Ridgeway stacks off of the C&S

[nickgully]

I had never seen the Ridgeway patent stack outside of the C&S narrow gauge. Edna Coal Co from 1947-50. This photo is from Colorado Mountain Railroads Vol. 3 compiled by R. A. Lemassena

Would this have been an engine refurbished by the C&S shops, or was this lying around somewhere?

Best Regards,
 Nick Gully

[Mike Trent]

Hi, Nick. The C&S did have at least one of their 400 Class 2-8-0's fitted with a larger version of the Ridgway cinder catcher for use between Boulder and Louisville in 1919. There is an Otto Perry photo on page 116 of Hol Wanger's "Colorado Road" of that engine, #429. The top looks like it should, but your picture may show what was left of it, modified years later.  

I'll post a copy of that picture later.

[Ken Martin]

For a awhile the Durango and Silverton used a Ridgeway style spark arrester
For pictures see:
http://davesriogrande.net/Rosters/DRGW/locomotive/k28.htm

Ken Martin

[Robert McFarland]

There are a few Otto Perry photos of SG C&S locomotives with Ridgeway spark arresters lurking in the DPL Digital.Could the engine in your photograph be an ex-C&S engine?

[nickgully]

The book says it is ex: U.S.A. 6982 / Illinois Central 71

[Mike Trent]

Here is the Otto Perry image from Page #116 of Hol Wagner's "Colorado Road".

Cooke built, 1900. Class B-4-N, the only engine of that class in the roster. Dismantled in 1931.

1919, could be Boulder. Note the headlight very similar to the ones from the 20's and 30's of #69, #71, and #72. Also note the extreme modification to #429's tender, to increase both water and coal capacity. And, now that I look at it, the DSP&P style headlight brackets. That ought to get somebody's imagination going.... I also believe I spy half flanges.....

By the way, I looked up the Edna Coal Company. Routt County, Steamboat Springs is the County Seat. Oak Creek is mentioned in the proximity of the mine, and I believe from Doug Schnarbush's comments the C&S bought coal from there. Much more desirable coal than Trinidad coal. At least now we have an approximate locale. So there was a C&S connection, also the geographical proximity to Ft Collins.

[Jim Courtney]

Mike,

Here is the full Otto Perry photo from DPL of 429, cleaned up as best I can:

http://digital.denverlibrary.org/cdm/fullbrowser/collection/p15330coll22/id/43020/rv/singleitem/rec/2



And here is C&S 429 in Denver a year earlier, before the Ridgeway device was applied, so we can see the engineers side:

http://digital.denverlibrary.org/cdm/fullbrowser/collection/p15330coll22/id/43019/rv/singleitem/rec/1



Some other appliances / features that resemble the narrow gauge locomotives are the sander valves, the marker light placement and especially the smoke box front extension with the door locked in place with the C-shaped dogs. Overall a handsome engine.

It looks like the locomotive lost its cast steam dome cover between 1918 and 1919, much as C&S 65 did in the late 1930's . . .


Interesting reading in Hol Wagners text on this locomotive -- it was built by Cooke in 1900, numbered 450 in 1901 and assigned class B-4N in 1907. It was the only locomotive in its class. In addition to use on the Boulder run, it was also used on the old D&NO line south out of Denver. Hol states that this line ran through the edge of the dense "Black Forest" (very Bavarian!) and it was the fire hazard on this section of the railroad that prompted the application of the Ridgeway device. Unfortunately, Hol did not provide a Folio sheet for this particular locomotive.

But wait, there's more!!

There were evidently other standard guage C&S locomotives that carried Ridgeway's. Five 2-8-0's were built by Rhode Island in 1900, delivered with numbers 451-455, classed as B-4P in 1907. Three of these engines were used on the Falcon branch south of Denver on occasion and were equipped with Ridgeway's for this particular service. Hol doesn't state which of the three were thus used, or whether all three were equipped with Ridgeway's at the same time -- could be one Ridgeway was passed from engine to engine, as they were reassigned.

And lookey here, Otto got a photo of 453 in 1925 with its Ridgeway in use but folded down!

http://digital.denverlibrary.org/cdm/fullbrowser/collection/p15330coll22/id/43023/rv/singleitem/rec/8



Same cutouts on the headlight bracket, same box headlight -- looks like 453 has a standard gauge version of the "intermediate" tender.

And a few years earlier, sister 455 looked like this, carrying a narrow gauge style arc headlight with number board above:
http://digital.denverlibrary.org/cdm/fullbrowser/collection/p15330coll22/id/43028/rv/singleitem/rec/10



It turns out that 455 spent its last years in Leadville, Keith!! Worked the Leadville to Climax stretch after standard gauging, along with the 600's.


In Hol Wagner's The Colorado Road, page 118.


Hmmm . . . is that a Shapeways water column I see?? IMHO, Keith should lay some 3rd rail in Leadville to accommodate some standard gauge freight cars, maybe a locomotive.


Fascinating stuff.

OK you Denver residents, were exactly was the "Black Forest"?? And where was the Falcon branch located??

[Keith Hayes]

Jim...before I got to the end I was thinking C&S 455 did a tour at Leadville. I believe 438, 455 and I think one other SG consolidation were used on the line before dieselisation. After that, C&S/CB&Q used SD-9s, I believe.

The T&NO departed the Joint line just north of the Gates Plant at Broadway and Buchtel (according to my Grandmother it is pronounced Book-tle). The line followed Buchtel SW along the current I-25 alignment to Evans. Then it turned east to follow Cherry Creek, and then south under the current reservoir. My Grandfather built a house in Sullivan (Quebec and Iliff), which was just past the end of the line after it was abandoned south. I grew up around the branch and recall trains as a kid in the 70s.

Black Forest is east of I-25 and about 10 miles north of Colorado Springs. I have known a few folks who lived there over the years. I can't say I have been there recently--it is mostly large lots with higher value homes. If you are on Pikes Peak, there is no mistaking that the forest is blacker than the other trees. Must be something in the water.

Falcon is--interestingly--the name of the D&RGW siding at the Air Force Academy. Dad always called it that, and I think the name predates the AFA, who's mascot is a falcon. If you have not visited the Academy, it is quite the place. Not only is there some excellent mid-century architecture there, but two entire subdivisions for academic staff and graduate student families. At the north end, there is a prominent sandstone outcrop (probably part of the Garden-of-the-Gods/ Red Rocks formation) that was the location of a historic ranch operation. AFA is quite vast, and unlike the other military academies was effectively planned and built at one time. All because Ike married Mamie Eisenhower, who is a Denver native.

But we were talking about Ridgeway spark arrestors on standard gauge locomotives!

Interesting that the SG appliances and detailing appear to track modernization of the NG fleet. I guess the shop boys worked on all the locomotives.