C&S Cab Curtains. Part 1 Original Style, Outside-hung Side Curtains.

[Chris Walker]

In a far corner of the internet, an old modeller once asked about the Cab curtains as used by the C&S.  


Otto Perry  1920
http://digital.denverlibrary.org/cdm/fullbrowser/collection/p15330coll22/id/42293/rv/singleitem/rec/78

This is a photographic record of what I've found,  the anomaly of the #55 shown on pg 114 of N.G.Pict. v-6 shows what I believe did not exist on the C&S in that form with original-style but inside-hung Driver's side curtains and what appears to be the later-style cabroof overhang toproll.   As the photo of #55 was taken as  C.M.& St. P. #4 I conclude that this is a modification undertaken by them, or by the C&S prior to sale, for them.

I haven't so far found any corroboration in photo's in the books that I own, nor anything in the Otto Perry collection at the DPL to confirm the existance of a cabroof overhang top-roll along with outside-hung side curtains.  While there are a number of good photo's which are not showing any such toproll in this era, the definitive photo is in Tom Klingers Platte Canon Memories book pg 163 and pg 126 Trowbridge ed. of Pict. Supt. to D.S.P.&P., of C&S 70 derailed at Maddox in 1923.  The righted Loco minus the tender clearly shows the outboard-hung enginedriver's curtain intact, it is amazing considering how wrecked those cabs could get, that the outboard fireman's curtain is intact, the central back wall locker with one door ajar is intact, no damage to the cab roofline and no upper back curtain visible either.  I doubt very much that it was torn off either.
 
This style of curtain is confirmed by a picture of #54 in 1900 with a flatcar ahead in Platte Canon at the time of the flood. It shows clearly inward of the cab rear and no upper curtain showing. This photo is on pg 158 Trowbridge Pict. Supt. and printed more clearly on pg 297 of Mal Ferrell's South Park line.

A side on cab area shot of the #65 with Fireman in the gangway clearly shows the Enginedrivers long curtain hung outside the doorway but no upper curtain as on the later final year arrangement. This photo appears in Tom Klinger's Gunnison Division Memories book on pg54.
 

1923
http://digital.denverlibrary.org/cdm/fullbrowser/collection/p15330coll22/id/42219/rv/singleitem


1928
http://digital.denverlibrary.org/cdm/fullbrowser/collection/p15330coll22/id/42272/rv/singleitem/rec/86


1926
http://digital.denverlibrary.org/cdm/fullbrowser/collection/p15330coll22/id/42239/rv/singleitem

 
1927
http://digital.denverlibrary.org/cdm/fullbrowser/collection/p15330coll22/id/42436/rv/singleitem

Note, this is the only view I found that shows an inside-hung original style side curtain.

[Mike Trent]

Thanks, Chris, for posting these amazing photos here. When you originally posted these at the NGDF I was stunned how revealing the close views were of details that had been lurking under our noses all this time. It's great that they will be archived here, I'll be interested to hear some of the comments generated by this group.

Most amazing to me was the practice of hanging the engineers side curtain inboard of the engineers rear door.. Could this have been a contributing factor in an accident if the engine turned over as #75 did on Boreas?

[Rick Steele]

It's also interesting to note that in these styles of curtains that the curtain rods, for want of a better term, for the side curtains are run on the outside of the wooden cab roofs. On the 76, with a steel cab, the curtain rods are run under the roof overhang.

Rick