Day#2 (8/24) - Boreas Pass (Continued) There is a small section of the Wye in front of the Boxcar as well as the remains of a foundation near the Boxcar as well. [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica] - [/FONT][FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica] [/FONT]
Day#2 (8/24) - Boreas Pass (Continued) Near the C&S Boxcar that was a information sign about the history of the Boxcar, the old Stone Engine House and Turntable, and the Wye and Switch that replaced that after a fire in 1909. - - -
Yet you have made it to another area that is on my must see list. We have been talking about exploring the Boreas Pass are for several years now. Keep the pictures coming! Ben
Google Earth View Here is a view that shows the Wye and the foundation of the Stone Engine House that I have marked with a GPS location on one corner. You can see the Boxcar just below the foundation. There is more here yet on the other side of road that will be coming up shortly.
Day#2 (8/24) - Boreas Pass (Continued) Now before I head across the road and show you what is over there, lets take a break for a short 2 Min. video to give to a better lay of the land from ground level... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCy2SWGxDeE :tb-biggrin: :tb-biggrin: :tb-biggrin: :tb-biggrin:
Day#2 (8/24) - Boreas Pass (Continued) Lets cross over the road and check out the sign on the other side and read what they have about the history of this site / region and the railroads that operated around here Front - Back -
Day#2 (8/24) - Boreas Pass (Continued) Lisa took several close up shots of the information in case mine were not clear and I found this one well worth adding to the topic as it too shows how things were/are positioned here at this historical RR site.
Day#2 (8/24) - Boreas Pass (Continued) Let's cross the street and over/around the crossing gate and walk up to the Sign that is in front of the Log Section House. Lisa and I will later start taking photographs from various angles to capture the layout of this facility. - - -
Day#2 (8/24) - Boreas Pass (Continued) Before we start heading down the other side of the pass, I took one more photograph. Here you see the ruins of a few of the homes that also once stood here. At one time, this was a town of 150 people at an elevation of 11,482 feet that centered around servicing the railroad and even included it's own post office that has long since been lost to history. Mighty harsh living even today as you can actually "Rent" the Log Section House for a few days if you are up to the conditions that can exist here.
Day#2 (8/24) - Boreas Pass (Continued) Tonight I bring you a very short Video Clip taken at Windy Point. Here in January 1936, a train with two Steam Engines derails due to a snowdrift and they went over the edge. A temporary grade was built to retrieve them both and this grade can still be seen from this point along the road as you look over the edge below. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1JKEYWzTbI
Day#2 (8/24) - Boreas Pass (Continued) As we continue to head down grade, we reach a point where folks of today's Auto Tour as well as when the train ran here that folks get a great view of Mt Silverheels across that valley. Sadly, many of the Auto Tour signs were missing when we look this ride so we missed Auto Tour #6 and at the time we didn't have GPS to help us. With Google Earth, Auto Tour #6 would be at ~ 39°21'36.90"N / 105°56'12.69"W that I hope to get back too. Why, well this stop is was know as "A Curve Preserved" as the auto road is a bit above grade and the RR grade and cut still exists just over the cliff. Someone else did find this spot and has a online photo that shows why we as RR fans would want to stop a take some photographs...
Day#2 (8/24) - Boreas Pass (Continued) Our next stop is where Peabody Spur once was. This Spur headed up to the NW in the shadow of Mt. Silverheels to server the mining in this area. Turning the camera in the other direction you can see the grade we just traveled down to this point. -
Day#2 (8/24) - Boreas Pass (Continued) As we make the turn we pass by Robert's Cabin completing our trip over Boreas Pass nearly completely on the roadbed once used by the Colorado and Southern Railroad. From here we head into Como, CO. Did I just say COMO!!!!!!!
Day#2 (8/24) - COMO Our next stop is at Como, CO which was once a booming railroad junction. There is very little left of it today but there are three major structures still standing. The first of these three is the Depot itself that I took several photographs of from various angles before time catches up to this wooden structure. I sure hope they can find a way to keep this building from falling over... - - -
Day#2 (8/24) - COMO Here is a few more angles that I grab as well as a shot of a few other items near by... - - -
Day#2 (8/24) - COMO Time to get this topic going again!!!!!!! At the peak of railroads in this area, COMO had a large Roundhouse, a Depot, Saloons, Shops, Tenements, and a 43-Room Pacific Hotel. The original hotel burned down in 1896 and was replaced by the one still standing today. The large Roundhouse also fell victim to a fire in 1935 leveling just the Stone section that still stand today. - - -
Darren, this is the first chance I've had to read your and Lisa's journey. You certainly produced a wonderful travelogue. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. Thanks
