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The Best Preserved Stretches of C&S ROW

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Re: The Best Preserved Stretches of C&S ROW--Dickey

Darel Leedy
Administrator
Yes, I know about the problem with the index Chris. I don't know why that is. It is a custom html that I wrote. It seems there must be a limitation of 150 posts set by Blogger. I will keep trying to find out why.
I did go back in and tweak it a little bit to make it easier to read. Let me know what you think.
In the meantime, I've added a blog achieve on the right hand border which links all of the blog posts back to day one.
All of this and still getting my bike rides in. Lol!
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Re: The Best Preserved Stretches of C&S ROW--Crossons

Daniel Frauenhoff
In reply to this post by South Park
Group,
I will be returning to the Crossons area in a week or two to continue investigating what remains there. I am hoping to spend a few nights camping out so I will have time to really scour the area and take measurements of remaining structures and items of interest. Reading about Norm's 2012 discovery of an automatic link and pin coupler in Waterton Canyon has further inspired me.

I also plan on contacting the owners of Crossons to seek permission to measure and photograph all of the buildings on the site. Hopefully, if they are cooperative, they can answer some questions regarding the wagon bridge and which structures might remain from the RR days.

Before I go, I was hoping to get your input on things to keep an eye out for.

I also stumbled across this 15 year old thread regarding research at the Saxonia site:
http://ngdiscussion.net/phorum/read.php?1,10270,10270#msg-10270

Can anyone provide more information on what became of these research operations or how I could get a hold of Richard Boulware?

Daniel
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Re: The Best Preserved Stretches of C&S ROW--Argentine Central

Alex Hois
In reply to this post by Darel Leedy
Yes Darel, that's the post I was thinking of.

Here are some pictures of a recent trip up the old Argentine Central grade out of Silver Plume. It's an easy hike that starts off the west end of the i70 frontage road that the Silver Plume depot is on.
A trail description and some pictures can be found here:
http://www.examiner.com/article/i-70-history-hike-argentine-central-grade-to-pavilion-point

The Argentine Central Railway was an interesting little railroad from Silver Plume, where it connected with the C&S up to the mines at Waldorf and Mt McClellan that ran from 1906-18.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argentine_Central_Railway

The bottom half mile and a little stretch around that first switchback got widened and turned into a road, but the rest up to Pavilion Point still look original.

An old pipe culvert


The first ore chute


The top part of the chute is interesting, using a big metal pipe



 Could this be one of the pipes shown here?
http://c-sng-discussion-forum.41377.n7.nabble.com/Pipes-on-Flats-td2980.html#a2989

At the top of the chute are still some mining remains, including another ore bin. Even the ore tram track is still in place


The first switchback


Another mine at the first switchback tail, again with a similar pipe chute than the first mine. i70 in the background.


The grade to the second switchback


Some cribbing from a support of some kind of bridge across a ravine. The bridge is gone.


Ties!


A retaining wall. There are plenty of those but this was the most impressive one.


And what's better than exploring an old railroad grade while listening to the sounds of a Shay locomotive... Westside Lumber #9 blowing steam on the Big Fill of the Georgetown Loop Railroad


A view up Clear Creek towards Greymont/Bakerville


At Pavilion Point the fire place of the summer resort is still standing. Sorry, no pictures here, some people were camping right around the old structure. You can drive up to this point from half way up Guanella Pass, taking the Waldorf turnoff. It takes you to a system of rough 4X4 roads that take you to Waldorf, Argentine pass and Mt McClellan. Some of the roads are on the old railroad grade.
Here's a picture at the end of track on Mt McClellan which was believed to be 14,007ft at the time, but turned out to be just 13,587 ft (4,141 m)

Compare this to the old times...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argentine_Central_Railway#/media/File:Argentine_Central_Summit.jpg

Enjoy!
Alex







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Re: The Best Preserved Stretches of C&S ROW--Crossons

Daniel Frauenhoff
In reply to this post by Alex Hois
Alex,

To answer your question from earlier; your photo is not of THE Dome Rock for which the station is named but rather a different dome shaped rock. L.C. McClure refers to it as 'El Domo' in this photograph:


http://digital.denverlibrary.org/cdm/singleitem/collection/p15330coll22/id/10698/rec/1

The location is just west of the Cliffdale private property boundary. Roughly MP 46.4.

The view from the top, looking west.



Daniel
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Re: The Best Preserved Stretches of C&S ROW--Crossons

Daniel Frauenhoff
Also, would someone who has access to the list of C&S bridges and trestles be willing to post the list from MP 46-51? It would be of great help next time I hike into the Crossons area.

Thanks,

Daniel
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Re: The Best Preserved Stretches of C&S ROW--Crossons

South Park
  Dan ~

  Have you had a chance to get some detail shots of the pipe pole x-arm brackets ???
"Duty above all else except Honor"
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Re: The Best Preserved Stretches of C&S ROW--Crossons

Daniel Frauenhoff
Hey South Park,

I'll get some shots once I make it back to Crossons. Haven't been since my first visit in April. A blown head gasket has stalled my adventures for several weeks.

Daniel
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Re: The Best Preserved Stretches of C&S ROW

Alex Hois
In reply to this post by Alex Hois
FYI:
This weekend I saw that the flow in the North Fork of the South Platte River is pretty low, the Roberts tunnel is currently shut down.
So it might be a good time to tackle that wiggly bridge at Crossons.

Here you can see the current flow through the tunnel:
http://www.dwr.state.co.us/surfacewater/data/detail_graph.aspx?ID=ROBTUNCO&MTYPE=DISCHRG

Enjoy
Alex
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Re: The Best Preserved Stretches of C&S ROW

Daniel Frauenhoff
Thanks for the heads up Alex!

Alas, I am otherwise occupied in Durango. Will you be making the trek?

Daniel
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