The Start of it all
“The Team” met at Gunco Lane - no connection with either Sam Colt or Smith and Wesson (apparently!) - with every intention of changing the history and maps of western Colorado forever. Why? Who knows? To what purpose? Who cares? No big deal. Others have done it............. but none have made their mark like “The Team” intended. And on retiring to “The Dolphin” saloon and several pints later, the prospect of doing just that seemed entirely feasible and achievable. Not only that, but “The Team” thought it a practical proposition to model the pivotal point in the development of the “Denver and Western Colorado” railroad at Purgatotry Peak, the highest point on the entire system, as a mark of respect to the many hundreds of people involved in the building of a railway system that conquered the most arduous terrain imaginable. This was, undoubtedly, the point at which (alcohol fuelled?) enthusiasm overcame reason.
It has been said that eating celery is a self defeating activity except for the most fanatical of slimmers. Apparently it requires more energy to chew celery than can ever be gained by digesting it. Much the same can be said of railways with regard to money! With this in mind, a potted history of the Denver and Colorado Western would not go amiss......................
The Denver and Western Colorado Railroad – History?
Gold, silver and other heavy metals had been discovered in the northern reaches of the San Juan mountains long ago. The Spanish settlers that followed the Conquistadores simply took up where the indigenous peoples had been forced to leave off. The problem was that by the mid C19th the newly emerging economy of the U.S.A. was screaming out for these resources. Pack horses, mule trains and back packs were simply not up to the ever growing demands. Something needed to be done. And quick.
Enter The Colonel who, it has been said, quickly assembled a team with the intention of building a railroad from Denver to the furthest reaches of western Colorado and on to Utah, thus linking the two most important emerging trading centres in the area. Quickly joined by others of like mind, the planning of the railroad began.
Problems beset the group from the start. Denver and the best routes west had already been stitched up by the ever growing Denver and Rio Grande Western. Their subsidiaries had already locked out routes to the South. The Colonel and Co were therefore forced to enter into track sharing agreements with the Denver and Rio Grande for running rights into Denver whilst fiercely defending their independence to the, at the time, areas to the north of the D & RGW influence. Then the celery kicked in (sorry, money!). The mines, summer grazing and all that had made the railroad reasonably profitable all changed during the “Great Depression”...... an opportunity the D & RGW could not miss. Buy out! The coveted prize of making the “Denver and Colorado Western” their fifth division was at last theirs. Hey, how else could we explain such a mix of stock? Come on. The D & RGW bought it, so can you!!
Purgatory Peak Now – the Late 1930’s
It’s pre-war. Isolationism is the word. Pearl Harbour is still some months away and the World is somewhere beyond America’s borders. As for Purgatory Peak? It just keeps plodding on. Nothing much changes in this part of the world ....... unless it has to!
Purgatory Peak – the Model
Purgatory Peak was selected for the area to model, not for its scenic beauty (it has none) nor for its significance as a milestone in railway history (as if!). It was simply chosen because getting to this point, not only on the original railway, but also on the model, had been sheer, bloody, purgatory. You will, obviously, have seen that there are two levels to this layout. The upper level was the original “Denver and Colorado Western” main line but has been by-passed by subsequent improvements to the line following acquisition by the “D &RGW”. Despite their best efforts, they have not been able to dispense with the branch (under the mine) to Oblivion.