Bill -
You are referring to the branch that many of us knew as the Buchtel Branch,
because it ran along Buchtel Blvd, but actually it was known as the Connors
Spur. It was a remnant of the old Denver & New Orleans line, originally
built to Pueblo, via Parker, Elizabeth, Elbert, and Manitou Jct, which had
been acquired by the C&S and then gradually abandoned, the final phases with
the contruction of I-25 and the 1965 floods. Some industry remained to be
serviced by the BN after 1981, but in 1993, Regional Transportation District
(RTD) bought the ROW for light rail facilities. This is from Jim Jones *Denver
& New Orleans *(1997).
The diesels which serviced the Connors Spur included engines from the NW2s,
#150-153; SW7 #154; SW1 #155 (ex CB&Q #9146); and SW1200s #156-160. All of
these switchers became BN except #155, sold to FW&D in 4/59 and then BN from
there. These locos were lettered C&S-AT&SF because they were joint line
switchers for both C&S and AT&SF switching. When built, they were painted
in the CB&Q blackbird scheme but did not have the "Everywhere West" and "Way
of the Zephyrs" lettering on the hoods. They were lettered C&S and AT&SF
on the cab sides, usually with the C&S above, although there were
exceptions, and the unit no. below. These switchers serviced the Denver
area yards and branches. This is from Ed Fulcomer's *Colorado & Southern
Southern Division - Color Pictorial *(1995). I am modeling C&S switchers
with Proto 2000 models in HO. I also have Kato NW2s lettered as D&RGW, but
they could be used for #150-153.
Farther down the joint line, AT&SF units switched Colorado Springs and
Pueblo, including GE 44-ton #464, Baldwin VO-1000 #2292, Baldwin DS4-4-750
#632, and Alco RSD-4 #2107. These were painted in AT&SF colors, normally
black with the aluminum zebra stripes or blue with yellow and lettered AT&SF
and C&S on the tops of the long hoods. This is from Hol Wagner's *The
Colorado Road *(1970). I have HO models from Stewart for the Baldwin units
and from Atlas for the RSD-4 #2107, painted in the black with zebra stripes.
Waycars for such local service in the Denver area were C&S wood waycars in
the 10600 series, built by the C&S in 1944 and by the late 1950s painted in
Chinese red. One of the best remaining examples is at the Colorado
Railroad Museum as restored #10606, used now as the birthday car. I am
modeling a C&S waycar with American Model Builders (AMB) Burlington 28' wood
waycar, equipped with four-wheel trucks and modified window locations and
cupola. These were used until C&S and FW&D bought wide-vision steel
cabooses in 1967.
- John Manion
Denver, CO
On Thu, Oct 7, 2010 at 1:24 AM, William <wgstack276@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>
> I have seen some pretty great responses from some real knowledgeable CBQ
> people, so I will give this a try.
>
> When I was a boy about 14, I used to ride my bike down to the local
> southeast Denver spur line that ran out past University and Colorado Blvds.
> and terminated at Dahlia Ave. and watch as the equipment and crew serviced
> the local industry (a few lumber companies, teams tracks, Frito Lay and an
> old feed mill at the very end.)
>
> I want to model the area as best I can remember, but of particular interest
> to me is to know what equipment the C&S used (it was always the same engine
> and waycar), particularly the engine, a switcher of course, but at that time
> I didn't know a SW7 from and NW2. But I do remember it was one of the early
> switchers, sub lettered C&S and AT&SF and numbered in the 150s. I know I am
> asking a lot but hopefully someone might be very familiar with the C&S
> operation in the early 60s in Denver.
>
> Thanks for any help you can offer.
>
> Bill
>
>
>
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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