Re: Alpine Tunnel Construction Camps

Posted by Rick Steele on
URL: http://c-sng-discussion-forum.254.s1.nabble.com/Alpine-Tunnel-Construction-Camps-tp19236p19249.html

Hi Kurt,

From what I've read. During the construction of the tunnel, the tracks were extended up to the Atlantic construction camp.

There was a siding there at Atlantic, listed as MP 161.0 and having a 489' siding according to Helmers timetable reprint in the Historic Alpine Tunnel, 1st. edition, page 115. DL&G Timetable, 1898.

The tunnel itself is listed as MP 161.8

If I were going to get material to build the tunnel, I would either shove or pull the material up from Hancock. Set it out and take the empty cars (Probably flats or Gondolas) back down to Hancock or Buena Vista, wherever the Work Train originated from and set them out for the first Denver-bound train, or to wherever the empties from the tunnel and loads from California or the closest redwood mill were received or transferred from Std. to 3' gauge in intechange

Since there was only a siding at Atlantic, the locomotive would probably have to use either the Wye at Hancock (not listed in 1898 tt) or the turntable at St. Elmo (Shown in 1898). One caveat, the wye not listed at Hancock in this timetable shows clearly in a famous photo of a DL&G business car taken during the same time period.

Rick