Cumbres & Toltec Railroad

CUMBRES & TOLTEC RAILROAD

This train is America's highest and longest narrow gauge railroad.

Both Durango to Silverton and the Cumbres & Toltec were important parts of transporting silver from the mining camps to Denver.

Now they are a strictly scenic and enjoyable remnant of our history.

This narrow gauge train runs from Chama, New Mexico to Antonito, Colorado

and crosses the border 11 times.

There are many curves and switchbacks in order to get to the elevation of 10,022 ft

in the 64 mile trek. (at a no more than 4% grade)

 

The scenery varies from flat prairie, high desert, to pine forests with deep gorges  (Toltec gorge) and beautiful valleys

Passengers are anxious to grab the leaves for a souvenir.

Grab the rocks?  Not so much.

Toltec Gorge

Beautiful views abound!

Intersection of the highway and train track:

The road from Chama to Antonito takes 1 hour,

the train trip takes all day!

The steam engines require LOTS of water to operate.

These water tanks are all along the way.

We had to stop to fill several times,

It takes about 2500 gallons of water.

An emergency water buggy always follows about a mile behind to put out any fires that may start from the coal cinders.

He carries about 250 gallons of water.

When we approached Cumbres Pass (10,022 ft) 

"that little engine couldn't"  make it up the rest of the grade,

so it detached and a bigger engine took over.

"This little engine could"

Note the coal behind the engine--the trip requires 3 tons of coal loaded into the boiler and one person is required to shovel for the entire trip! 

Railroad families used to live in these buildings.

They needed a good amount of supplies for the winter months, as the winter snows could shut you in for a long time.

Children usually rode the train down to the city to go to school, stayed with family or friends then rode home at the end of the week.

Heading down the hill required lots of braking and the smell was awful!

The trip was terrific - a very nice day 

and we highly recommend the ride.

More gorgeous mountains and old mining towns

A beautiful drive up Clear Creek Canyon.

Some of the colors are starting to change. 

It will be so gorgeous in a few weeks!

Clear Creek Canyon has lots of small mines in the mountains and Vicksburg has 

varieties of old equipment from several nearby mines.

The Museum consists of a couple of old buildings which are locked.

The sign reminds you that the homes behind the fence (8 of them) are private 

and not  part of the museum.  

I find it hard to imagine that the owners would spend much time here but one owners has his green plastic chairs out on the front porch.

Main Street-Vicksburg

Such harsh winters!

Several buildings have been restored and a few homes are for sale.

A typical miners cabin.

The lots are 50 by 100 feet, and were free if built on.

Today, this large area contains lots of disbursed camping.

The school house

This one is for sale if you'd like a nice spot in the mountains!

BOY-- can these people hike!

The average elevation of the trail in Colorado is 10,000 feet above sea level, and along the way summits the highest peak on the Continental Divide, and also the highest elevation of any National Scenic Trail: Gray's Peak, a stunning 14,270 feet above sea level.

That said, we are more in the category of "fike" (fake hike)

or "Tromp" (wish we could do more hiking)

We saw a sign to the Winfield Cemetery that told us it was a quarter mile, but we gave up at about 1/2 mile (uphill at over 10,000 ft).

Such wimps!

Another pleasant day.

Leadville, Colorado

 

Our visit to Leadville 

Includes re-visiting the famous Matchless Mine and the history of 

Baby-Doe Tabor (one of the foremost and most famous Women of the West)

and the story of Riches to Rags in the boom/bust wild west mining era.

The mine produced $1.9 billion in 1883, 

Horace Tabors assets had made him a billionaire in today's dollars.

Horace and Augusta had been married 25 years 

when Horace divorced Augusta and married Baby-Doe.

Horace (eventually) died nearly penniless but Augusta went on to become very wealthy.

Horace and Baby-Doe lived ever so lavishly, enjoying all their extreme wealth until the repeal of the Sherman Act in 1893 which caused the plunge of the silver prices  and thereby impoverished most of the miners in that era.

Baby-Doe was ostracized in Denver society, so she returned to Leadville and the Matchless Mine.  She believed that the Matchless would produce again.

She lived alone in the cabin for 35 years, became known as the "madwoman", and died penniless.  She was found in the cabin frozen to death. 

There is so much written of her history, but you may find this article interesting:

https://centralcityopera.org/the-wild-true-tale-of-baby-doe-tabor/

BOOM DAYS

These large stones are used in the annual hand-drilling contest for 

Leadville's Boom Days

In early August the Boom Days includes a Burro Race.

Maybe we'll make is some year.

At any rate, we always enjoy a visit to Leadville.

Cottonwood Pass and Tin Cup Colorado

These mountains have such incredible views 

(and roads to reach the top)

View to the east (toward Buena Vista)

Not too many guard rails on this road!

It is the highest paved crossing of the Continental Divide in the United States.

View to the west 

Tin Cup 

Tin Cup got its name from one of the prospectors that carried out his gold dust in a tin cup.  The underworld ruled Tin Cup and there never really was any law.  

Every time an honest sheriff would arrive, he would be told what to do by the leaders of the underworld.  If he didn't comply, he was killed.  

So, the cemetery at Tin Cup is filled with honest sheriffs 

and other good people that did not comply.  

Around the turn of the century there was said to be about 2000 people here, but the mining collapsed and so did the population.

A few families live here year round, but the rest have summer homes.

Frenchy's Cafe is popular in the summer.

The town hall holds church services in the summer.

Last Sunday, the preacher had come up from Denver.

Interesting architecture

The sign describes a wind storm that destroyed so much of the area.

There were a surprising number of recent headstones, 

but still had a few of the really old ones.

I guessed they didn't practice 'inclusion'

One of the wooden headstones with a date of 1900.

The new flags came on their 'clean up day' for the cemetery.

A surprising nice marble headstone for a Civil War hero.

The Jewish Knoll

Probably the most interesting one of all-

"Wm N. Roesner

Dec 22 1947

for years he was Posen

now proud to be a Rosen"

An interesting day!