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The Engine House at Alpine Tunnel

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All drone shots used by the gracious permission of Dave Moore: / 1505602592810214
Correction: destroyed by fire in 1905, not 1906
When the Denver, South Park & Pacific built it’s daring route through Alpine Tunnel at over 11,000 feet, it knew its locomotives would need servicing facilities after the tremendous climb to reach the pass. A stone engine house was built in 1881. Inside was a water tank, turntable, inspection pit, and coaling platform. The structure was destroyed in a fire in 1905 and never replaced. Thanks to the efforts of many volunteers, particularly through The Passport in Time program, and the leadership of Ray Rossman of the National Forest Service, the remains of the engine house have been protected and stabilized. Many others, such as Gene Candelaria, a stone mason, who did stabilization work on some of the walls in 2010, have also put their hands into this work. New approach tracks, a restored tool shed, and a viewing platform have also been added.
All color photos: Kurt Maechner photos, July 2018, except drone photo by Dave Moore.
Historical Photo Credits:
Photo 1: Rev. J. C. Gullette photo, Museum of New Mexico Collection. From The South Park Line by Mallory Hope Ferrell, 2003.
Photo 2: Ed and Nancy Bathke Collection from: Tom and Denise Klinger's South Park's Gunnison Division Memories & Then Some, 2012
Photo 3 and 4 (same photo): Dr. C. H. Scott photo. John Manley Collection. from: Tom and Denise Klinger's South Park's Gunnison Division Memories & Then Some, 2012
Photo 5 and 6 (same photo): Dr. C. H. Scott glass negative. John Manley Collection. from: Tom and Denise Klinger's South Park's Gunnison Division Memories & Then Some, 2012
Photo 7: D. E. Rogers photo. From The Mineral Belt, Vol. 2 - Old South Park - Across the Great Divide by David S. Digerness, 1978.
Photo 8: Charlie Webb and Dow Helmers Photography. From The South Park Line by Mallory Hope Ferrell, 2003.
Photo 8 and 9: Repeat of photo 1
Photo 10: Dr. C. H. Scott photo. John Manley Collection. from: Tom and Denise Klinger's South Park's Gunnison Division Memories & Then Some, 2012
Photo 11: John Ehernberger Collection. from: Tom and Denise Klinger's South Park's Gunnison Division Memories & Then Some, 2012
Photo 12: Repeat of photo 1
Photo 13: Repeat of photo 7
Photo 14: repeat of photo 5
Photo 15: repeat of photo 2
Photo 16: repeat of photo 8

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28 авг 2024

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Комментарии : 35

@Jason-Rose 4 года назад

Another fantastic video. This is becoming one of my favorite RU-vid channels.

@rickdee67 9 месяцев назад

When I see these videos of these relics I often wonder who was the last person to turn off the lights.

@searchingforthecsnarrowgau8853 9 месяцев назад

That is really an interesting thought! I wonder what it was like to be on the last train out of there carrying away all the salvageable stuff.

@cmcer1995 3 года назад

Thanks for the updated version of the Alpine Tunnel Station. Looking forward to checking it out the summer.

@markthomas6436 3 года назад

For those interested, try to find a copy of "Historic Alpine Tunnel", by Dow Helmers. My copy has fallen apart, but I still enjoy it. I bought it at the St. Elmo general store in 1971.

@searchingforthecsnarrowgau8853 3 года назад

Agreed. It was the first book I ever got on the C&S/DSP&P (got it at a library) and what started my love for the line.

@cmcer1995 3 года назад

I saw a 1978 publishing dated one on Amazon for $48.00 same author.

@paulp1530 3 года назад

Great job keep them coming.

@searchingforthecsnarrowgau8853 3 года назад

Thanks! I wish I had more time to make them more regularly!

@tharakadamsarademattanpiti4012 Год назад

Lovely Video .. Thanks for sharing some valuable pictures.. I wish this narrow will run again

@SunnyJohn45 Год назад

I drove this in 1972 or so in my VW Super Beetle. Thanks for the memories.

@searchingforthecsnarrowgau8853 Год назад

Beetles have long been my favorite cars, especially the Super Beetle. My dad had a light blue one when we were growing up.

@lifeisagift.cherisheverymoment 2 года назад

Beautiful video, thank you for sharing this. In the 1970s, I went exploring on most of the abandoned right-of-way for the Rio Grande Southern. I would have loved to explored both approaches of the Alpine Tunnel, but life always interrupted. I really enjoyed this video. Thank you.

