Western Railroad Discussion > Colorado Pacific RR- No Trains till August 2019

1-Colorado Pacific RR continues to reopen the former Missouri Pacific RR's Towner Line.  Musselman & Hall (M&H) Contractors were using hy-rail grapple truck to move ties at milepost 777.02, RD 49 grade crossing, west of Chivington, Colorado, 19 July 2019.

2-Abandoned grain elevator at Sheridan Lake, CO, 19 July 2019.  Former Missouri Pacific Towner Line looking west.  Contractors continue track renewal on 125-mile long segment (Towner, CO to NA Junction, CO).
 



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 07/20/19 17:06 by cozephyr.

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Thanks for the updates on the line, Chip.

Mike
 

I agree, great to see your periodic updates on this old MOP line.  Never the same without the Eagles polishing the rails, but yet will bring more livelyhood to these grainbelt communities as they slowly dwindle away. Sad but true, as I've seen it and lived it.  However, please keep the updates coming as you shots provide the latest. 

   I dont know how we missed you as we were out that way yesterday too. Followed up to Ordway. Saw the grapple truck too. Still plenty of work but they are making progress!

      Here are two photos related to the Colorado Pacific, ex Missouri Pacific line in eastern Colorado.

      At Horace, Ks just 2 miles west of Tribune, Ks is the old MoP yard. 80 to 100 stored coal hoppers here. No power in town.

      Second photo was the 3910 & 3824 ( K & O power ) at Towner, Colorado with a 68 car loaded grain train.

      A crew with a track hoe had just finished cleaned brush out from under a trestle at MP 760. They were loaded up and moving to the next project.  

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We are preparing for FRA Inspection of the line the week of August 12th.

CoZephyr I wonder if we might make a business arrangement with you to commission photography of certain other features along the line.

Could you PM me?

Thank you.

-  William Osborn .   General Counsel, Colorado Pacific RR    www.texasenergylaw.com 

Sometimes the good guys DO win.... I'm very glad the line was saved from the scrap vultures. Please, keep the photos and updates coming.

dcfbalcoS1 Wrote:
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>       Here are two photos related to the
> Colorado Pacific, ex Missouri Pacific line in
> eastern Colorado.
>
>       At Horace, Ks just 2 miles west of
> Tribune, Ks is the old MoP yard. 80 to 100 stored
> coal hoppers here. No power in town.

Harold, I'm liking your first photo.  Reminds me of back in the 1960's when the MP was full of life and when this yard was filled with at least two more tracks.  Usually the Hoisington to Horace local parked about where the second string of cars sits and the caboose with its cars sat there. Somewhere north of this track was where the eastbound Pueblo to Horace local parked.  Power was the blue & gray MP F units and/or GP-7's and they were usually parked sitting on the tracks just south of the main and near the depot.  
On the track to the north and back side of depot and just east of the depot was usually parked an older MP boxcar red wood reefer with block ice for crews to fill their water supply on power and cabooses.  Crewmen and some railroad families also helped themselves to ice from this car for their away from home residences in Horace.  Further east of this ice car the power units were sometimes parked also.  The "car toads" shack was located east of the depot about midway between the depot and the Main St. crossing.  About 100-150 feet north of the main line on the west side of the Main St. was located the older elevated YMCA dormitory where some railroaders roomed between their turns.  Other crewmen had their own shacks or underground dugout residences in various part of Horace.  The latter were cooler in the hot summer and maybe warmer in winer months.  This older "Y" building was torn down in the 70's or 80's and was replaced by the later dorm to the west of it.  This later "Y" unit became a hunting lodge after the MP line was downsized by the UP in the late 90's.  In this same location just to the west of the older "Y" was the location of the MP railroaders resturant and across Main St. east and just north of the rail main line was the only other resturant, Mrs. (Lillian) Fuller's resturant where the best food was served from 5:00AM to 9:00PM and where most railroaders, farmers, and others ate.  Otherwise, in late night hours they had to eat at the MP resturant. Lots of good memories with railroaders and of lodging at the old Landis House hotel (now gone) a block north of Mrs. Fuller''s resturant .  This was when I helped my father and uncle in farming south of Horace in Greeley County, KS. 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/21/19 16:43 by rrman6.

I guess I've missed something previously, but why is this line coming back into play?