The attached picture is the current state of a dam built in 1874 in Allen, TX by the Houston and Texas Central Railroad. A photo of the dam before restoration can be seen at http://www.cityofallen.org/parks/historical.htm click on "Historic Dam Site picture"
This is the only known hand-built stone railroad dam for a steam locomotive water supply remaining in the USA . It was built on the Cottonwood Creek in Allen, TX by the H&TC RR in 1874 to create a reliable source of water for their steam locomotives. A pumphouse and water tower were built alongside the nearby railroad track. In 1912 another dam was built further downstream to raise the reservoir level; this totally submerged the 1874 dam.
A few years ago the 1912 dam (currently under a highway overpass) washed out around it's edges and lowered the water level, thus revealing the 1874 dam whose existance was unknown until then. The City of Allen has put a lot of effort into the preservation of this dam; the gabion walls were added last year to prevent further erosion of the dam foundation.
Someday i am going to build a scale model of this dam and it's surroundings. We of Allen, TX are dam proud of it! Incidentally, another Allen claim to railroading fame is the fact that the very first train robbery in Texas took place here by Sam Bass and his gang on 22 Feb 1878 (they got him!)
This is the only known hand-built stone railroad dam for a steam locomotive water supply remaining in the USA . It was built on the Cottonwood Creek in Allen, TX by the H&TC RR in 1874 to create a reliable source of water for their steam locomotives. A pumphouse and water tower were built alongside the nearby railroad track. In 1912 another dam was built further downstream to raise the reservoir level; this totally submerged the 1874 dam.
A few years ago the 1912 dam (currently under a highway overpass) washed out around it's edges and lowered the water level, thus revealing the 1874 dam whose existance was unknown until then. The City of Allen has put a lot of effort into the preservation of this dam; the gabion walls were added last year to prevent further erosion of the dam foundation.
Someday i am going to build a scale model of this dam and it's surroundings. We of Allen, TX are dam proud of it! Incidentally, another Allen claim to railroading fame is the fact that the very first train robbery in Texas took place here by Sam Bass and his gang on 22 Feb 1878 (they got him!)
