Steam & Excursion > Steam Is Returning To This Roundhouse To Relive Scenes Like This!

In the news over the past several months was the news that a small but dedicated group of folks had obtained a 3-foot gauge steam locomotive and they were restoring her to operation so she could be brought to the famous Colorado & Southern roundhouse in Como, Colorado to resume steam operations at this historic railroad location.  That is certainly good news for any of us who cherish Colorado narrow gauge railroads.

Located at 9,800 feet elevation at the northern edge of the famed South Park, Como was founded by the Denver, South Park & Pacific Railroad in 1879.  This isolated little community served the railroad well until the 1938 when the C&S pulled up the line into Como.  This left the roundhouse, depot and a few other railroad buildings to stand silent for decades until this recent activity has revitalized this group of railroad buildings.

On July 31, 1938 noted Colorado railfan, Dick Kindig traveled to Como to catch on film some of the last activity in this famed little town.  Here he caught C&S #73 and her crew beside the stone roundhouse at Como as they prepare to operate one of the last trains out of this town.

Who would have believed that in just a few short months this scene will be repeated when White Pass & Yukon 2-6-2 #4 is delivered to this same stone roundhouse and begins to operate under steam on the track that is being relaid in the heart of this famous litte town.

Martin

P.S.  For news of this project see their web page.    http://www.southparkrail.com/



 



Edited 6 time(s). Last edit at 03/01/17 07:50 by LoggerHogger.

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Dick Kindig captured the C&S last days of operation at Como, CO - 1938 was a rough time during the Depression.  Thanks for sharing this image and providing a spark of hope for better things at Como in 2017.

Can you imagine just SEEING all the things that Richard Kindig and Otto Perry did, much less doing such a superb job of photographing it?  It boggles my mind.
 

Went to Google Earth after the other post and found that some track was laid and cleanup was underway at that time didnt get the date on image. How far away is any rail they may connect to or are they even planning to? Understand its a couple who is funding this operation
quite an undertaking for sure.

Rail for the moment will run from the station to at least one lead to the turntable plus another short siding.

Out

Was 73 scrapped? If so, when?

Also, why the over-sized air tanks on top of the locomotive?

BCHellman Wrote:
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> Was 73 scrapped? If so, when?
>
> Also, why the over-sized air tanks on top of the
> locomotive?

No really oversized, just a small locomotive.  Some some small NG power had the main reservoir on the tender as to put it under the running boards would block access to the running gear.  In addition, putting it on the tender necessitated two more hose connections between the engine and tender.  C&S solved all that by putting the main reservoirs on top of the boiler.

73 was pulling the scrap trains to Denver when this pic was taken. Once the scrapping was done, 73 stayed around as a spare for the Clear Creek Line, but was scrapped in 1940.

Lucius Beebe published a Dick Kindig photograph of the 73 along with the 70 on the high bridge of the Georgetown Loop in his book ``Hihgliners, a Railroad Album.'' The photo is called ``Vignette of Yesterday'' on Page 48. The photo was taken in 1938.