Nostalgia & History > Colo & Wyoming GP-7s west of Jansen CO 1972

The Colorado & Wyoming Ry Southern Division ran from a connection with AT&SF at Jansen, CO 32 miles up the Purgatoire River valley to Allen Mine (near Stonewall CO). Two GP-7s were assigned to the coal trains which ran usually 6-days per week with loads from Allen Mine to Jansen. The DRGW had trackage rights over C&S between Walsenburg to Trinidad and on AT&SF from Trinidad to Jansen to interchange with C&W at Jansen. D&RGW would bring in empties for C&W then take the loads back to the the Colorado Fuel & Iron plant at Pueblo (Minnequa actually) for use in the coke ovens and the virgin steel production at the plant. Here the spiffy and hand waxed 102 and 104 make the curves above Weston with loads for Jansen on 7-29-1972. The GP-s held this run until the delivery of the GP-38-2s in 1974. The pristine GP-7s were then assigned to the CF&I plant at Pueblo where they were not pampered as they were on the Southern Div.

Bruce Barrett

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I followed that abandoned route last Sept. That is a very large mine.

More pix of hand waxed geep7s please. Don't see that every day.

Marty Bernard

Any future, someday, to this old mine and line?

Cline Mining is the current owner of the mine (now called "New Elk Mine". The soft coal market (and anti-coal regulation environment) has made it difficult for Cline to market their product after sinking millions into the revitalization of the mine. In early 2000s, A&K purchased the line and wanted to abandon 30 miles of the rail line (pulling up the rails and ties beyond MP 2). Subsequently the coal had to be trucked from New Elk to Jansen with the state highway 12 used by the trucking operation taking a huge beating. Cline ran a very few test trains out of Jansen, with getting no contracts for continued sale of their coal. Cline has laid off most of the mining staff, the lease loco which was at Jansen has been returned to lessor, and the loading area is devoid of coal. Only time will tell what the future holds for coal production in this country which will directly impact the possibility of the line being re-laid. Suffice it to say that there are great clouds of uncertainty as to when or if this line would be re-built.

Wow, very nice! A rare catch indeed.