Re: Freight trains at Dillon?

Posted by Keith Hayes on
URL: http://c-sng-discussion-forum.254.s1.nabble.com/Freight-trains-at-Dillon-or-Keystone-tp1868p2786.html

Chris, I think you are correct. Unlike the Powderhorn, the C&S did not traverse the area during a time when ranching became widespread enough to justify entire trains to move stock. The operations must have been more localized, and the ranchers needed to thin herds and dispose of steers in quantities that only justified 1-2 carloads.

It is peculiar that the C&S had so many stock cars, though. The roster I have consulted lists 119 stock cars, or about 8% of the fleet. While this is a modest number compared to the 778 boxcars and 503 coals, it is still quite a few pieces of rolling stock to stash about the railroad only to move them a couple carloads at a time periodically. Also, this compares with 448 stock cars on the D&RG (17% of that road's fleet) during a similar timeframe.