Open House Pictures - October 2011

December Singing Wire will be out soon!

Email us if you would like a copy sent directly to your in-box!!

The Open House was fantastic and lots of fun was had by all who attended!!

OPEN HOUSE

Have a Happy and Safe Fourth! Fire Ban in Effect!!!

Happy Fourth of July Colorado Springs!!!

Email us to request the latest copy of "The Singing Wire"

The newsletter is available as a pdf and has lots of pictures to look at! And it's FREE!!!! :)

Drop by "The Barn" for a tour!!

Saturday September 17, 2011

This indeed be a day to remember for members and friends. As we celebrate Colorado Springs & Interurban Railway car #59

reaching the 50% level of restoration on its way to becoming a fully operational streetcar again. You will hear from several of

the wonderful people that have helped bring the car to this point, as well as some of the almost unbelievable stories about

the car that we have discovered as we have gone about the restoration of this one-of-a-kind car. Our Senior Restoration

Specialist will explain some of what is involved in returning a car that has been out of service for 79 years to a car that is

once again destined to do what it was built to do 110 years ago.

In addition our Birney, CS&IR #135, will be on display. The electrician responsible for the final wiring will be on hand for

Q&A.

This will be a combination of celebrating major progress on Car #59 as well as Members and Friends Day. With that in mind,

here are some of the items in store for you:

* Western BBQ Lunch will be available for purchase.

* Presentation about the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railway from the Colorado Springs Restoration Crew of the Denver & Rio

Grande 1889, Pullman built tourist sleeping car and a tour of their new shop area.

* Museum of the Railway Worker; see the advances in the restoration of their 1938, Southern Pacific Dining car #10400.

* New displays in the Rock Island Museum

* See new displays in the Foundation museum and upgrades in our gift shop.

* Business meeting for PPHSRF members.

This will be a day you will NOT want to miss! You will receive a flyer or email by mid-August that will give you complete

details for this event.

Chicago, Kansas, and Nebraska Railway - Steve Pelles

The Chicago, Kansas, and Nebraska Railway was formed in 1885. Marcus Low was named as its first President. The CRI&P

advanced the CK&N about 25 million dollars to begin construction in exchange for nearly all of the railroads stock. This made

the CRI&P the owners of the railroad from the very beginning. The CK&N had laid about 1388 miles of track by 1888. It was

laid mostly in Kansas and Missouri, but in 1889 CK&N failed to make its interest payment to the CRI&P and so foreclosure

proceedings began resulting in the takeover by CRI&P by June 17, 1891.

Marcus Low was hired by the Rock Island in 1873 as a lead attorney and was active in bringing about the control of the St.

Joseph and Low Railroad by the RI. Low was turned loose to extend the RI into Colorado. In the middle of 1886 Low wasted

no time grading from Elwood, Kansas in the direction of Horton, Kansas. The construction gangs, aided by the fair Kansas

weather and its ideal terrain, were caught up in a wildly enthusiastic spirit of challenge. They threw up the fill, bridged the

streams, and had things ready for the track layers over the first 43 miles.

The trackmen followed to Horton, and then went to the state capital Topeka, which was reached in 1887. From this point the

line was to go toward Hutchinson and then to Liberal, Kansas, but a change was made when a property owner by the name

of M. D. Herington talked Low into moving the line to Herington. At that time the town did not even exist, but was promised.

Herington made a deal with Low to have every concession possible and that he would receive fine treatment when he got

there. By midsummer Herington became a railroad center, and one of the biggest deviation points on the Rock Island system.

1887 saw the railroad build a line one hundred and three miles from McFarland, on the south west line, in a northwesterly

direction to Belleville, Kansas. Then from Herington to Salina 48 miles was constructed, and finally from Fairbury, Nebraska

to Nelson another stretch of 51 miles went into the records.

Roughly following the Old Chisholm Trail, the construction down into the land of the Indians across the Kansas border

progressed through the first half of the following year. Pond Creek was reached on July 15, 1888, and the grading was almost

finished beyond to Skelton and Hennessey, Kansas.

To the north a line from Horton, Kansas through Fairbury, Nebraska stretched its lonesome length to Roswell, Colorado and

southwest from Herington down through Hutchinson and Pratt.

