Roper's Snapshot Saturday No.40 | 4 Comments - Click Here :

    As some of you already know, and others have probably wondered where Roper has been.... Roper suffered a severe poisoning episode a few weeks back when he licked up some errant horse de-wormer that fell to the ground. Apparently this can be lethal to dogs, particularly to herding breeds. It attacks their neurological system, as this is the method meant to kill parasites in horses. He spent three days in emergency care and teetered on the edge of life. I am happy to report that he is home, and despite a lingering respiratory issue, appears to have made a complete recovery.

Thanks to all who sent their well wishes. Beau the Border Collie and Spencer the Wiener dog are thrilled he is back too. Roper has returned!

Researching Sanborn Insurance Maps | 1 Comments - Click Here :

    Peter F. Brauer  - The valuation records in the custody of the National Archives were created as a result of the Valuation Act of 1913. Railroad companies prepared maps and forwarded them to the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC). The ICC reviewed, annotated and maintained these maps to help evaluate railroad corporate property which was used as a basis for fixing rates that would yield a reasonable profit to the railroads.

    The Cartographic Section maintains two series of Valuation Railroad Maps. The first covers the years 1915-1920 and the second, revised series covers the years 1920 to 1960. Both series of valuation maps consist of right-of-way, tract and station maps annotated to some degree with color markings to show railroad property changes. The majority of the maps are blueprints measuring 24 by 56 inches. Coverage is nationwide and arranged alphabetically by railroad name, there-under alphabetically by state, when listed, or numerically by valuation section, there-under numerically by map number. Individual map sheets typically contain information on land acquisition, such as grantor and grantee, and engineering information, such as the layout of track, the locations of roads, and railroad buildings and bridges. The scale of the maps range from 1 inch to 100 feet to 1 inch to 400 feet. 

    The revisions include new acquisitions to the railroad or track/property no longer in use between 1920 and 1960. Revised maps were often not created when there were no significant changes to document. Therefore, gaps in coverage do exist at the railroad, valuation section, and map level. Combined, the two series consist of nearly 250,000 maps. 

    We do not have a database listing every valuation map in our custody. We have coverage for nearly every standard gauge freight carrying railroad operating at the time of the valuation survey during the 1910's in the conterminous United States. This excludes interurban passenger railroads, narrow gauge, trolley, and most logging and mining railroads. We have index maps in our research room and filed with the records that show the extent of valuation sections and in some cases the coverage of individual maps. 

    You may search for specific railroads using the National Archives’ Online Public Access (OPA) at http://www.archives.gov/research/search. These catalog entries are intended to give researchers a general description of records held by the National Archives. The catalog does not provide an item level index of the maps or access to digital versions of the maps. 

    If a researcher is looking for a specific railroad covering a specific area they may provide us, via email to carto@nara.gov, with as much information as possible (e.g. railroad name during the early twentieth century and coverage area including town, county, state, township and range coordinates, etc.). Once we receive this information, our staff we determine if any maps exist within our holdings, and if so will provide citations for ordering copies. 

    Copies of large-format maps and plans can be mail ordered from authorized vendors. All copy orders are custom orders, and copy costs are determined by the size of the record and the type of copy requested (electrostatic, photographic, scanned, etc). The least expensive copy of an average size map or plan in our custody is over $50.00. Any questions regarding copy formats and costs should be directed directly to the vendor. A list of private vendors may be found at the following web address: http://www.archives.gov/research/order/vendors-photos-maps-dc.html 

    Researchers may also visit our research room located at 8601 Adelphi Road in College Park, Maryland. There you may view the records and place an order for any copies you would like to purchase. Our public service hours are Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. We have closed stacks, meaning records are brought out to researchers five times per day at 10:00, 11:00, 1:30, 2:30, and 3:30 Monday through Friday. Records are not pulled on Saturdays. Black and white photocopies can be obtained in our research room for $3.50 a linear foot ($5.00 for color), although there is a ten copy per day limit. Scanned reproductions are $3.50 each with the same copy limit of 10 per day. The use of non-flash photography is also permitted. No appointment is necessary. For additional information regarding research room hours please see our website at http://www.archives.gov. 

    If you require extensive research you may wish to hire a private researcher to conduct paid research on your behalf. Information regarding this research option can be found at: http://www.archives.gov/research/hire-help. The textual records of the Interstate Commerce Commission that relate to the railroad valuation maps are also housed at our College Park Facility within the Textual Records Division. These records include information on railroad facilities and property, land acquisition and appraisal, engineering field notes, railroad inspection reports, annual reports of railroad companies, railroad abandonment, and railroad accident reports. An article summarizing the textual railroad records in the National Archives can be found at http://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/1997/spring/railroad-records-1.html.         Reference inquires relating to these records may be emailed to archives2reference@nara.gov.

Peter F. Brauer 
Archivist - Cartographic Section National Archives and Records Administration 
(P) 301-837-2036 
(F) 301-837-3622 
carto@nara.gov 

Colorado Central Locomotive Kits | 4 Comments - Click Here :

    Robert Stears - I just received these photographs this afternoon from my friend Bill Meredith showing the mind blowing work that is coming off of his work bench.

