Photo by Mark Rightmire, The Orange County Register |
Showing posts with label Preservation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Preservation. Show all posts
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Knott's Celebrates 60 Years
Tags:
Denver and Rio Grande Western,
Galloping Goose,
heritage railroad,
history,
Locomotive,
narrow gauge,
Opinion,
Out of state,
passenger,
Preservation,
Rio Grande Southern,
steam
Location:
Knotts Berry Farm, Buena Park, CA, USA
Friday, December 9, 2011
Englewood Selling Its Santa Fe Station
Editor's Note: A cold, chronic illness symptoms, and Christmas shopping have had the cumulative effect of blocking at least two major posts and a few POTDs from reaching you this week. I hope to get them out this weekend.
"Anyone want to buy, renovate and use a historic train depot?" So begins an article from the Englewood Herald.
"Anyone want to buy, renovate and use a historic train depot?" So begins an article from the Englewood Herald.
Location:
Englewood, CO, USA
Sunday, October 30, 2011
UP 844 Tours Colorado, Fuels Positive Perceptions
As I write this, Union Pacific 844, the FEF-3 that never retired, sits at the top of the world ...well, the top of the Palmer Divide, anyway. It is as high in elevation that it will get along the entire goodwill tour, edging out Altamont, Wyoming by only 7 feet in elevation, according to UP elevation measurements.
Tags:
Events,
extras,
Joint Line,
Opinion,
Preservation,
steam,
Union Pacific
Location:
Palmer Lake, CO, USA
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Colorado Springs' Depot Restaurant Closing Monday
2 photos: springsgov.com |
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Mudhen 463 Frame Mated To Boiler In Mammoth Crane Event
Some great news has come out of Monte Vista this month! Denver & Rio Grande Western steam engine 463 has taken a major step in her return to steam. The frame and boiler were finally mated back together at last. Everything appears to be on schedule for the K-27 class Mudhen to return to steam at the beginning of the 2012 Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad summer season.
Tags:
Cumbres and Toltec Scenic,
Denver and Rio Grande Western,
heritage railroad,
narrow gauge,
Preservation,
Restoration,
steam,
Volunteers,
web videos
Location:
Monte Vista, CO 81144, USA
Monday, August 8, 2011
POTD - Fort Collins Municipal Railway's Birney Car 21
Before T-Rex, before Light Rail, even before buses, there were street cars. If a town had any aspirations of being a city of some importance, one of the first items on the agenda was creating a municipal railway or other rapid transit. It was a mark of distinction to have a trolley system and the bigger and more refined it was, the better the populace felt about the city.
Then, depending on who you listen to, it seems a motor company decided it wanted to sell buses. The best way to do that was to buy up municipal railways and discard them as soon as possible, doing away with the efficient steel wheel on steel rail and electric power in favor of inefficient rubber tires on asphalt and gasoline power that was cheap as dirt. No more yellow trolleys in Denver. Done to death are the streetcars of Trinidad and Colorado Springs. But a single flickering flame in Fort Collins survived.
Kept by volunteers, the Fort Collins Municipal Railway plies Mountain Avenue, connecting City Park with the central business district on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays during the summer months. There once was much more to this municipal railway, but it's lost to the march of time and mankind's notion of progress in the 1950s. It once crossed the rails of the Colorado Central (now BNSF), and traveled in a loop, from Mountain and College, east to Peterson, south to Magnolia, east to Whedbee, south to Pitkin and Ft Collins High School, west to College and back north to Mountain. It covered a lot of ground and, had it survived intact, it would be an even greater asset to Fort Collins than it is today.
Then, depending on who you listen to, it seems a motor company decided it wanted to sell buses. The best way to do that was to buy up municipal railways and discard them as soon as possible, doing away with the efficient steel wheel on steel rail and electric power in favor of inefficient rubber tires on asphalt and gasoline power that was cheap as dirt. No more yellow trolleys in Denver. Done to death are the streetcars of Trinidad and Colorado Springs. But a single flickering flame in Fort Collins survived.
Kept by volunteers, the Fort Collins Municipal Railway plies Mountain Avenue, connecting City Park with the central business district on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays during the summer months. There once was much more to this municipal railway, but it's lost to the march of time and mankind's notion of progress in the 1950s. It once crossed the rails of the Colorado Central (now BNSF), and traveled in a loop, from Mountain and College, east to Peterson, south to Magnolia, east to Whedbee, south to Pitkin and Ft Collins High School, west to College and back north to Mountain. It covered a lot of ground and, had it survived intact, it would be an even greater asset to Fort Collins than it is today.