Nothing in all railroad construction history had ever before equaled the Rock Island expansion so rapidly. The entire

mileage from Horton to Liberal was placed in service on February 26, 1888, and to Pond Creek on July 15, 1888. The first train

traversed the 564 miles from Horton to Colorado Springs on November 5, 1888. In all it had taken two years, four months, and

four days to build and put into operation one thousand one hundred and thirteen miles of railroad.

The Colorado extension had its beginning with the incorporation in Colorado of the Chicago, Rock Island and Colorado

Railroad Company on January 31, 1888. On February 15 of that year the CRI & Colorado RR entered into a contract with the

Denver and Rio Grande RR “securing full and equal use of, and joint right in, that part of the road between Denver and

Pueblo, including all main line terminals and depots.”

In another area just west of Horton, Kansas the CK&N headed southwest toward a newly proposed settlement called

Goodland. By August the construction had reached a point 60 miles west of Goodland and was pushing ahead with the

objective of reaching Colorado Springs by November 1, 1888 at a rate of two and a half miles of track laid a day.

CK&N made the crossing with the Union Pacific at an area later platted for the town of Limon Junction, 107 miles from

Goodland. Passengers wishing to go to Denver could take the supply train to Limon and transfer to the Union Pacific.

Eighteen miles northeast of Colorado Springs the CK&N crossed the Denver and New Orleans railroad at Falcon. They built

a large depot there, in their style, with a two story station.

In September of 1888, crossing under the Santa Fe line to Denver, (pillars can still be seen, but the bridge is gone), the

CK&N followed the stream west to the D&RG’s main line. On the west side of the D&RG the future town of Roswell City was

platted, but later was changed to the east side of Monument Creek. East of the main line was laid out as the yard and shops

for the Colorado Springs terminal and became known as Roswell Junction. The CK&N main line was built parallel to the dual

gauge D&RG in Colorado Springs two miles to the south.

The track layers arrived on October 10, 1888 and the connection with the Rio Grande was officially made two days later. The

first train over the line, other than the construction train, was on October 26, 1888.

Service between Chicago and Colorado was started on November 18, 1888, with the luxurious “Royal Vestibule Flyer”,

bringing an actress to Denver and Pueblo.

On July 27, 1890, the Chicago, Kansas, and Nebraska Railroad was turned over to the Chicago, Rock Island, and Pacific

Railway Company, with all railway property, rights, and franchises now under the control of the Rock Island.

Car Barn Stuff and ongoing work

A new sandblast cabinet has

greatly helped our work. It can

hold larger items, it’s

freestanding saving the

operators back, and most

importantly, it works!

Car 135 "The Birney" Work

Wayne Russert continues

working on the electrical

components for the car. He is

dedicating one day a week

doing the work in his shop at

home. He has numerous

tools there unavailable at the

barn. He’s fabricated metal

panels for the operator

controls for the lights and

indicators. They will probably

be black crackle painted to

appear as the same era as

the car. The panels will hold

controls and indicators not

originally used, such as air

brake low pressure warning

indicators, required by

modern safety requirements.

Once these are installed and

wired the next step involves

restoring the two seriesshunt

controllers and the

heavy gauge wiring

underneath the car.

When tour groups pass

through the barn the Birney

receives numerous admiring

comments. The work of Jeff,

Neil, Vince, and everybody

else on the Birney crew is

much appreciated.

CS&IR No. 59 Restoration Archeology by Greg Roberts

With warmer temperatures the work pace on ’59 picked up. Not only do some materials

require warmer temperatures, so do fingers. Structural defects in the lower frame are

being repaired one by one. Some of these have contributed to the historical record of

the car. A charred spot on the interior of one end sill was about 5 inches across and

just over half an inch deep. Located where a choke coil and the lightning arrestor were

mounted it indicates lightning gave ’59 a nasty jolt at some time. Given the

thunderstorm activity in Colorado Springs this is no surprise. Adding to this Mr.

Dodson, who purchased the car body in 1932, storing dynamite in the car during its

service as a work shed we’re lucky to still have it. Good thing lightning didn’t hit the

car with the dynamite in there!

Where one center sill and a bolster sill join, a small piece broken off of the center sill

had been nailed back into place. Since the repair was under the original flooring the

repair was done at Laclede during construction of the car. Due to some added

deterioration around the broken piece it had to be removed so a new piece of wood

can be spliced into place, called a Dutchman. Since the long sills were Long Leaf Pine

the same material will be used for the repair. The replacement pine came from a

World War II warehouse torn down in Texas over a decade ago. While paring down the

center sill spot to fit the new piece the smell of the resin in the pine wafted up.

