Re: Work Car 010145

From what I have been able to figure out about 010145, it startred out as a standard guage construction car. The D&RG's 1919 Active Car Equipment List (original at the Colorado RR Museum) has a listing for 26 such cars, numbered fro 0768 to 0799. Beside the listing for 0773 is written in "This car out, see same car on page 10 - Narrow Gauge" The narrow gauge listing has car 0773 as a unique car (class of 1) and lists it as a "Box Scale Testing Car".
The body of car 0799 still exists in Thompson Utah, if you compare photos of 010145 and 0799 they could be the same car (with the exception of 010145's missing platforms) The rather unique clerestory construction is shared by both cars. Also at the Railroad Museum is a photo of D&RGW 010155 from the 1940's. 010155 is the same type of car as 0799 (same clerestory, windows etc) so it would appear that the D&RG cars 0768 to 0799 were renumberd into the 0101?? series by the D&RGW. If they were numbered consecutively, then 010155 was 0783 and 010145 was 0763. (If anyone has a way to post photos, let me know and I will email you photos of all three cars for everyone to see and compare)
That said, whatever its history 010145 is a unique car that should be saved. It has had a fire in it and most sieves are more water tight than its roof. If the D&SNG wants to keep it, they need to do something with it ASAP.
Jason Midyette