Re: C&S Coal Usage on the C&S ng

Posted by Jim Courtney on May 16, 2024; 1:58am
URL: http://c-sng-discussion-forum.254.s1.nabble.com/C-S-Coal-Usage-on-the-C-S-ng-tp19675p19679.html

Hey Dave,

Or was the Baldwin traffic winding down prior to 1910?

Baldwin coal remained popular throughout the South Park area (not sure about Clear Creek) for home and business heating.
Ads from Breckenridge in the mid-1920s show local coal companies selling the stuff to Breck residents:




The Baldwin coal would have been brought down the branch by the D&RGW in not-yet-high side gons to Gunnison, thence to Leadville via Marshall Pass, Salida and up the three rail. Once interchanged with the C&S at Leadville, the lading only had to be hauled over Fremont Pass to be spotted at the commercial coal sheds at Beckenridge. Pat Student has documented D&RG cars hauling coal on the C&S consigned to Alma and Fairplay as well. Not sure about points east in Platte Canon.

Prior to the Salida-Leadville third rail being pulled up in 1925, the Baldwin coal was most likely hauled in D&RGW gons like this, for the whole trip:


Crested Butte, mid 1920s

Maybe Pat Student can tell us if any of the high-side gons had been rebuilt to their final configuration prior to the 3rd rail being removed.

I think that it is still questionable whether C&S coal cars were used to haul Baldwin coal after the 1911 transfer of operations of the branch to the D&RG. There is evidence that D&RG/D&RGW stock cars were also used to haul the stuff:


Photo courtesy of my friend, Dale Kreutzer.

Perhaps, when hauling coal in the winter, stock cars were preferred to prevent the coal from getting wet / covered in snow, so the entire load wasn't frozen solid when it reached its destination. Anyone know??