Wendella, Colorado 1912 *PIC*

Taken in 1912, this photograph shows Uintah Railway Engine #30 leaving the wye at Wendella, Colorado, north on its way to Dragon, Utah. Notice the two different styles of wooden water tank cars, one with two tanks, the other with three. Also notice the long "walk way" suspeneded above the two tanks. This was the standard for water cars on the Uintah untill the rectangular cars of D&RG fame were built in 1917-1920. Water cars were always placed on the front of the train for ease in switching of the full cars at the towns along the way. Being placed next to the engine, the cars could easily be pulled off of the train to siding at Dragon, Watson, or Rainbow and left to drain in to a cistern while the locomotive returned to the train and proceeded on. The empty cars were added back in to a south bound train in the same way, allowing them to be cut out of the train at Wendella, to be refilled, with ease.