Re: Durango Herald Article about 1400 Series Gon

Fritz Klinke Wrote:
=======================================================
> The 1400 doesn't have anything but a flat
> floor--it was trucked to Silverton Wednesday and
> is parked in front of the Silverton Northern
> engine house. I took a look at it Wednesday
> evening and it looks very nice. The 315 guys put a
> lot of work into this car.
>
> These were used heavily well into the 1950s, both
> in coal service and limestone service. After the
> Monarch branch was standard gauged, most of the
> high side gons in Salida were transferred to
> Alamosa for use in the pipe trains. With the ends
> removed, many were pressed into pipe service right
> up to the end of D&RGW operations. I sort of, kind
> of doubt the 1920s marked the peak of service.


I believe it was late 30's into the early 40's when the most coal traffic out of Crested Butte took place and you add in the traffic on the Moanarch Branch--a lot of gons were needed!!!

William
aka drgwk37