@searchingforthecsnarrowgau8853 2 года назад

I'm really glad you enjoyed it. It's quite impressive that you were able to explore so much of the RGS! The Alpine Tunnel is an amazing place-I'm glad the videos have given a little taste of an actual visit.

@lesbratton 2 года назад

Visited in 1990/91, what a magical place.

@searchingforthecsnarrowgau8853 2 года назад

I was there that same time. My first visit was in 1990.

@lesbratton 2 года назад

@@searchingforthecsnarrowgau8853 We rode atv's and dirt bikes past the rock slide at the Palisades, went from our camp at Middle Quartz.

@searchingforthecsnarrowgau8853 2 года назад

@@lesbratton Back in 2018 we arrived in Pitkin planning to camp, but were way off schedule, arriving after midnight with our van full of our young kids. We went all the way to Middle Quartz camp in the pitch dark over the very rough road. We reached the nearly-deserted camp and were a little scared! We turned around and thankfully found one campsite available at the campground just outside of Pitkin.

@lesbratton 2 года назад

@@searchingforthecsnarrowgau8853 There used to be camp hosts that stayed there all through the summer season.

@Rickster5176 4 года назад

I love it!

@jimmythatguy Год назад

Although gunnison will never have rail again, como is coming along well. Its only a matter of years before the line to jefferson is rebuilt

@jimmythatguy Год назад

Maybe decades, but

@searchingforthecsnarrowgau8853 Год назад

@@jimmythatguy That would be incredible. I was recently in the area and it looks like the right-of-way along 285 near Jefferson is partially being used by power line poles.

@philarony4921 10 месяцев назад

Who owns the right of way now?

@searchingforthecsnarrowgau8853 10 месяцев назад

I believe the western approach is owned by the National Forest Service. I'm not sure about the eastern side. I seem to recall that it is privately owned but people are allowed to walk the right of way.

@barrymeyer2805 3 года назад

Love this video

@liteconduit 4 года назад

This old railroad is so loved by so many....Wouldn't it be a dream come true if millions could be raised by rich and not so rich, to restore this railroad? So many billions of dollars are squandered on stupid political campaigns and other less worthwhile things. "If we build it they will come"...and pay to ride! Young and old could experience things from our culture and learn of the hard work, sacrifices and rewards in the history of our state, now hidden and forgotten along this route. Too bad Platte Canyon is flooded, but most of the old rail bed still exists. Many want this. Just talk to the residents of Como and other little towns along the route. Put this on a Colorado ballot and watch it get voted in. Much of the hard work of preparing the rail bed was done 150 years ago.

@searchingforthecsnarrowgau8853 3 года назад

I've entertained the same idea on some forums just for fun and while it is a joy to imagine, the amount of investment is enormous. Plus the railroad is in quite an out-of-the-way place. The Georgetown Loop, for example, has great proximity to Denver. Pitkin, or St. Elmo, on the other hand are really remote. It would be tough to pull enough patronage to make such a line feasible financially. And then, of course, is the reality that even the C&S had a hard time keeping the line free from snow. Sometimes it wasn't opened until June-and there was still some snow! All in all, I would love, love, love to see a tourist line get built on the line, but the challenges seem so daunting.

@barrymeyer2805 3 года назад

Wow, well detailed info.

@ricomon35 Год назад

Excellent presentation. I have modeled all of the buildings and the coal bunker for that area in the Trainz 2019 Simulator. A friend of mine is building the entire DSPP line and parts of attached lines in that sim, and I'm modeling all of the trackside features and buildings for him. A slow process, working from all of the old photos, but fun :)

@searchingforthecsnarrowgau8853 Год назад

That sounds great! Do you have any videos posted of it?

@pacificwarrior7679 4 года назад

Subbed! I wish someone could do this for Rollins Pass...excellent work.

@searchingforthecsnarrowgau8853 4 года назад

Thanks!

@MustangsTrainsMowers 2 года назад

It’s surprising that some of the rails are still there.

@searchingforthecsnarrowgau8853 2 года назад

Unfortunately, the only truly "remaining rails" are the ones inside the tunnel itself, which is inaccessible right now. The rails in the video were relaid as restoration has happened over the years. I'm not entirely sure, but they probably date to the early 2000s, though, I think-though I'm not 100% sure-that the rails used for the restored tracks were taken from rails found at the site: rails that used to be under the snowsheds leading to the tunnel.