Sunday, April 28, 2013

Burns Canyon slide (near the end of RGS)



Click on photos to view larger.

#1) Rio Grande Southern Railroad track removal near Burns Canyon
(above Dolores, Colo.
Date:1952
Notes:Near Mile Post 63. A crew apparently is working on removing the first section of track at the lowest washout of track above Dolores when the Rio Grande Southern was being abandoned and scrapped.

# 2) Rio Grande Southern Railroad tracks covered by snow near Burns Canyon Date/circa: 1950/1951Photographer:Chione, Alfred G. (Morton, Ill.)Subjects:Rio Grande Southern Railroad
Burns Canyon (Colo.)Notes: Near Mile Post 63. Probably south/lower end of Burns Canyon, near Rico. "That slide was notorious for closing the railroad there. Since it was not plowed, I'd figure it was in 1950 or 1951 since by this time they [had] lost the ability to fight the deep snows." [Source of quote: Robert Herrone, email 3/27/07.]

#3) "Appears to be Burns Canyon near Coke Ovens above Rico." [Source of quote: Robert Herrone, email 3/27/07.] A man is standing at the end of the visible track.









Mirror in the ditch


“She left the web, she left the loom, 
She made three paces through the room, 
She saw the water-lily bloom, 
She saw the helmet and the plume, 
She look'd down to Camelot. 
Out flew the web and floated wide; 
The mirror crack'd from side to side; 
"The curse is come upon me," cried 
The Lady of Shalott.” 
― Alfred TennysonThe Lady Of Shalott

Pulling up tracks

Rio Grande Southern Railroad track removal near Burns Canyon (above Dolores, Rico, Colo.)







Near Mile Post 63. A crew apparently is working on removing the first section of track at the lowest
washout of track above Dolores when the
Rio Grande Southern was being abandoned and scrapped. The location apparently is Burns Canyon, a narrow rocky area just south of
bridge 64-A, which both the track and the Dolores River twistedthrough on an S curve. According to Robert Herronen (analyst, UNCG MIS department; builder, Rio Grande Southern R.R. of N.C.; and alumnus,
 Fort Lewis College, 1993), who supplied this info via emails on 3/26 and 3/28/2007, "The RGS received word from the courts
that it could be abandoned April 24th, 1952. The RGS began to dismantle the trackage starting in May of 1952 it appears.
Scrapping was done June 17, 1953." He believes this view is"around milepost 70. Below MP. 70, there are photos of Goose 7scrapping the tracks. So it was a section that they could not use the steam train to scrap the railroad. That would explain why they were scrapping up the side of Lizard Head pass by October. They had Rico to scrap (at MP 66.2) and by October two outfit cars had run away and were left where they ran off the tracks at Coke Ovens (at MP 60.49)."
He explained, "The other sections between the washouts were removed using the Galloping Geese engines with their box bodies removed. [That way, the work crews] could truck them around the washouts and tear up the track between the washed out tracks.
They used the K-27 class locomotive #461 with a winch mounted on the tender to pull the rails up onto the flat car as they went along (the winch was not installed by the time the time these photos were taken.) "

Hang in there.



"In the end, everything will be okay. If it's not okay, it's not yet the end."
__ Fernando Sabino, translated from Portuguese

Saturday, April 27, 2013

End of the line


Title: Rio Grande Southern Railroad track removal near Burns Canyon (above Dolores, Colo. (actually Rico))
Date/circa: 1952/1953
Photographer:
Subjects: Rio Grande Southern Railroad (Colo.); ; Mountain railroads--Colorado--Pictorial works; Burns Canyon (Colo.)
Notes: Near Mile Post 63. A crew apparently is working on removing the first section of track at the lowest washout of track above Dolores when the Rio Grande Southern was being abandoned and scrapped. The location apparently is Burns Canyon, a narrow rocky area just south of bridge 64-A, which both the track and the Dolores River twisted through on an S curve. According to Robert Herronen (analyst, UNCG MIS department; builder, Rio Grande Southern R.R. of N.C.; and alumnus, Fort Lewis College, 1993), who supplied this info via emails on 3/26 and 3/28/2007, "The RGS received word from the courts that it could be abandoned April 24th, 1952. The RGS began to dismantle the trackage starting in May of 1952 it appears. Scrapping was done June 17, 1953." He believes this view is "around milepost 70. Below MP. 70, there are photos of Goose 7 scrapping the tracks. So it was a section that they could not use the steam train to scrap the railroad. That would explain why they were scrapping up the side of Lizard Head pass by October. They had Rico to scrap (at MP 66.2) and by October two outfit cars had run away and were left where they ran off the tracks at Coke Ovens (at MP 60.49)." He explained, "The other sections between the washouts were removed using the Galloping Geese engines with their box bodies removed. [That way, the work crews] could truck them around the washouts and tear up the track between the washed out tracks. They used the K-27 class locomotive #461 with a winch mounted on the tender to pull the rails up onto the flat car as they went along (the winch was not installed by the time the time these photos were taken.) "
Photoprint#:P026187
Negative#: 975
Center of Southwest Studies,Fort Lewis College.

