Re: C&S 9 and WP&Y 69 at the Black Hills Central

Posted by Mike Trent on Oct 22, 2023; 5:14pm
URL: http://c-sng-discussion-forum.254.s1.nabble.com/C-S-9-and-WP-Y-69-at-the-Black-Hills-Central-tp19167p19168.html

Hi, Kurt. My understanding is that the CB&Q took #9 and cars #13, #76, and their own #911 back to Aurora for use in the World's Fair in Chicago in about 1940, then stored in Aurora until used at the Chicago Railroad Exposition a few years later. It was for that event that #9 was dolled up as "Chief Crazy Horse". Also appearing at the Exposition was D&RGW #268, also dolled up as "Montezuma". After the Exposition, #9 and its train were returned to Aurora for storage and/or disposition. The guy who was trying to get the Black Hills Railroad going in the Black Hills made a deal to take #9 and the train as the alternative was that it would be scrapped and he thought he could use the narrow gauge cars for his train. Probably not long after, the Black Hills operation was converted to Standard Gauge, and the stuff just was left to rot and decay for years. #9 was in unspeakable condition when Todd Hackett and I went up there to measure and photograph the equipment for Overland models in the mid 80's. It had been used as essentially a public restroom and was a disgrace.

That the equipment was eventually returned home to Colorado was a miracle.