Re: Cottonwood (Crestone) Branch

"... the so-called Crestone branch, which extends from a connection with the applicant's Alamosa branch at Moffat in a generally easterly and southeasterly direction through Crestone to a point within the bounderies of the Luis Maria Baca Grant No. 4, which point was formerly known as the town of Cottonwood, a distance of 16.96 miles, all in Saguache County, Colo."
"The Crestone branch is a narrow-gauge line constructed in 1901 by the applicant's predecessor, hereinafter called the carrier, at the solicitation of the San Luis Land & Mining Company, which company, under a so-called refunding agreement, deposited $112,025.68 with the carrier to pay all costs of construction, except for rails and fastenings. Under this agreement the carrier was to refund the advance in semiannual payments equal to 30 percent of the gross freight and passenger earnings, and might, at its option, discontinue operation of the branch if, after five years following its completion, traffic therefrom should be less that 2,000 tons per month for six consecutive months. The mining projects near Cottonwood, which were to be the principal support of the line, failed to develop, and the carrier, under its option, ceased operating that portion of the branch between Crestone and Cottonwood, a distance of about 5 miles. The exact date of abandonment is not given, but applicant's chief engineer testified to his certain knowledge the line between the points mentioned has been impassable, on account of washouts, for seven years."
"Of the amount advanced $24,123.93 has been refunded. There has been no regular service on the line since November, 1905, trains having been made up only when sufficient freight has accumulated to warrant such an action, or when applicant was convinced delivery was urgent. On a mileage prorate basis, the applicant reports that the largest yearly gross revenue from the branch during the years 1920 and 1924, inclusive, was $158.78 in 1923. Taxes on the branch are approximately $10,000 annually."
"The only incorporated town on the line, Crestone, according to the Colorado State Directory of 1919, had a population of 150, and applicant is of the belief that it is substantially less at this time. The population of the territory within 3 miles on each side of the line is estimated by the applicant at 500."
"Only one protestant testified. At the date of this hearing he had been engaged in the tie and sawmill business for about four months at South Crestone. He testified that what little rough lumber he has shipped out has been by truck to Moffat, indicating that service on the branch was not sufficiently dependable for his purposes, that there is now a good road between the points mentioned, that during the past three years he has shipped by rail into Crestone one carload of hay, and that the applicant refused to bill another carload of hay through Moffat into Crestone."
"Our certificate herein will provide that it shall take effect and be in force from and after 30 days from the date it is issued, and that within that period the applicant shall sell the line between Moffat and Crestone, or any portion thereof, to any person or persons desiring to purchase the same for continued operation, and offering to pay therefor not less than its fair net junk value. Nothing contained in this report or in the certificate to be issued herein shall be construed, however, as authorizing such person or persons to operate the line, or any part thereof, in interstate and foreign commerce without proper authority from the commision."
-111 ICC 415-417
Submitted May 11, 1926
Decided June 21, 1926
Certificate issued June 21, 1926
A few other things: There were also protests filed by the San Luis Valley Land & Cattle Co. (withdrawn) and 50 or 60 residents of the area.
A classic case, IMHO, of 'We don't use the line, but don't let the big, bad railroad take it away from us." The ICC dismissed the part of the application having to do with the section from Crestone to Cottonwood, noting that it lacked authority over that line as it had not been operated since well before 1920 (when the ICC was given authority over abandonments and/or new construction).
Probably should never have been built.
hank



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/01/2018 09:17AM by hank.