Ft Collins Municipal Railway #21 makes its familiar trip down Mountain Avenue passing the siding at Mack Street, long out of service, on July 23, 2011. Photo: James E. House |
Tags:
history,
Light Rail,
POTD,
Preservation,
Volunteers
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
POTD - D&RGW 315 Crossing the Animas River
John West is an accomplished photographer with many years of experience and hundreds of publishable and historic photographs under his belt, 13 of which are available for purchase. His pictures bring narrow gauge enthusiasts immeasurable joy and pleasure.
Originally Florence & Cripple Creek Railroad engine 3, the Denver & Rio Grande numbered it 424 before the Denver & Rio Grande Western numbered it 315. Durango Railroad Historical Society restored the engine from March 2001 until she moved under her own steam in August 2007.
On August 23, 2010, during last year's Railfest, Mr. West captured #315, a former Denver & Rio Grande Western 2-8-0 steam locomotive as it crossed the Animas River near Tacoma, Colorado, on former Denver & Rio Grande Western rails, now operated by Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, which will host its 13th annual Railfest later this month.
Originally Florence & Cripple Creek Railroad engine 3, the Denver & Rio Grande numbered it 424 before the Denver & Rio Grande Western numbered it 315. Durango Railroad Historical Society restored the engine from March 2001 until she moved under her own steam in August 2007.
On August 23, 2010, during last year's Railfest, Mr. West captured #315, a former Denver & Rio Grande Western 2-8-0 steam locomotive as it crossed the Animas River near Tacoma, Colorado, on former Denver & Rio Grande Western rails, now operated by Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, which will host its 13th annual Railfest later this month.
D&RGW Consolidation 2-8-0 #315 leads a photo freight over the Animas near Tacoma on the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad August 23, 2010 Photo: John West |
Tags:
Denver and Rio Grande Western,
Durango and Silverton,
Events,
freight,
heritage railroad,
history,
John West,
narrow gauge,
POTD,
Preservation,
steam
Location:
bridge south of Tacoma, CO, USA
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Hear That Whistle Blow
One of the more interesting groups of railfans are the ones that are into locomotive whistles and horns, the signaling devices used by engineers to communicate and warn the world outside his cab of what he's doing. An entire industry has grown around a collection of railfans who collect and, at times, sound off their affection for trains.
Tags:
Amtrak,
Cumbres and Toltec Scenic,
Denver and Rio Grande Western,
Durango and Silverton,
history,
Opinion,
Preservation,
steam,
web videos
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Friends Bring $121K Check For Lobato Trestle
The Friends of the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad is a volunteer support organization that works to preserve the rolling stock and most of the equipment of the Cumbres & Toltec. Last year on June 24th, the trestle at Lobato burned in a spectacular nighttime blaze. No one was injured, and the investigators have ruled out arson. Even while the embers were cooling , the Friends have taken on the work of soliciting donations for the rebuild, hopefully in time to restore service from Chama this coming season, which starts May 28th.
Tags:
Cumbres and Toltec Scenic,
Fire,
heritage railroad,
MOW,
narrow gauge,
passenger,
Preservation,
Restoration,
steam,
Volunteers
Location:
Chama, NM 87520, USA
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Video of Steve Lee's Presentation In Hugo
Have you ever wondered what it takes to field a modern day, main line steam program? Steve Lee, recently retired, is the most experienced at the complexities of Union Pacific's Steam Program. His commentary and photos from his 22 years as head of the program were given as part of the meeting Sunday for the Hugo Roundhouse preservation group.
Tags:
Events,
history,
Preservation,
Restoration,
Skip Weythman,
steam,
Union Pacific,
web videos
Location:
Hugo, CO, USA
Friday, March 11, 2011
Steve Lee, Jim Burrill Presentation On UP Steam On Sunday In Hugo
Recently retired UP Steam program head, Steve Lee and Jim Burrill, self-admitted Steam Geek for Union Pacific, plan to give a presentation on the Union Pacific this Sunday in Hugo, Colorado. It is part of an annual meeting of the Roundhouse Preservation group, but the meeting is open to the public and "any interested person is welcome."
