Everett Lueck Wrote:
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> Jimmy,
>
> Those dates are indeed what Bob LeMassena and
> others have had out in print for years.
>
> However, there is NO mention in any of LeMassena's
> histories that the Rio Grande rebuilt this line
> at any time between 1922 and 1935 when George Beam
> died, and these are Beam photographs. For that
> matter, the Rio Grande had zero dollars to do this
> sort of work after 1930 during the depression.
>
> None of the construction in these photographs is 3
> rail, it is all SG. In the same series, there are
> a number of photos where the abandoned Colorado
> Midland grade is shown, complete with ties (no
> rail) and no vegetation. The CM was pulled up in
> 1921, and in the photographs it looks like it was
> picked up yesterday. I have seen (but cannot
> find) a photo of one of the 3400 series
> locomotives easing out on to a new fill, and the
> CM grade is clearly visible, complete with ties,
> and the line is totally SG on the brand new fill.
>
>
> If there was another major line relocation project
> between 1922 and 1935, then this would all work
> out. If there was NOT, then there are
> discrepancies between these photographs, and the
> established histories.
>
> Interesting.
There were several line re-locations between Salida and Minturn during the 1926-1927 period.
Jack Thode's "George L. Beam and the Denver & Rio Grande, Vol. 1" has several views of those projects.
LeMassena"s "Rio Grande to the Pacific!" has a photo on page 137 with part of the caption reading "improvement program-undertaken in 1922"
That date is in error as can be verified in Thode's publication.
Jimmy
