Black Hawk Ground Cover

[Fred H.]

Dear friends, I will be in Golden for an event at the Colorado School of Mines on March 1-5 and will have some time early on March 2 and again early on March 5 to travel up to Black Hawk. While I'm there I'd like to find some local "grit" to use as ballast / ground cover on my 1:24 scale Black Hawk switching layout... Would anyone from the area possibly be available to assist me in gathering some material? Thoughts? Suggestions?

[Peter M]

Hi Fred,

I'm a student at Mines right now, but I'm not available on Sunday.  How early would you be thinking for Thursday?  I have a class at 10am.  I do have my pickup, some 5 gallon buckets and shovels if that would be useful.

For what it's worth, I'd be happy to check out/scan research materials from the Arthur Lakes library for anyone on the forum here who's interested.

Peter Murdock

[skip]

Peter M wrote

Hi Fred,

I'm a student at Mines right now, but I'm not available on Sunday.  How early would you be thinking for Thursday?  I have a class at 10am.  I do have my pickup, some 5 gallon buckets and shovels if that would be useful.

For what it's worth, I'd be happy to check out/scan research materials from the Arthur Lakes library for anyone on the forum here who's interested.

Peter Murdock

Peter,
Good to hear from a Mines student. The Arthur Lakes library has a lot of good Colorado Railroad stuff. It was my first access to a lot of the fine books that have had copies migrate into my library over the years. Also don't discount the Colorado mining history and technology buried in there. It is, after all, the Colorado School of MINES.
Skip Egdorf, Math, Geophysics, '75

[Peter M]

Hi Skip,

Nice to meet you!  I've been looking through the map section of the library recently; there's lots of really cool information and the collection seems nearly endless.  
The proximity of campus to the CRRM is an added bonus.

Peter

[Fred H.]

Peter! Thank you for stepping up. Early morning on Thur. March 2 would work well for me. Why don't I buy you breakfast and we can go get some dirt? Can make sure we return in time for your 10:00 am class... Turns out I'm going to have to cut my trip short this time. I was planning to go directly from Denver to Houston, but will have to head back home (Wash. DC area) for the weekend.

[Chris Walker]

Fred,

isn't there plenty of concrete and tarseal where you live?

[Peter M]

Hi Fred,
Sounds like a plan! I sent you a PM, let me know if you received it.  

Thanks!
Peter

[Fred H.]

Hah! There is and to be honest, Chris, I'm not sure WHERE to look for Black Hawk dirt? Besides Clear Creek, I presume! :)

[Chris Walker]

I'd say around the Smith Hill wagonroad crossing of the Gilpin Tramway would be relatively easy access to the GT roadbed up to Chase Gulch, given there is now a carpark and access bridge at the old Warminghouse site.  
That would totally avoid the clownshow that the town has become and be fairly out of the way where you wouldn't get bothered, and the best part, see the GT rockwork up there into Chase Gulch.

[Fred H.]

Peter! My apologies for the late notice, but I just had a short hospital stay which has necessitated a postponement of my travel to Denver. Thank you SO MUCH -- and that goes for everyone here -- for stepping up and offering your help. I hope to meet you later in the year.

Brgds,

Fred H.