Como Update

[ComoDepot]

Well we have spiked some more track, Railroad Day is this Saturday so we wanted to be able to run the hand car on to the Roundhouse property, break the physiological barrier.

We are sort of graded to the turntable pit, talking of which I understand the plans for the rebuild are nearly there. A chat last weekend with people involved made me more comfortable that the metal work is in hand, well beyond my capabilities and I will be interested to see the drawings.

Track days have been a bit last minute, really need to have this sorted well in advance. We are planning to have another day in September but not sure when. We have enough material to get to the box cars but not enough strong backs. Driving in spikes even into pre drilled holes is not easy.

Weather forecast for Saturday could be better, I think it was 2009 when the weather did not cooperate, we have otherwise been lucky.

Had a guy come by whose Father owned 346 back in the 40's, on his way to Golden. He rode on it as a kid. Wanted to find the spot on Kenosha where it came off and killed the Engineer. I have photos and think it was near where the kilns used to be, but not certain exactly where it happened.

[Chris Walker]

That's a new one:
"Had a guy come by whose Father owned 346 back in the 40's, on his way to Golden."

The D&RGW owned C-19 #346, right up until 5/19/47 when purchased by the Montezuma Lumber Co then in July 1950 they sold it to Robert W Richardson founder of the CRRM who I understand was never married :)

Perhaps he meant that his Father was the Engineer on it at some time.

[ComoDepot]

His Father owned Montezuma Lumber.

[Chris Walker]

Thanks for that, did he say the surname?, Montezuma Lumber was a large operation, had a number of investors/owners over the years.  I'm wondering if this is A.J.Rush that took over the very last vestiges of the larger company.

[ComoDepot]

I know his name, but do not wish to post in on an open forum.

[ComoDepot]

An interesting nugget came out today, well a few, lady came by who is the granddaughter of the location engineer for the DSP&P, Boreas Pass and the Loop were his.

I always had wondered why the Roundhouse was located where it was, I am coming to the conclusion that they had no plans to significantly extend it when built, the turntable pit is not level, it grades towards the existing stone section, another of those questions that will never be answered for certain, but begs the question was this normal, I had assumed that they would be level.

[Jim Courtney]

As a year round Como resident, perhaps you can tell us, from what directions do the prevailing winds sweep across Como in the winter?  Was the roundhouse located such that the solid back wall faced the brunt of the occasionally severe winter blizzards, to protect the doors (in the lee of the winds) from accumulating snow?

That's the only explanation that I can think of for the round house to face away from the town, railroad yards and water tank.

Likely incorrect, but what the hey! I've always wondered about this too.

Jim

[ComoDepot]

No, if you were standing outside the doors of the stone section the wind comes from the left, after the 1935 they did build a fence where the wooden section had been presumably to block the wind.

[Keith Hayes]

...Well, it does face east toward the rising sun for maximum solar exposure to help keep the pit free of snow.