Track Laying in Como, Session #5

Hmm, lots of progress. Will the turntable be in by the end of the month?

Great.

so you are coming east to view our historical roads? Good on you, and l hope you have a great trip.

I wish I could, I'm stuck here for 3 months building the chambers for the Oroville State Theatre Pipe Organ.

If I weren't 2,000 miles away, I'd be delighted to come out and help with whatever needs to be done. Great job on the freight building and tracks!

I doubt the turntable will be ready before the engine arrives.  

I used to live in New Jersey and Maryland and have been to Cass many times the first being in 1972.  The Colorado railroads are great but Cass is still my favorite because I love Shays.

Curious, where did you get the rail and turnout components?  What is the historic factor about the grade crossing?  Any preliminary photos of the  TT bridge?  What it the thinking about not using tie plates?  Not as needed for light weight narrow gauge?  Will you be treating the cut tie ends?  What allowances are you using for rail expansion/contraction?

The round house is a beaut!  Any interior photos.  Great looking pit.  You folks are doing a great job.  Thanks for the photos.  Please keep them coming.

Tom, I can only answer some of your questions.  Some of the rail and ties came from the BNSF siding into the Boulder IBM plant which was removed in 2001.  The road and grade crossing were in use in 1937.  The road no longer exists but we're replicating the grade crossing from then.  On FB you can find some pictures of the pit restoration.  There are pictures, in my other threads and elsewhere, of the bridge lying upside down near the pit.  The railroad never used tie plates or ballast.  So far we are using old, creosote ties and we have not treated the ends.  I don't now about expansion/contraction but our track foreman Todd knows a lot about track construction.  There are many photos available of the Como roundhouse on the web with a search.  If you can't find any interiors let me know.  I think I posted some here last year.

John, A few thoughts, though not used originally, tie plates AND Ballast will greatly extend tie life and track gauge. Considering the long-term budget, these are important considerations! Two, some of us (yes, we may be in the minority) cannot access Facebook (for me it's because I only have a dial-up internet connection--I live in a canyon in the boonies), but this forum is accessible, so more pics please!!! Or a simple web page (limited graphics!!) would work too. Think what y'all are doing is tremendous!

John, A few thoughts, though not used originally, tie plates AND Ballast will greatly extend tie life and track gauge. Considering the long-term budget, these are important considerations! Two, some of us (yes, we may be in the minority) cannot access Facebook (for me it's because I only have a dial-up internet connection--I live in a canyon in the boonies), but this forum is accessible, so more pics please!!! Or a simple web page (limited graphics!!) would work too. Think what y'all are doing is tremendous!

David, We do understand the value of tie plates and ballast but we also want to be as historically accurate as possible.  After all we are a historical society!  As you may notice there is ballast on the track in front of the depot.  We will probably either remove it or cover it with dirt so it looks correct.

John,

Has the roundhouse been restored or maintained better over the years?

It looks to be in good condition externally.

When I was in the Army back in 1956-58 I drove from Como to Leadville via Boreas Pass in my new 1957 Chevrolet.  I have some unscanned photos of the water tank up the line and the roundhouse at Como, but I'd have to dig them out and scan them. It's amazing to see the narrow gauge restored at Georgetown and now Como.

 

Lew Schneider

Carl, Yes the current and previous roundhouse owners have been slowly restoring it over the years.  It's in very nice shape now.

This is cool watching this.  How is this effort being funded?

I'm a new active volunteer but I've learned that the society is receiving funding from the county, state, and individuals plus whatever we, the members, can provide.  We're hoping with the public seeing our progress during Boreas Pass Railroad Day and the National Narrow Gauge Convention, in Denver, will create more interest and help with funding and participation.

has the group thought about T-Shirts for a fund raiser, " I got turned around in Como" or "I was re-railed in Como" With a pic of the turntable or the roundhouse. Or when the locomotive gets there, a pic of it and "I got Steam Heat in Como" OH, and "Keeping Track in Como"

I don't know but will ask on the 19th.  There are the normal shirts and hats available on the society's website.

I'm part of a theatre organ restoration project and we have a T shirt that is "given" to anyone donating more than $30 (by being given we avoid sales taxes, etc.) It has a picture of the organ console and says "I'm an Organ Donor Oroville State Theatre" They're pretty popular and great advertising for the project.

David, That sounds like a good idea.