Worth noting, the roundhouse in Hugo is one of four remaining roundhouses in Colorado, and the only brick constructed roundhouse in the state. The preservation group began work in 2003 and appear to have made steady progress.
Worth noting, the roundhouse in Hugo is one of four remaining roundhouses in Colorado, and the only brick constructed roundhouse in the state. The preservation group began work in 2003 and appear to have made steady progress.
Tags:
Events,
history,
Preservation,
Union Pacific,
web videos
Location:
Hugo, CO, USA
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Firemen School on the C&TS
The Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad continues their school for different roles on steam operated freight trains. This week, they've got 6 firemen students training. The video is from Monday where they spent half the day in the classroom and half the day making up the train they planned to use on Tuesday.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
You Forgot Your What!?
The Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad recently completed Railfest 2010, and the fans have some pretty unique souvenirs for their money. I found this picture while browsing their Railfest photo gallery. I've seen worse, but I think most folks would agree that when a person is giving a whistle demonstration at said Railfest, it's important--nay, crucial that they bring adequate ear protection. Regardless, the show, or the demonstration, must go on.
Tags:
Durango and Silverton,
Events,
museums,
narrow gauge,
Opinion,
Preservation,
steam
Location:
Durango, CO, USA
Friday, July 16, 2010
Photos of UP 844 In Milliken
Kimm Wierema, who lives with a family of railfans, managed to capture some really nice photos of UP 844 on its visit to Milliken, Colorado. The last-purchased, never-retired steam locomotive of the Union Pacific was on hand on June 26th to help the City of Milliken celebrate its centennial this year.
Tags:
caboose,
extras,
Great Western,
history,
passenger,
Photo Turn,
Preservation,
steam,
Union Pacific,
Volunteers
Location:
Milliken, CO, USA
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Cumbres & Toltec Buses Passengers Between Chama & Cumbres
Tags:
Cumbres and Toltec Scenic,
Denver and Rio Grande Western,
general transportation,
heritage railroad,
history,
narrow gauge,
Opinion,
passenger,
Preservation,
steam
Location:
Cumbres, CO, USA
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Opportunity To Assist With The Lobato Trestle Restoration
Following up on the previous post on Lobato Trestle. I received the following message from Tim Tennant, President and CEO of the Friends of the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad, a non-profit dedicated toward preserving the history of the C&TS equipment. He states,
Location:
Chama, NM, USA
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Chama's Morning Show & Steam School
It's no secret that during the summer, Chama, New Mexico, has the best morning show around, especially when they have a K-36 Mikado like C&TS #484 lined for Cumbres Pass and Colorado. This video pretty much proves it. Doesn't she look great with the flying Grande on her tender?
Tags:
Cumbres and Toltec Scenic,
Denver and Rio Grande Western,
Featured Tips,
narrow gauge,
Opinion,
Preservation,
steam,
web videos
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
UP Retires ex-Rio Grande Tunnel Motors To Dead Line At Burnham
It was bound to happen. With a continued lack of demand because of the recession, old locomotives that have seen their share of railroad miles are rounded up and sent via "funeral train" to a retirement storage, known as a "dead line." Intrepid photographer Kevin Morgan chased a funeral train on April 17, 2010. This time it seems to be a large
percentage of tunnel motors that had been marked for retirement, with 17 out of 21 (81%) being SD40T-2s. The train continued on to the dead line at Burnham.
percentage of tunnel motors that had been marked for retirement, with 17 out of 21 (81%) being SD40T-2s. The train continued on to the dead line at Burnham.
Tags:
BNSF,
Colorado Railroad Museum,
Denver and Rio Grande Western,
extras,
Kevin Morgan,
museums,
Opinion,
Preservation,
Union Pacific
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Mudhen 463 Still Under Restoration
It's been a while since we've checked on Engine 463. In fact, we've not seen much on 463 since the Friends of the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad won the grant to begin work on restoration. Now, according to the Friends, we hear that restoration continues on D&RGW Locomotive 463, also known as Gene Autry's Mudhen. It is one of two surviving K-27 class locomotives originally 15 strong in the D&RGW roster, numbered 450 to 464.
Tags:
Cumbres and Toltec Scenic,
Denver and Rio Grande Western,
history,
narrow gauge,
Opinion,
Preservation,
Restoration,
steam
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)