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Teachout's Ranch


Summary: A view of Teachout's Ranch near Edgerton, Colorado, includes a two-story gable-roofed building with a porch with Victorian decorative woodwork, and a smaller building nearby; numerous people stand near a board fence in front, including a seated elderly woman, a child holding a doll, a woman and child each on horseback, a seated man holding a rifle, and what appear to be ranch hands. Two wagons are in front of the fence. One is covered and is pulled by two horses with a man next to the horses. The other, also pulled by two horses is uncovered and has a man at the reins. Trees, another fence, and fields are in the background.
Date: [between 1860 and 1878?]
Notes: Formerly F30079.; Label on back of photoprint reads, Mrs. W.D. Tudor, Tudor Valley Ranch, Route 1 Box 184, Colorado Springs, Colo.; Title hand-written on back of photoprint.; Written in blue ink on back of photoprint: "Being a part of monument park and Among the Pines, Eight Miles North of Colorado Springs, on the line of the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad, Post office at the house. Board seven dollars a week. H. M. Teachout, Edgerton P.O., El Paso Co., Colorado." This picture with above add [sic] appeared in pamphlet called Rambles through the Great Kansas Valley and in Eastern Colorado by Gaft in 1878. The stone foundation of barn "not in picture" and the remnants of foundation of main house and an ice house still stand in 1967. "Harlow Teachout in spring wagon hauling water" told by nephew Roger Teachout. Picture obtained thru courtesy of C.S. Historical Museum.; R7100080580
Physical Description 1 copy photonegative ; 10 x 13 cm. (4 x 5 in.); 1 photoprint ; 12 x 17 cm. (4 1/2 x 6 1/2 in.)
Western History/Genealogy Dept., Denver Public Library.

Labor wars and Gatling Guns



Troop D state militia from Meeker, Colorado at Cripple Creek, Colorado
Creator(s): Yelton & Wisda Photo.
Summary: Troop D of the Colorado National Guard pose with Gatling guns during the Western Federation of Miners labor strike, Cripple Creek, Teller County, Colorado. Shows the Cripple Creek Sampling & Ore Company building painted with signs: "The C. C., S. & O. Co." and "Ore Co."
Date: 1904
Notes: Condition: Faded with spots and tears from original.; Formerly F30885.; Title hand-written on back of print.; R7100602780
Physical Description 1 copy negative ; 10 x 13 cm. (4 x 5 in.); 1 photoprint ; 13 x 18 cm. (5 x 7 in.)
Western History/Genealogy Dept., Denver Public Library.


Gatling gun in front of Court House trained to cover approach from depot
Summary: Colorado National Guard is posted with a shielded Gatling gun in front of the Goldmining Exchange building on Bennett Street, Cripple Creek, Teller County, Colorado during the Western Federation of Miners strike. Storefront signs read: "Newport", "G. R. Lewis & Co.", "[Soda] Water", "Drugs."
Date:1903
Notes: Formerly F22994.; Title hand-written on back of print.; R7100602641
Physical Description 1 copy negative ; 10 x 13 cm. (4 x 5 in.); 1 photoprint ; 13 x 18 cm. (5 x 7 in.)
Western History/Genealogy Dept., Denver Public Library.

The Cripple Creek Crusher

Title-Alternative:W. H. Jackson sample album. Colorado Book IV. no. 33
Creator(s): Jackson, William Henry, 1843-1942.
Summary: Six men are gathered on the front deck of the The Crusher, the first newspaper in Fremont (Cripple Creek, Teller County), Colorado. Oakley Spell, a young boy, holds a bundle of newspapers under his arm; a sign on the log building reads: "The Crusher."
Date: 1891
Notes: Attribution to Jackson based on inclusion in bound W. H. Jackson sample album.; Condition: discolored, torn, soiled.; Formerly F19819.; Hand-lettered title reproduced in print.; Label on front of photoprint reads: "2528."; Mounted on verso of album page: WHJ-787.; R7003007881
Physical Description 1 photoprint : albumen ; 11 x 18 cm. (4 x 7 in.) mounted on album page.
Is Part Of W. H. Jackson sample album. Colorado Book IV.
Western History/Genealogy Dept., Denver Public Library.