Shavings were collected and put in a bottle. How long it will last we don’t know, but

for now we have preserved a smell the workman at Laclede who built the car would

have experienced 110 years ago.

Removing the floor revealed a nasty looking hole just over an inch in diameter passing

through a center sill at a 45 degree angle. It had been plugged with caked in mud.

Such a defect in any structural member would not pass any building or structural code.

Properly cleaned and filled with structural epoxy it will pass muster. The origin of the

hole: a knot in the timber which apparently worked its way out years ago.

The ends of the car were covered with vertical Poplar wood panels covered with heavy

gauge sheet metal. Removing the sheet metal on one end revealed faint pencil writing.

It was where some workman marked the number of the panel on the car during

construction. Although this piece can’t be reused, it will be preserved.

Some added information about the car’s future history. Uhrich Locomotive Works has

completed the replica U.S. Type 6 trolley base. Improvements to the original design

include roller bearings, grease fittings, and shunts to pass the current around the

bearings instead of through them. The base is undergoing tests for proper pressure on

the harp. A minor problem with the spring guide twisting is being resolved with an

added keyway. The base, pole, and the trucks will ship to Colorado Springs in June.

Greg Roberts

Car Barn Stuff

President's Message

President's message:

Since our March letter, some

significant events have occurred. We have

a new City Council, and our reading is that

a majority of them are sympathetic to a

revival of the bus system for two significant

reasons; the need to provide better

transportation services to the segment of

our population that is not able or willing to

drive to work and shop for various reasons,

and the expressed opinion of many firms

looking to locate here, that a vibrant public

transportation system would be a major

positive factor in their decision process.

Why is this important to our Foundation? It

is because we hope to joint venture with

Mountain Metro Transportation in the

operation of a streetcar system and that

group's sustainability is very important to

us. The Mountain Metro task force that

came up with a roadmap for their future,

gave a compelling presentation to Council

in late May, with the following

recommendations - discussed but not

voted on by Council. That their task force

reconstitute itself as an implementation

group, to further refine the specific

processes that need to occur, to make

MMT a self-sustaining operation, rather

than relying on annual appropriations from

the City's general fund. That that task force

approach the Pikes Peak Rural

Transportation Authority about putting MMT

under PPRTA and when that agency's

sales tax authority comes up for voter

renewal next year, to request a greater

share of the 1% collected be allocated to

transit operations than the 10% present

allocation.

If and when the above comes to fruition,

the bus system will be on a much stronger

footing from an operating standpoint, and

we will be dealing with the capital needs

required to put tracks in the streets,

with the associated power lines,

storage/maintenance facilities, etc.,

which it's now anticipated the City (or

PPRTA) will undertake, and that of

supplying the cars to operate, which

our Foundation expects to do. At this

point, Federal grant monies with a local

match of 20-50% will be the preferred

option for the City, and corporate or

private sponsorships for restoration of

our cars, augmented by a public fundraising

campaign will be the

Foundation's approach. Complicating

and muddying our plans for our capital

funding needs, the City's new mayor

has taken a "no new taxes" pledge and

the US Congress, led by the House of

Representatives, will probably cut

drastically, transit funding in its future

budgets. Both the Streetcar Task

Force and the Foundations are working

on these issues and I hope to have

some positive news to report in our

later editions of The Singing Wire.

Several Sad Notes:

Our long time volunteer and car

operator, Irene Bones, suffered a

debilitating stroke several weeks ago.

In Pittsburgh, during WW2, Irene was

the youngest female streetcar operator

in the nation, and we had hoped she

would be the oldest when our system

was operating here. Our prayers are

with Irene for her complete recovery.

We also note the passing of Neal

McElroth’s wife Ruth. Our prayers go

out to Neal and his family.

Dave Lippincott

John's History Corner

I have often pondered the lives of our city founder,

General William Jackson Palmer compared with

Winfield Scott Stratton.

They no doubt knew one another, but probably

had few words to say since their personalities and

backgrounds were quite different.

