Hi there, I don't know much (it's an understatement) about DRGW but I really like the look of its motive power. Ever procrastinating about a focus for a soon to be born layout (in an other life), I was wondering: Do you know of a DRGW branch wich would have had both coal and agricultural (barley,potatoes and the like) traffic ? Thanks for your help, marc
Hi Marc, Agriculture, potatoes and barley, is probably the Alamosa Sub. For coal and sugar beets, probably the North Fork Sub, coal and the Montrose Ind. Lead, beets. The Montrose part joins the NF Sub at mile post 50.6 in Delta. There will probably others, DRGW types, that will add to this. <blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by marc: Hi there, Do you know of a DRGW branch wich would have had both coal and agricultural (barley,potatoes and the like) traffic ? Thanks for your help, marc<hr></blockquote>
Hi Marc, Expanding on the Alamosa branch, you could make it from Pueblo to Walsenburg or Alamosa and run coal trains that way. I belive the Grande interchanged a few coal trains south of Pueblo for points south of Walsenburg. Maybe someone else can add to this subject. How about the Marysville branch in Utah?
Marc, I would go for the Montrose area (I'm a bit biased of course!). Coal, barley wood products etc., they did it all up here! John
Hi Marc, You got me thinking. I know, that's bad . What era were you thinking of?? That would narrow it down a lot.
Jim's right! They weren't haulin' barley for Coors in Montrose in the early 1900s! Coal was always important though! John
The Craig Branch(Bond-Craig) handled(s) corn, barley, wood products, sand, sheep, cattle and of course coal. More recently they are handling tank cars of Magnesium Chloride, which is used by the hiway dept for deicer on raods. Mike
Thanks gentlemen for your feedback, It left me with at least 3 option (sure enough to continue procrastinating) 1° modeling Alamosa area in the 70's-80's(I was thinking particularly of Montevista/sugar junction, nicely descripted by a Swedish fellow with lots of pics, list of industries and trackplans)but having coal mining operation in Creede in lieu of copper (sorry for any geological nitpicker) as terminal for the branchline. 2° modeling Montrose and black carbon area. The gift of a 1/160 model of Montrose depot by the gentleman who proposed this location would be greatly appreciated 3° modeling part of Craig branch, with mine runs, and locals filled with lumber flats, woodchips gons and hoppers for barley.(any potatoe ?) I must confess my preference for Alamosa because mountains are only in 2 dimension (backdrop) and I cannot exceed 12" for the benchwork (fortunately I model in N-scale ) Anyway, thanks again for the info; May be someday, DRGW will run through my bedroom, not around it marc
Marc, If you do the Alamosa area here's a book you should have for reference. "Rio Grande's LaVeta Pass Route. Gateway to the San Luis Valley" By Steve Rasmussen Published 2000 by Evergreen Press Here's a link if you want to order it: http://www.mcmillanpubns.com Click on books, type Rio Grande in the search then go to page 4. Mike
