Colorado Resources

[Jalcubed]

I quite new to Model Trains, Just over 3 months in fact.

I'm modeling in N Scale, modular format, using Santa Fe and Private Companies (so far) on a fictional layout set in the ealy 1900's based on the Colorado landscape.

I live in New Zealand and I've having trouble with finding enough images and rescources. My first module will contain a railroad jucntion and small town, based vaguely on Basalt, Colorado. It will be quite different though. Later modules will feature coal mining and lumber indutries other small towns and eventually a large scale city rail yard setting, (that may be 20 years away! who knows!).

So I after images of the Colorado landscape and rail images of small town and industires. They don't have to be from the era and I can still get an idea of the landscape. But if anyone has old images of the steam day in Colorado that would be fantasic!

Hopefully someone can help me.

Cheers

Jason Lennie

 

[Bama Red]

Jason -
Welcome to this great hobby! Try this link - it is historic images from the Library of Congress. The top of the page starts with California, but scroll down to Colorado. Once in the Colorado area, it is alphabetic by counties. Don't know what county Basalt is in, but there should be plenty of info for you.

Historic America

 

[marc gast]

Colorado Landscape

Jason,

Hi! Welcome to the Gauge. Looks like you are modeling the Basalt, CO area. Basically, a lot Basalt mining in that area. I think the era most interesting would be the 30s and 40s when Basalt was more readily a mineral used.
You should be able to get alot of infromation from the "Colorado Railroad Museum". If they don't have anything on it, no one will.

Also, check with the Glenwood Springs, Basalt area Chamber of Commerce, etc. for photos. There are some famominal gorges and of couse the Colorado River runs through that area also.

I grew up in Colorado and have been through the Basalt, Glennwood Springs area. Its been a few year, so, my photo memory is short a few pixels.

Good luck,

Marc

 

[Jalcubed]

Cheers

Thanks for the replys i'll probably take a look on the web later in the week for the images, I'm a bit busy until. i was hoping to buy the wood for the bench work this week, but that may have to be put on hold until a later date. Hopefully I can make a start on my layout before i head back to my degree, once I've started back i wont have any time for model rail until the holiday or possibly the summer holiday this time next year. However in the mean time I'll just continue my research no matter how long it wil take for me to start modeling.

Bye for now

Jason Lennie

from the land of Middle Earth... New Zealand.

 

[marc gast]

Middle Earth

I could handle New Zealand, definately!

Did someone say Hobbit?

I will have to look back at a friend of mine's layout (1:20.3), it is named after much of the "Hobbit".

marc

 

[OwenCPR]

Jason,

I know how hard it is (and expensive) to get resources at home. If I can help in anyway from the North American end let me know (this goes to any other Kiwi / Aussie modellers as well).

By the way, as much as I love LOTR, at 6ft tall I get enough schick at work being called a bl...dy hobbit!!!

 

[marc gast]

Basalt RR

There are many photos available at the Colorado History Museum also (not the Museum of Natural History). The Basalt yard was not huge, only 3 track yard, etc. There is a good photo of the yard and also track plan in an old "The Model Railroading Handbook". Not to promote any sales or anything like that, however, this is a hard book to find and I have one in auction on Ebay. The Colorado Midland is a great RR to model. The Colorado Midland was standard gauge. Basalt was the lead to Leadville, Glenwood Spring/Grand Junction and Aspen. It also was based at the f

 

[marc gast]

Basalt RR

There are many photos available at the Colorado History Museum also (not the Museum of Natural History). The Basalt yard was not huge, only 3 track yard, etc. There is a good photo of the yard and also track plan in an old "The Model Railroading Handbook". Not to promote any sales or anything like that, however, this is a hard book to find and I have one in auction on Ebay. The Colorado Midland is a great RR to model. The Colorado Midland was standard gauge. Basalt was the lead to Leadville, Glenwood Spring/Grand Junction and Aspen. It also was based at the fork of the Frying Pan and Roaring Fork rivers.
The photo in the book was taken in 1909. "Only the rich would drive to Basalt, all others took the train".:thumb:

Good Luck,

Marc

 

[Jalcubed]

Thank you to all you guys who have responded to my post.
I don't know where to begin, I have thousands of questions. I am having trouble working out my trackplan, especially trying to draw it to scale in difficult. Any suggestions.

I wasn't intending on modeling Basalt, simply because I can't find enough resources. However I did find the track plan and its the only prototyope trackplan I've came across of a yard. I think I found it in the book you're talking about Marc. Our pulbic librarry has the olf and new editons of that book. I took some photo copies of the plan, which also has all the buildings on it. My problem is the key to tell me what the building were was on a different page and I forgot to photcopy it. Since then I have't been able to find the book at the library. And now I can't figure out what the buildings are.

If I posted it here do you guys thik you could work out what each building is??? It would be very helpful.

One thig I'm sturggling wiht is workign out what my trains would be doing, I relise they need to load and unload and refuel etc ad they go from point a and then to point b, but are there minor thinngs that they may need to do? I don't know how many spurs (thats the british term, I think its called something different in America) etc to have. I was hoping my rail yard based on Basalt would be a trasfer for various trains coming in. I don't know if this all makes sense or not.

I'll leave it there for now as I'm becoming confused in my own thoughts!!

Well thanks again.

Jason

 

[marc gast]

Basalt, CO

Jason,

I have a copy of the book you can have.
It is near mint condition. Please Email me your address and I will send it to your for your library and referece.

Thanks,

Marc

 

[Jalcubed]

Hi there Marc

I'm kind of Gob-smacked (don't know if you use that term in the states). Do you mean you want to send me the book to keep?

if I'm correct in my comprehension here, then I am extremely grateful of you. This is very generous of you.

Are you aware that I live in New Zealand, I don't knwo how much it would cost to send is to here. I could help with the postage cost if you want?

Thank you very much. :thumb: :thumb: :thumb:

Forever in you debt :thumb: :thumb: :thumb:

Jason Lennie

ps. part of me is worried that i've got the wrong idea, but I think that is because I can't believe it.:thumb: :thumb: :thumb:

 

[marc gast]

Basalt !!!!!!

Jason,

No misunderstanding on your part. The book is your's. I'll take care of the shipping, etc.

Always grateful to help out a fellow Model Railroader. I'll dig around and find out more information on the Colorado Midland RR. What a cool line.

Please send me your address.

Thanks,

Marc

 

[OwenCPR]

Jason,

I reitterate my post above. If there is anything I can help here in Nth America let me know!

 

[Jalcubed]

Hi Marc

Well thank you so much, this is truely awesome!
I did send you my address but it was to your email inbox through The Gauge. I couldn't find your email address anywhere else.

Tell me if you the email it there.
I was looking at your website and the Sasquatch... RR and aam wondering whether you could post more photos of it??
How far do you live from the area i am modeling??

------------

Thank you Owen for your offer on resources, I don't know really know what to ask for. WHat resources do you have? What dod you model as well??

What I would like is if someone has a RR roster, or like the a "Day timetable of a steam trains movements," does that make sense. Basically a record of every where a trainw ould go in a day. FOR example: Refuel and water, sand etc and then leave to station and the days movements after that.

Why do steam trains need sand?? Or did I miss-read something?? An itinery of a steam train would be very helpful in me learning its actions during a day.

Cheers
Jason Lennie