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Re: Rio Grande Narrow Gauge Remnant on the Southern Ute Reservation Colorado
Author: Graham Buxton
Date: 09-19-2018 - 13:54
AZebra Wrote:
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> Okay, I'll bite since no one else has. Is there
> really a gondola sitting there today, 50+ years
> after the connecting trackage was removed?
You can see the gondola for yourself, here:
[www.google.com]
> And why was this small area of track left in place?
Keep in mind that much of that era of narrow gauge freight cars were largely made out of wood, with some steel reinforcing/tension pieces. And as the entire remnants of the DRG&W narrow gauge system was being abandoned at that time, there was no market for operable equipment, and due to the low amounts of steel in each car, only a small incentive to recover the steel.
These cars were not the only ones 'left behind' by the DRG&W, there were cars at other locations as well. Its likely that those directing the "last" train's movements did not "know" at that time that would be the "last" train, so cars were moved & dropped when conditions dictated.
These cars were on reservation lands, and that may have complicated salvage to the point that they were just left there.
-------------------------------------------------------
> Okay, I'll bite since no one else has. Is there
> really a gondola sitting there today, 50+ years
> after the connecting trackage was removed?
You can see the gondola for yourself, here:
[www.google.com]
> And why was this small area of track left in place?
Keep in mind that much of that era of narrow gauge freight cars were largely made out of wood, with some steel reinforcing/tension pieces. And as the entire remnants of the DRG&W narrow gauge system was being abandoned at that time, there was no market for operable equipment, and due to the low amounts of steel in each car, only a small incentive to recover the steel.
These cars were not the only ones 'left behind' by the DRG&W, there were cars at other locations as well. Its likely that those directing the "last" train's movements did not "know" at that time that would be the "last" train, so cars were moved & dropped when conditions dictated.
These cars were on reservation lands, and that may have complicated salvage to the point that they were just left there.
