Display 14: Denver & Rio Grande Western Narrow Gauge Gondola #1826 Description: [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica]D&RGW #1286 was built in 1903 and served the Rio Grande until the end of narrow gauge freight operations in 1968. In the early 1950's #1826 was modified to carry long lengths of pipe by having its ends removed. Following its retirement in 1970, the car was sold to the Black Hills Central Railroad in South Dakota. By the late 1980's, #1826 had found its way to Laramie, Wyoming, where it was part of a display at the Territorial Prison museum. Somewhere along the line, the car lost it's gondola sides and took on the appearance of a flatcar.[/FONT]
Display #15: Denver South Park & Pacific Narrow Gauge Boxcar #608 Description: Built in 1880 for service on the famed Denver, South Park & Pacific railroad, this car was acquired by the Colorado & Northwestern in 1897 and used in the construction of the "Switzerland Trail". In 1904, the car was set out at Cardinal (west of Netherland) and used by the railroad as a bunk house. From the 1920's to the 1980's, #608 served as a summer cabin. Donated to the BCRHS in 2003, this is the most complete of the two or three South Park freight cars known to servive.
Display #16: Denver & Rio Grande Western Outfit Car #010343 (Built 1898) Description: Built 1898 as a boxcar, this car was converted into a bunk car for track crews in 1920. #010343 remained in service until 1942, when it was dismantled and its body sold for use as a shed. The car last served as a shed on a farm near Niwot until 1999. Donated by Daniel Quiat in May of 2002.
Display #17: US Army Hospital Car (Built 1910) Description: This car started out as a dining car built around 1910. At the start of World War II it was turned over to the US Army and converted into a hospital car for wounded soldiers. It was retired in the 1960's and saw various uses in Wyoming.
Display #18: Union Pacific Caboose #3171 Description: [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica]UP 3171 was built in 1923 and retired in 1966. It is a standard UP class "CA-1" wood caboose and is typical of cabooses that the UP would have used on the Boulder Branch. CA-1's could be found at the end of UP freight trains into the 1960's. Following its retirement, #3171 was used to promote the Montbello Business Park along I-70 east of Denver from 1967 to the early 1980's. #3171 was donated to the BCRHS in 2001 and is painted "Armour Yellow", the standard color for UP cabooses after World War II.[/FONT]
Display #19: Colorado & Southern Boxcar #13121 (Built 1907) Description: [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica]This all-wood boxcar was built in 1907 and retired in 1937. From 1937 to 1999, it served as a shed on various Boulder county farms. From the mid 1960's to 1999, it was located on Monarch road in Niwot. #13121 continues to serve as a shed at the BCRHS, serving as an example of a common use for boxcars once their railroad days were over. Donated to the BCRHS by Sombrero Ranches in November 1999.[/FONT]
Display #20 or #21: Union Pacific Pushcart Description: Pushcarts such as this were used by track crews to carry tools and materials. They were usually pulled behind small motorcars called "speeders". The track that pushcart #20 is on came from Pearl Street in Boulder. It was used by Denver & Interurban streetcars from 1908 to 1927. The rail unearthed during street repairs in 1999.
Display#22: Great Western Pushcart Crane Description: Small pushcart mounted cranes such as these were used by section gangs for various track maintenance projects. This crane came from the Great Western Railway and was used to aid in the construction of the track it now rests on.
Display #23: Union Pacific Fairmont Motorcar Description: Small motorcars such as this, also known as "speeders" were used to transport work crews and equipment along the railroad. Often, they pulled as assortment of "pushcarts", as this one is. Some can still be found in use today. This motorcar was purchased from the Union Pacific at a surplus auction in 2004.
This is incredible!! I guess its time to go visit my sister in Boulder.... Having grown up in the Boulder area it blows my mind that this exists. Where exactly is the park? The shot of the C & S (Burlington Route) box car with "Way of teh Zephyrs" sure brings back memories. I lived very close to the Burlington Route in Louisville, CO, as a kid. I remember the last of the passenger trains rumbling through on their way to Cheyenne. I also remember the red and white Burlington engines pulling strings of these box cars past the house... John
Given you know Boulder, take Pearl Steet east, it will change to Pearl Parkway as it crosses under Foothills Parkway. Continue east to where Pearl Parkway changes to Valmont Road. Turn left/north onto 61st Street, then left/west onto Indian Road which will take yo into site. <Click Here - Google Maps Link> See the RR tracks on the far right of the page, the display is basically at the the end of the line shown. Technically it is outside the eastern side of the City Of Boulder but still within Boulder County.
Display S1: Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Concrete Whistle Board Description: [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica]This whistle board came from Lafayette and was used in the CB&Q line that ran from Broomfield to Longmont. It is made of concrete and is a stand CB&Q design used until the 1970's. Whistle boards are used to tell train engineers to sound their whistles when approaching a road crossing.[/FONT]
Excellent, thanks for the directions! Hey, there was a whistle board like that in Louisville also (just south of the old grain elevator). John
Display S2: Union Pacific Whistle Board Description: This whistle board was found as the Valmont Display Site. The UP uses an "X" for its whistle boards. The signpost is a piece of steam locomotive boiler flue, which was commonly used by railroads for signposts during the steam era. (The flues in each locomotive had to be replaced every 5 years, so the railroads had a plentiful supply of free signpost material)
