Dave,
I have long been fascinated with the Q&TL and the larger context of the copper country mining and railroads. Q&TL #3, and especially #4, have always struck me as being particularly handsome narrow gauge locomotives. I have done cad modeling of the Q&TL Z-braced ore cars, and am thinking about modeling #4. I am also planning on making illustrations and watercolor paintings of Q&TL trains, and other railroad subjects.
I know what you mean about wondering if it is worthwhile to save old paper and records. It is work to hold on to it, and often unclear how to donate it to an organization that will appreciate and preserve it. I’m sure glad you saved that Q&TL drawing, as it would be particularly useful for developing the cad models. I might also have to visit Huckleberry with my tape measure and notebook.
Currently, there is a lot of local interest in re-discovering lost history of the early mining era of the Michigan copper range on the Keweenaw Peninsula. One such current project that people are working on is measuring and interpreting the ghost town of Cliff and the Cliff Mine. Cliff was a ghost town before 1900, but much of the original stonework still exists.
Here is an excellent website that explores much of the history and extant ruins of the copper country mining industry. There are tons of photos and descriptions of long abandoned mining sites and their remaining ruins if you keep unraveling the site. This is the home page, and for each photo, if you click “view post” below it, it opens a cascade of additional photos, drawings, and comments. A lot of these oldest mines were shut down by 1850-1880. A lot of masonry foundations, iron features, smokestacks, dams, flumes, and other features still exist, but they are well hidden in the deep forests. There are many pages of photos and diagrams of the Quincy Smelter, which still stands in striking contrast to the surrounding city of Hancock, Michigan:
[
www.coppercountryexplorer.com]
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/15/2010 01:54PM by Ron Keagle.
