Mendota Mine - Before and After

[Todd Hackett]

I came across this photo on DPL while looking for something completely unrelated. I don't recall seeing it before. It was easy to get a reasonable before and after using a Google Streetview. The original was taken from somewhere between the interstate and Water Street, but the I-70 perspective seems to be a bit closer.



What's even better than the image are all the margin notes:

[Chris Walker]

Thank you Todd; a great now and then for sure.

The DPL MCC-389 view by McClure has a great context perspective.




Some lounging UPD&G excursionists perhaps?

[Rich Rands]

A topic I can contribute to. At 18 my family and I headed to Keystone to ski. Dad stopped in Silver Plume for us to explore the Mendota. I took a number of slides. The next summer we passed through Silver Plume again. The building were gone and replaced with a metal shed. Built a version of the Mendota on my On30 layout.

[Rich Rands]

[Jeff Young]

Nice modelling, Rich!

[Todd A Ferguson]

 Dry nice modeling Rich!

[Jim Courtney]

Beautiful scene, Rich!

I really like your tailings and waste rock, and the chute emptying into the aisle!

[Chris Walker]

Please show us some more!  

[Rich Rands]

The mine or the model? Or both? :-)
My imaginery ore bin at the Mendota.

[Dave Eggleston]

Rich, that is a really impressive model. In addition to hauling out ore or concentrate, do you bring in coal?

[Rich Rands]

It's brought in by wagon. :-)

[Dave Eggleston]

Rich Rands wrote

It's brought in by wagon. :-)

Dang wagon competition! Your mine looks to be a very well-paying operation, it needs to take back the coal traffic (good Baldwin coal shipped on the South Park) with something like this coal conveyor tucked on the hillside between those bins and the powerhouse:



Poland Mining Company's mill and powerhouse, Poland, Arizona, circa 1902. Image m141p from Sharlot Hall Collection in Prescott, AZ.

[Keith Hayes]

Thanks, Dave.

A lot of modelers probably think mines are a source for empties for loading ore.

In fact they got mine props, machinery, drill steel, and if steam powered, lots and lots of coal. The Penrose will be electrically powered, so I am looking for a good prototype of a two-pole transformer set-up with two or three transformers.

A while back there was an excellent clinic at a NG Convention on mines talking about all the buildings at a mine. Usually we focus on the headframe/ elevator operation and the ore bin. But there will be a changing room, a steel room--for sharpening drills, a compressor room, water and some piping. All good stuff to model!