    Here are the initial “build-up” photographs of an On3 Colorado Central Porter Bell brass/nickel silver kit mechanism being developed and built by my friend Bill Meredith. These will be available (via The Leadville Shops) as very limited run kits representing several different variations of the Colorado Central Porter-Bell locomotives. I don’t know yet about how many versions/custom variations of the kit will be available, but as one of the agent provocateurs of this project, I have reserved On3 Porter-Bell engines #30 and  #32 as in the attached photographs. Maybe I can convince Bill to do the Colorado Central saddle tank version for me in On3 as well – once my daughter graduates form college this June.

    These kits have scores of custom cast brass/nickel silver detail parts mastered by Bill Meredith, as well as detail part masters made from uber-high tech stereo lithography micro fabrication techniques. Yes, the fluted Rogers sand dome on #30 was done using a 3D Stereo-lithography master; as was the correct South Park/UP box headlight. 

    All the detail parts are extremely well designed and are dead on accurate. After seeing these wonderful detail  parts I can tell you without hesitation that they are very very cool.  Bill has also used the most advanced nickel silver and brass etching processes (using his designs) done by a group of super detail train guy maniacs in Scotland - These are the same guys who etch many of those crazy cool brass locomotive kits so common in the United Kingdom.

    Bill has designed an easy to build, historically (and mind blowing) accurate model kit of these Porter-Bell engines with working Stephenson valve gear – similar to (but more advanced than) the wonderful techniques used by our locomotive model building cousins in the United Kingdom.  Definitely museum quality work by one of the great model building masters of our, or any time.

     Custom water slide decals designed by Bill and printed by Ron Roberts of Rail Graphics, Inc. – These are supremely sweet “thin film” decals.

    As a side bar: A spin off from this C.C. Porter-Bell project are scores of accurate south Park locomotive and passenger car detail parts which will be soon available. If you are a Colorado Central fan, as I am, keep your ear to the rail.

    No exact details yet on the release date, price of the kits or exact kit version available. Watch The Leadville Shops  Facebook page for further details.

Respectfully Submitted,

Robert Stears

Roper's Snapshot Saturday No.39 | 7 Comments - Click Here :

Roper's Snapshot Saturday No.38 | 5 Comments - Click Here :

Roper's Snapshot Saturday No.37 | 2 Comments - Click Here :

Roper's Snapshot Saturday No.36 | 8 Comments - Click Here :

Rotary #99200 | 2 Comments - Click Here :

    Mike Trent - With all the weather mayhem crippling a good part of the country this weekend, it seemed appropriate to get out the rotary for the first time this year. This On3 model was built in 1986 using the frame, cowling, wheel, and trucks from a Durango Press RGS Rotary #02. I used both the C&S Folio for #99200 and the plans and a few parts like the scribbed siding and some other odds and ends from the kit. After a long and meandering journey through the wilderness, it turned out pretty well. 

    During construction, I scoured every photograph I could find, and that anyone else could find for details, and discussed various aspects of how various things were, how they appeared, and could have or should have been built and maybe were over Saturday breakfasts with my barnyard friends at JJ McCabe's in Boulder for months. Sadly, one of the most valuable resources for this project were a couple of photographs taken the day after the 1935 roundhouse fire which burned off the wood body that appear in the Pictorial Supplement. In the end, like #537, I pretty much went through it making every effort to duplicate what I could find or see in photographs. 

    Within a week of finishing it prior to the 1986 Narrow Gauge Convention, Todd Hackett, with whom I had commiserated on too many aspects of this to be counted, found a rare 3/4 rear view of the rotary heading out of  Como on a run to Boreas, and that photo showed that the cover over the coal bunker was actually slightly peaked. In every angle and view we had seen and studied before that, we had been convinced that it was flat. Oh, well. So, Darel, take note! 

    Many helped with various things along the way. Old Doug Schnarbush's contribution was that he told me that the interior of the cowling and wheel were not painted, rather they just gooped up graphite and oil in there because snow and ice wouldn't stick to it. 

    The tender wrapper is from one of the PSC tender kits that were available at that time, similar to one I used on #537, and also on my new #73. which I bought on ebay without a tender. All three of the wrappers are different lengths, and all are very close to what each needed. The PSC tender kits do appear on ebay, so if anyone is looking to build one of these in 1/4" scale, keep your eyes peeled for them.

    And here is my first attempt to Photoshop anything like a winter scene here at Dickey. On occasion, the rotary was run on the passenger train, as is seen here leaving Dickey to plow up into heavy snow at Dillon. Afterward, the train backed down to Dickey and headed off into the teeth of the storm toward Leadville. Train No.70 Rotary 99200, #75, #6. 

Mike Trent

Roper's Snapshot Saturday No.35 | 10 Comments - Click Here :

Carol Weiss Photo 8-'42, Derrell Poole Collection.

Carol Weiss Photo 8-'42, Derrell Poole Collection.

Carol Weiss Photo 8-'42, Derrell Poole Collection.

Carol Weiss Photo 8-'42, Derrell Poole Collection.

Carol Weiss Photo 8-'42, Derrell Poole Collection.

Carol Weiss Photo 8-'42, Derrell Poole Collection.

Roper's Snapshot Saturday No.34 | 9 Comments - Click Here :