Some more photo locations

[Todd Hackett]

I'm still going through accumulated photos to scan and file them. These came from an eBay lot that was advertised as being from Jackson Thode. A little under half of the lot were Thode photos. They were sharp and had his stamp on the back along with detailed descriptions. The rest were the same size (2-3/4"x4-1/2") but on a different type of paper and without any identifying information. Most look to be D&RGW with many probably standard gauge. One shows the Keensburg depot, which would have been CB&Q. This photo appears to be C&S narrow gauge, and I'm thinking it may be just above Webster, but the Google streetview images are a bit too close to the hill to match it up. Any thoughts on it?


Here's a close-up of the train, clearly showing the Ridgeway spark arrestor and C&S-style tender:


Here's another photo from the same group. The track looks narrow gauge with 6' to 6-1/2' ties. Could this be a bit farther up towards Kenosha?

[Jim Courtney]

I would agree that it is the Kenosha grade uphill from Webster and Halls Valley, taken from the road below.

The passenger consist is a 2 door short baggage car, one of the RPO-coaches and a coach on the rear, a typical consist for the Denver to Como passenger train in the 1920's.

A similar 1918 consist near the same location:




I would agree, that the second photo looks to be on the same stretch of grade.

[Ken Martin]

To be more specific.
The baggage has the smaller clerestory windows which makes it #1,
The RPO-Coach has a gap between the mail windows and the passenger windows which makes it #40.
I can't tell on the coach.

Ken Martin

[Alex Hois]

Todd,
Just a week ago I hiked the Kenosha pass grade from the site of Hall's trestle (some timbers still visible), and I wonder If I took that shot about where the engine is in your first photo.



And looking the other way




It was an obscure enough place to practice good social distancing... Here are some more shots:

View of Webster. The coke ovens were about where the round C-Dot building is now







Big retaining wall from below with part of a culvert still sticking out




And is this part of a Fisher rail joint? I found a u-bolt nearby,



Compared to a complete one near Crossons




Alex

[Todd Hackett]

Alex - I think you're right about the location of your first photo matching my first. It looks like it was a nice day for a hike. I hiked from where the tracks cross the highway just before the summit down into Halls Valley, but that was probably 30 years ago or more. It's a bit harder for me to get there now. I'll have to settle for heading down to the ocean a couple of times a week.

[South Park]

  Enough with the excuses, Todd !  

[ComoDepot]

Agree with the grade above Webster, went down to Denver past here yesterday, needed supplies for Volunteer Days, nothing like that traffic, but things are beginning to pick up. My first trip to Denver this year, Gas at $1.23 a gallon was appreciated. Hopefully we will burn a bit of diesel this weekend.

Supposed to be 70F on Monday, only snow left in Como is under the Turntable.

[Todd Hackett]

I'm looking forward to seeing what progress can be made this year. I had considered visiting late this summer, but that's not looking likely now. Oh, and gas here dropped all the way to $3.999/gal. I hear it's only around $2.50 at Costco in Kona, but I'm not a member, and even if I was I would burn up most of the savings driving there (it's about an 80-mile round trip at about 18 MPG), and there are usually long lines for the cheap gas.

[ComoDepot]

Bob is back, Jason is coming in but not really expecting many to travel in the current situation, however there is plenty to be done by those local and the big multiplier is having equipment, Backhoe, Skid steer, Spike Hammers etc, so much more can be done that when we were doing everything manually. Most summer events have been cancelled, not yet Railroad Day but if it does go ahead it will be much more limited. And I would put the current odds as low. My Brother mentioned that the price of gas is the same, only problem is that he gets a Litre not a Gallon for $1.23. Stay safe.

[Jeff Young]

Yeah, our flights were cancelled so we won’t be in Colorado this summer. :(