Denver to Boulder

[Darel Leedy]

Do any pictures exist of C&S narrow gauge trains or equipment running on the three-rail between Denver and Boulder? Specifically, between the two cities?

[Tim Schreiner]

I have never seen any, but it would be a fascinating subject.

[Keith Hayes]

...There is the image of the two C&S locos with a couple sections of an excursion train at a picnic area west of Boulder. I don't recall seeing a published image of a C&S loco between Boulder and Denver, however. What with all the talk now of transit service to Boulder, and Boulderites disgust that there is no suitable ROW meaning they have to settle for bus transit, I find it highly ironic that there were once 3-4 different rail routes between the two Cities (one going right through the CU campus!) and now there is but one....

[Darel Leedy]

I know right? They had their chance to run it right up the middle of the turnpike, much like San Francisco- Oakland before they started all the latest re-construction on it. I don't know how suitable the old UP row would be. Doubt it would fly with the neighbors either.

Darel

[Robert McFarland]

No trains,but there are some photos of the the Denver-Boulder C&S ROW on the DPL Digital site.

[Keith Hayes]

Darel,

Seems to me I recall recently reading of the agreement for the DB&W to rent C&S locos and crews for excursions. Where was it??? Did Derrell post it? It was rather interesting, as the C&S crews got some good pay for the work, and the C&S got a chunk of cash for the locos too. Seems to me the post also included documentation of a rather larger rental. Let me look for this.

[Darel Leedy]

Thanks Keith and Robert. C&S rolling stock and motive power which ran on the C&NW/DB&W are pretty well documented. There are pictures of them in Boulder too. What I'm looking for are pictures of any narrow gauge equipment taken along the line eastward of Boulder on the three rail mainline. They had to get to Boulder first.

Darel

[Rick Steele]

Darel,

There are photos in Forrest Crossen's Switzerland Trail of America Book of C&S locomotives and car at Glacier Lake on the C&N-W Excursion Trains as well a a photo of C&S Coach 72 at Sulphide. There was interchange, but when you look at the photos taken on the main line, the third rail is usually really underutilized.

Rick

[Darel Leedy]

Hi Rick,

I figured the third rail was there to make those equipment swaps more convenient. I was just hoping someone took a picture of it while it happened.

[Robert McFarland]

Where is Sulphide located?

[Rick Steele]

On the Colorado & North-Western between Lake Eldora and Cardinal. This is where the branch took off, according to Forrest Crossen to go east to Nederland to build Barker Dam.

[Tim Schreiner]

I wish I could find a photo of the water tank that was west of Nederland toward Eldora. I remember seeing it as a little kid all the time when we drove up the the ski area. It stood near, or right at where the line branched off to Nederland.

[Rick Steele]

Of even more interest to me is the fact that the line was three rail AND electrified. I'm sure that there are other places where this existed, but in Colorado it was a rarity. The only other place where this might have happened is in Cripple Creek.

Mr. VanHorne would know much more that I would about that, wouldn't you Tom?

Rick

[Darel Leedy]

Ssshhhh....... Tis why I was asking about about it.  You never know what I might build next.