Re: Como turntable

from: [www.pinecam.com]



"> ...What is the origin of the turntable now at Como?

The turntable bridge presently in the pit was assembled from the two side girders for the Georgetown Loop. There were two turntables sitting in the yards in Silver Plume for many years with the intent of putting one at Georgetown and one at Silver Plume so that the locomotives could be turned at each end, and the trains would always run facing forward. When the engine house was built in Silver Plume, a lot of the junk in the yard area was cleared out to make room. Local contractor Jerry Buckly, who hauled the junk away, was apparently allowed to keep what he wanted of what was no longer needed, and he moved the turntable bridges to his property below the dam at Georgetown. He thought they might come in handy for some future building project. Bill Kazel, who used to own the roundhouse in Como bought one of the bridges (the one that looked like the original one in Como), and set it in the turntable pit.

Proir to the Georgetown Loop, both turntable bridges were used to support the roof of a City and County of Denver shop building. Ed Gerlitz, who was with the CHS at the time, recognized them as former turntable bridge side girders, and made the arrangements to have them brought to Silver Plume when the building was demolished. The building in question was built shortly after the turntable pit was re-lined in Como (I think it may have been built in 1919, but don't have the details). This was around the time that photos show the spacing on the center panel of the girder changed size, indicating that the bridge was replaced. It is very possible that this is the original Como turntable bridge that was replace in or around 1910.

Todd Hackett"