Re: Marshall Pass Traffic Questions

STUDENT Wrote:
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> In reviewing eastbound traffic taken to Marshall
> Pass by the turns out of Sargent there are two
> moves I would like some information. Both are ore
> moves in gondolas.
>
> One is fairly regular move, say on the order of
> daily, to Blende. Any idea what the ore might be,
> origin and where is Blende?
>
> Second is a somewhat less frequent, say between
> weekly and monthly, to Pueblo. Any idea what it
> might be and origin?
>
> Thanks.

Ore was not always moved in gondolas. In fact, it was probably more often moved in box cars. When ore was loaded in a gondola in the winter, it would get wet and freeze solid. The newspapers include accounts of workmen using sledge hammers and other tools to break it up to unload. This freezing was hard on the cars.

The Third Division did not have as much ore mining as the southern part of the railroad. About 80% of the normal traffic over Marshall Pass was coal from Crested Butte and Baldwin. Before 1919, a large amount of coke was also shipped from the ovens at Crested Butte.

There were a number of small wagon ore mines around Almont on the Crested Butte branch that would load a few cars each month. A fair amount of ore was shipped off the Lake City and Pitkin branches prior to the 30s, but most of this traffic was gone by 1932. A fair amount of fluospar was shipped from Sapinero, but this all went in box cars.

I have never heard of Blende and I have read all the Gunnison, Pitkin, Lake City, and Salida newspapers from 1881 to the end of narrow gauge operations.

Jerry Day
Longmont, CO