C&S drop end coal car? (and tall reefer) c1920.

[Jim Courtney]

In Grandt's Narrow Gauge Pictorial VIII, Derrell Poole, in the introduction to the freight car section of the book on C&S rolling stock, wrote on page 10:

"In 1918, each coal car series predating 1903 contributed a total of fifteen cars to a new series numbered 4600-4614. The new cars were equipped with drop or removable ends . . ."

In studying photos on the Park County Local History Archives Photo site, I came across this photo of intermodal transportation at Alma Jct., Colorado, dated 1916-1920:



The car appears to be a St Charles 4 board coal car of 1897 or 1898, with the end removed.  The ends of the sides show 4 holes per board, consistent with the individual corner irons on each side board of the St Charles cars.  I don't see any extra stake pockets, though, and the side stakes all appear straight, not tapered.

In the background is one of the tall 1898 St Charles reefers, number 1122.  At this date it has the metal end ladders like those added to the 1909 SUF reefers.  The side color appears darker than yellow and I won't hazard a guess whether it is dark "Armour" yellow, orange or one of Jeff's elusive red reefers. I can't discern any lettering, but the side doors appear open for unloading.

And Roper might remark on how many vintage C&S photos always seem to have a dog or dogs in the foreground (or is it merely people and trains in the background of dog photos?).

Speaking of dark, tall St Charles reefers, I noticed this on DPL:


http://cdm16079.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/singleitem/collection/p15330coll22/id/5116/rec/1

The car at the left frame, behind Baldwin number 30, also seems to be a tall St Charles reefer, given the ice bunker hatch with the "tail", the 5 grab irons, and the trucks with a St Charles arch bar appearance.  The weight date on the reefer of "DEN 2-05, and the fact that number 30 hasn't been repainted with the 1906 lettering scheme, nor been outfitted with its late diamond stack, suggest late winter or early spring of 1905 or 1906.  Again, the sides are a dark appearing color, and lettering is hard to discern--but looking at the photo directly on the DPL website, I can almost convince myself that I see the black word "Refrigerator" in the 1901 C&S upper-lower case Roman style.

There are a lot of odd things in this photo:  Number 30 appears to have arrived at the Como depot with the Alma mixed, but appears to be on the ground following a derailment, the locomotive leaning precariously to the left.  There seems to be a chunk of the corner missing from the St Charles reefer, just below the fascia board.  And the rebuilt Cooke mogul, number 4, has a hand rail wrapping around the headlight bracket, much earlier than I thought, this being no later than early 1906.  The plow on #4 still has a link-in-pin style drawbar well after the 1903 mandate, so this must be another of Derrell's "outlaw" engines.  Maybe that's what the derby-hatted gentlemen (ICC inspectors? C&S officials?) are studying.

And, Jeff, check out the switch stand!



It seems to me there are a couple of "tines" at the top of the staff, maybe to hang a lantern or marker lamp??

Pardon me if these 2 photos are old hat to many, but they are new to me.  When things are slow in the hospital and I get bored, this is how I make the night go faster--looking and relooking at C&S photos on the DPL and other sites.

[Chris Walker]

Most switchstands have the taper at the top of the Staff, others had Tines for Lamp placement.  Every morning an employee would do the rounds extinguishing, cleaning, refilling and in the evening, relighting the lamps.   Down here he was called the "Lampie ", not that we had lamps on points levers in the yards like the US unless they were part of the interlocking.

From what I understand, there were specific rules in Colorado regarding switches be illuminated wherever Passenger trains ran at night.  Just don't ask me to quote that rule!  

Here's the only example I've ever seen captured, unfortunately not C&S though.


http://cdm16079.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/fullbrowser/collection/p15330coll22/id/29509/rv/singleitem/rec/1

[Chris Walker]

The post-fire picture of the Pacific Hotel at Como, pg 247 Mem. ed. of DSP&P shows a Lamp atop the switchstand there, fwiw.