Re: "We've pulled the ralls as far as Chamita"

Greg Scholl Wrote:
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> I have a question. So if the Chili line was
> removed in 1941-42, was this the first segment of
> the Narrow Gauge to be removed from service? The
> rest of the Narrow Gauge circle including the RGS
> would still have been intact at this time,
> correct?
> Greg Scholl

This is another one of those questions where the answer depends a lot on definitions. Most important, what date do you choose to start from? [note: books still boxed, so working from memory] Also, do you mean all service or just 3' gauge service? A few candidates, given different answers to the above might be:
Cucharas Jct -Trinidad 1887 (middle rail removed) [all-time, no more 3' service]
Leadville area branches (Ibex branch, etc) Ca 1917 [starting after the last big conversions to std (Mont-grnd jct, NF Br. 1906)]
Crestone Br ca 1926 [Post WWI] [note: some trackage was removed 1923, Blue River Branch, Calumet branch, but these had been out of service for years]
La Madera Br 1931 [Modern era - post delivery of the "Big K's" as some call them]

You could call it the first if your frame of reference is the McCarthy/Swan receivership, which started November of 1935. So the start of the final dissolution in one way since there was continuity of management from then until the Silverton was sold in '81

hank