ and I chanced upon this Issue on the rack in town, only the British Railway Modeller was available at that shop.  
Suddenly all my pocket money went on two mag subscriptions(actually I never got any in hand, Dad just picked up the tab.)  
 
The differences in prototype, modelling and layout scene creations was like night&day between the two countries, and in turn, totally foreign to our railways here.

Of great interest was the essay of Earl Martin and his Thunder Mountain line, which not only introduced me to the Beartrap and the Moguls, but cemented a lifelong obsession with Mines, Miners and Mining in the US West.



But it was Earl's conceptualisation and approach to the modelling albeit freelanced in depiction, that inspired me.  Actually Dad remarked "you're filling your head with nonsense, boy".    It would take me a few years to discover the Gilpin Tramway and Earl's 20" gauge side-door Caboose model inspiration.





Then a few weeks later, this also appeared in the rack(Bookseller Carthews saw $ signs in this kid), a different beast.
Ebay Image


My copy is a little well worn.... and faded.


And upon opening the pages, my(to be life-long) journey of discovery was off and running.



This Denver yard structure revealed itself after digging this issue out of the junkroom; something I've never seen in any of the Books.

Any ideas on purpose?  Thawing a carload perhaps or steam-cleaning the inside of a Reefer maybe?

*
I should have done this last year, on the golden anniversary(magazines took 6 weeks minimum to reach NZ) but I procrastinated, only to be reminded with the Railroad mag cover showing up on Ebay last week.  My copy funnily enough, was easily found right on top of a pile of yesteryear.

[Mike Trent]

Thanks for this, Chris. Great reading of their lasting impact on you. Glad it has stuck with you all these years.

[Dave Eggleston]

Chris, amazing to see that 1973 RMC.

I have my copy plus a second copy as insurance. I was in high school and it went with me on family vacation where I read the article over and over. Earl marked (scarred) me for life, his reasoned thoughts on developing a plausible layout theme and operation permanently bent my thinking about model railroads. AND those amazing On20 engines and cars. The article should be required reading for all budding model railroaders regardless of scale and gauge.

I was hooked, stumbled on the Sandy River (an ad in MR for "Ride the Sandy River" led to scrambling to make the giant purchase ($20?)), then the Gilpin via Moody,and finally hooked on the South Park by Dale Fleming's small "Como and a town" layout in the Gazette around 1979. A lot of diversions since but I always go back to the South Park.

51 years ago. Thanks for the memory. Time to dig out my copy and re-read it.

[Ken Martin]

In the summer of 1974 I made a two day trip through Colorado looking at trains. Interesting but that was it. Then I walked into a hobby shop and staring me in the face was a copy to the "Slim Gauge News" with Alpine tunnel on the cover. I picked it up and the hook set, I have been modeling C&S since.

The "steam funnel" in the last picture is for blowing down a steam engine. You move the engine so the blow down valve is facing the square hole. When you do the blow down the steam enters the hole and is diverted up and out the top.

Ken Martin

[Chris Walker]

Ken Martin wrote

The "steam funnel" in the last picture is for blowing down a steam engine. You move the engine so the blow down valve is facing the square hole. When you do the blow down the steam enters the hole and is diverted up and out the top.

Ken Martin

Thank You Ken, one use this (old)Diesel Driver would not have thought of !!!

So given that usage, I'm thinking this would be found alongside the servicing leads to the TT at the Roundhouse.  I can't make it out in the 1933 Aerials.

Edit: With some more thought and viewing the Gastank and Powerlines in the Rear.....
Denver Public Libray 1933 Kings Aerial Denver enlargement

[Jeff Ramsey]

It looks like that funnel thing was used to divert steam from a boiler blow-down.