Palmer’s upbringing as a Quaker influenced his

life, but we are not aware of what, if any religion,

affected Stratton. They both called Colorado

Springs home for thirty years between 1872 and

1902 and probably came into conflict when

Stratton supposedly wanted to build his streetcar

line up Tejon Street and straight through the

Colorado College campus. There is speculation

that Palmer had Palmer Hall built to block the

route! Both men were amongst the city’s earliest

settlers and both were adventurous with vision

and tenacity – Palmer built railroads and Stratton

found gold. Whereas Palmer loved his castle,

threw parties and was comfortable with his wealth,

Stratton was uncomfortable with too much wealth

and possessions and preferred solitude over

socializing.

Both men were generous philanthropists,

particularly in giving away properties they had

acquired. Both were enamored with travel by rail,

Palmer in his railroad construction and Stratton

with his building of the Colorado Springs &

Interurban Railway and support of the Short Line

to Cripple Creek. Stratton had a weakness with

alcohol which likely contributed to his early death

in 1902 at age 54. Palmer, on the other hand, lived

to age 72 – sobriety was important to him. We

owe a great deal to both men – they made

significant contributions to our community that

will be enjoyed for many more generations!

John Haney

June NewsLetter - Singing Wire - is out! Email us to request a copy!

President's message:

Since our March letter, some

significant events have occurred. We have

a new City Council, and our reading is that

a majority of them are sympathetic to a

revival of the bus system for two significant

reasons; the need to provide better

transportation services to the segment of

our population that is not able or willing to

drive to work and shop for various reasons,

and the expressed opinion of many firms

looking to locate here, that a vibrant public

transportation system would be a major

positive factor in their decision process.

Why is this important to our Foundation? It

is because we hope to joint venture with

Mountain Metro Transportation in the

operation of a streetcar system and that

group's sustainability is very important to

us. The Mountain Metro task force that

came up with a roadmap for their future,

gave a compelling presentation to Council

in late May, with the following

recommendations - discussed but not

voted on by Council. That their task force

reconstitute itself as an implementation

group, to further refine the specific

processes that need to occur, to make

MMT a self-sustaining operation, rather

than relying on annual appropriations from

the City's general fund. That that task force

approach the Pikes Peak Rural

Transportation Authority about putting MMT

under PPRTA and when that agency's

sales tax authority comes up for voter

renewal next year, to request a greater

share of the 1% collected be allocated to

transit operations than the 10% present

allocation.

If and when the above comes to fruition,

the bus system will be on a much stronger

footing from an operating standpoint, and

we will be dealing with the capital needs

required to put tracks in the streets,

with the associated power lines,

storage/maintenance facilities, etc.,

which it's now anticipated the City (or

PPRTA) will undertake, and that of

supplying the cars to operate, which

our Foundation expects to do. At this

point, Federal grant monies with a local

match of 20-50% will be the preferred

option for the City, and corporate or

private sponsorships for restoration of

our cars, augmented by a public fundraising

campaign will be the

Foundation's approach. Complicating

and muddying our plans for our capital

funding needs, the City's new mayor

has taken a "no new taxes" pledge and

the US Congress, led by the House of

Representatives, will probably cut

drastically, transit funding in its future

budgets. Both the Streetcar Task

Force and the Foundations are working

on these issues and I hope to have

some positive news to report in our

later editions of The Singing Wire.

Several Sad Notes:

Our long time volunteer and car

operator, Irene Bones, suffered a

debilitating stroke several weeks ago.

In Pittsburgh, during WW2, Irene was

the youngest female streetcar operator

in the nation, and we had hoped she

would be the oldest when our system

was operating here. Our prayers are

with Irene for her complete recovery.

We also note the passing of Neal

McElroth’s wife Ruth. Our prayers go

out to Neal and his family.

Dave Lippincott

Pikes Peak Trolleys, Yes! Past, Present and Future!

1.  "Pikes Peak Trolleys, Yes!  Past, Present and Future"

When:  Saturday, May 7, 2011, 1:30 p.m.

Where:  Trolley Museum, 2333 Steel Dr. (accessible from I-25:  take Fillmore east, turn south on Steel Dr. and go to end of street)

Description:  This PowerPoint presentation and tour, hosted by the Pikes Peak Historical Street Railway Foundation (PPHSRF), will show the importance of streetcars in the Pikes Peak area.

Presenter:  John Haney, historian, PPHSRF     

HELP WANTED

As an all volunteer organization, our ability to survive and prosper is totally dependant on attracting new memberships and new volunteers to donate their time and talents to do the many jobs we have.  On the last page of this newsletter is a membership/volunteer application form you can mail, fax or scan and email to us at csstreetcarfdn@aol.com.   Be sure not to include personal information such as credit card numbers if you use email to contact us, as email is not totally secure.

