Re: D&RG Grading Through Platte Canyon...

Posted by chtrout on
URL: http://c-sng-discussion-forum.254.s1.nabble.com/D-RG-Grading-Through-Platte-Canyon-tp14485p14502.html

Robert McFarland wrote

Wouldn't the Salt Works be a little out of the way?

Hi Robert,

Numerous newspaper accounts during the initial 1879-1882 construction phase frequently include the projected route as being towards the old "Salt Works" in South Park (near the DSP&P station at "Platte River"), thence down Trout Creek Pass to Buena Vista.  

While it is not mentioned by name, I assume the "approach" to South Park would have been via 11-Mile Canyon, as the proposed D&RG extension continued to follow a water-level route along the South Fork of the South Platte all the way from South Platte, Nighthawk, and Deckers and on into the southwest end of South Park.  

Said another way, the proposed D&RG "South Platte Extension" (aka "Acequia Cut-Off") would first parallel the existing DSP&P through Platte Canyon, then once again from "Salt Works" down Trout Creek Pass on into Buena Vista, much like the C&S later roughly-paralleled the existing D&RG "Blue River Branch" over Fremont Pass and on into the Dickey and Dillon area.