Re: Kokomo

Posted by Jim Courtney on
URL: http://c-sng-discussion-forum.254.s1.nabble.com/Kokomo-tp1652p1727.html

Jeff,

Not sure when the depot was moved.  Sadie George's diary mentions the daily passenger train stopping at the Kokomo depot by running down the spur from the main and along the "main street" of the town.  To resume its journey, the train would back up the spur to the main.  Her travels were c1912-1914.

The article in the Colorado Narrow Gauge Quarterly cites a 1917 Valuation Map as showing the depot moved from "downtown" to its final location on the main at the junction of the downtown spur.  So sometime between 1914 and 1917.

The first picture Chris posted above, with the engine and the caboose, is on the spur headed west toward the downtown depot location.  No depot is visible, it was located where the group of people are standing.  Note that the tender is an early intermediate style, with the back of the tender collar cut away, but the remaining tender collar not yet bent up vertically.  I suspect this is c1918-1920.

The "depot" locations at Kokomo is a confusing topic.  Mac Poor places the original DSP&P depot near the C&S wye, on the siding just past the switch of the south leg of the wye on Todd's excellent map.  The "downtown" depot in Doug's photo, may have been built later in DL&G days, in the 1890s.  It was later moved to it's final location up on the mainline as the town waned in importance and passenger traffic.

The third photo that Chris posted is of the D&RG's yard and depot, looking to the southwest, before the DSP&P arrived on the scene, c1880.

I have some more photos to scan and post, perhaps tomorrow.