We need a Chief Executive Officer whose primary job would be recruiting members and fundraising for  the everyday operations of the foundation - raising capital for restoration of our cars and construction of the in-street system is separate.  This person could work part-time from home.  We are open to discussing a compensation arrangement based on performance.

Our volunteer needs include a webmaster (when we can bring the management of the website to the facility), a librarian (to maintain our library and filing system), a staff supervisor (to direct various maintenance and restoration tasks for our community service people), an events planner, a grants writer, an advertising/public relations specialist, a restoration assistant (to be trained in materials and restoration techniques for restoring and maintaining both our wooden and steel cars), as well as several tour guides and streetcar operators (who would be trained and available on specified days of the week). 

Contact me at 719-330-4746 or email me at csstreetcarfdn@aol.com with your interests and we'll arrange a meeting.  Dave Lippincott

March Singing Wire NewsLetter is OUT!!!

Hi Everyone! The latest news letter is out and available. Just email us if you'd like a copy sent to you!

Dear Friends and Supporters

 

In my December letter - emailed to you; if you don't recall reading it, please email me at csstreetcarfnn@aol..com and I can get you a copy - I mentioned we were moving ahead, but slowly.  That's still the case.

 

The Streetcar Task Force's next two projects will include contracts for an Alternatives Analysis, which will take the feasibility consultant's recommendations as to corridors where the system will run in its first phase, and ID specific streets, stops, car storage/maintenance facilities, and the number and types of vehicles that will be used.  It will evaluate routes for issues such as buried utilities, competing traffic, and potential for additional on-line real estate development, ridership development, tourist visitations, and the like.  Following that closely will be the environmental impact study as required by all Federally funded projects.

 

The Mountain Metro governance study and recommendations will be available for review by the new City Council and Mayor, after they take office following the elections.  At that juncture, we should have more clarity about how the proposed streetcar system will be structured and who the participants will be, and can proceed with locating appropriate funding sources and raising the required local matching monies. 

 

The Great Streets initiative involving improvements along S. Academy Blvd. has included streetcars along with bus rapid transit, as potential public transportation alternatives.  At this point, there are no funds identified for the project, but we are following the process closely to see if there are areas in which we could contribute.

 

As a non-profit foundation, we cannot support individual candidates, but I would urge our readers to evaluate for themselves, which candidates are willing to support projects of measurable benefits to our community, such as our proposed system.

 

A companion issue involves the continued availability of Federal funds, given the budget constraints being discussed in Washington at this writing.  It's clear that monies for transportation will be cut, but whether those cuts will be directed only at high-speed rail or across the spectrum is unclear.  At issue is whether we will be forced to find funds privately or through other foundations to build our system.

 

Another funding issue will have a direct and negative impact on our foundation; that of continuing funding of our 1901 LaClede streetcar restoration.  We are in the middle of completing the third of five proposed funding rounds, through the State Historical Fund, which should enable us to finish the body work on the wooden car.  (Greg Roberts has a companion article on his work on the car in this issue.)   Previously, work has been completed on frame stabilization and work on the motorized trucks, among other items. What will remain for future grants is the work on the electrical and hydraulic systems, the casting of seat frames, and some other minor issues, which are estimated to cost about $200,000., a good portion of which must be contracted out.  The State Historical Fund has notified us that the State Legislature has appropriated all the grant monies for this coming fiscal year for restoration of the Capitol dome, and in the future, cut back on grant applications from two to one per year.  Projections are that competition for SHS funds will be fierce, as a huge backlog of projects will build up. 

 

We had calculated that when completed, using all volunteer labor, the LaClede car restoration (which, until 1932, ran on the W. Colorado Avenue route), will have cost about half of the amount other streetcar restoration projects of its size and scope have cost other cities.  If any of our readers have an interest in sponsoring  the car, all or part over a three year period, to allow us to continue work on it, I would urge them to contact me at my above email address to visit with us and discuss the matter.

 

Lastly, I'd like to congratulate Greg Roberts, whose applications to the State Historical Society for state historical designations for our unrestored 1901 Brill convertible car and the almost completely restored 1919 Birney Safety Car, were approved in early February.  Hours of research about the historical nature of these cars went into the applications and the SHS committee approved both without dissent or requests for additional information.

 

Dave Lippincott