Chris Walker - In the NG&SL Gazette January/February 1989 issue, in
Up Clear Creek On The Narrow Gauge Part 54, Harry Brunk wrote:
" Other information is still elusive. We
know that a CONOCO tank car was delivered to Idaho Springs. My thanks to
Art Gibson who provided an interesting photo of CONX 8 unloading there.
My fellow researcher, Jim Coats, continues to search for its exact
destination. Someone at the Idaho Springs convention mentioned that CONX
8 may have been consigned solely for Diesel and gasoline deliveries to the
Big 5 Tunnel operation. "
That CONX 8 tank car picture was posted later in the
Nov/Dec'89 NG&SL Gazette issue:
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CONX #8 is shown at Idaho Springs in the summer of 1940,
apparently draining her load into an underground
storage tank. Ormand Kelley
took this photo with Frank O. Kelley standing in front of the car. This is a
rare view
of this car out of a train in Idaho Springs. Photo, collection of
W.A. Gibson Jr.
|
Harry went on to write in Part 59 of his series,
"For several years, my friend, Jim Coats, has
been searching for the spot where CONX #8 unloaded her cargo in Idaho Springs,
Colorado. Jim has access to good sources, but neither the local
residents, who were around during the railroad years, or official records have
provided an answer."
Harry subsequently wrote,
"Don Meeker, owner of Colorado Scale Models, told
me that rail history buff, Bob Stull, has information that CONX #8 may have
been contracted to the Big Five Tunnel operation on the western edge of Idaho
Springs. Whether these loads were always Diesel fuel, or sometimes
gasoline, this contract would fit with how the car seems to have been
operated."
" When art Gibson sent the title photo by
Ormond Kelley, he mentioned that it was the only photo he had ever seen that
showed CONX #8 on its siding at Idaho Springs. The tank car is being
unloaded at what seems the western edge of town. It is highly likely that
the load is being dumped into an underground tank, since the structure just
visible on the right of the photo is quite distant from the car and is actually
on the other side of Clear Creek."
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| Here is an enlargement of the scenery and the "Structure" in the picture. |
Ever since that Nov/Dec '89 NG&SL Gazette arrived in
my mailbox, this intrigued me as I kept thinking that the background at
the Big 5 Tunnel siding didn't fit with what I thought I saw on my '82
trip. Over the years I revisited and came to the conclusion it was just
"somewhere else" in Idaho Springs. Eventually I was to
become very good friends with Bob Stull and his wife Lynn but I just plain
forgot to revisit this mystery with Bob.
A decade or so ago, an Antique shop owner friend in
California photographed several Postcards she was selling as she knew of my
interests and sent them to me. These were also put away in the "nice
to have" file but not relevant to the Mill photos that I sought.
After recently re-reading Harry's excellent articles and delving into this
matter, my interest was reawakened...... and thanks to Google Streetview I was
able to revisit I.S. from 7400 miles away.
 |
| Looking South at about the location of the Big 5 Tunnel Siding....of which I have never seen a photo of yet! |
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| Looking North as close as I can get, just a few yards further West due to an Interstate sound wall. |
Looking hard at the "Structure" I concluded
that it wasn't on the other side of Clear Creek but much closer, appearing not
to be a large structure like a Mill but more smaller like a Ore chute and the
open front also resembled a sloped chute. Behind the Tank car there was no
high canyon walls but a low, pine covered slope with a distant Ridge visible
behind, and also a rather pronounced line of rock such as found at a mine
waste dump or mill tailings pile that intrigued me....
 |
A quick recheck on the now familiar Chicago Creek Confluence area yielded this picture at the former location
of the Hudson Mill and the Jackson Mill. There is a Forest Service Building here now, slightly further
up the creek is the newish I.S. High School built on the site of the Waltham Cyanide Plant.
|
That "distant Ridge" seen behind the Handbrake
end of CONX 8 is actually almost where the Big 5 Tunnel penetrated the hills
separating Clear Creek from Virginia Canyon. Given that this
area would have had remediation work done here the scene is remarkable
consistent.
Enter the filed away Sanborn postcard... Note
visible in this view "around 1940" there now is no Jackson Mill, nor
Hudson Mill either and the "new" Mill that adjoined the old Wiley
Sampler with an overhead Conveyor shed that spanned the C&S tracks can be
made out, just ! The I.S. Depot is still in its original location
but as to whether this photo is before or after abandonment I cannot say.
 |
"A" is the Waltham Cyanide Plant, "B" maybe the "Structure" seen behind CONX #8, and C is the roadbed of
the Big 5 Tunnel tramway that served the Hudson Mill. |
"A" is the Waltham Cyanide Plant,
"B" maybe the "Structure" seen behind
CONX #8, and C is the roadbed of the Big 5 Tunnel tramway that
served the Hudson Mill.
I will leave this to your deliberation as to whether I am
correct in my conclusion, or way off base....
Chris Walker
in New Zealand
