Re: D&RGW Coal

Coal for the San Juan line came from a number of mines over the years. Around Durango, it first came from mines near Carbon Junction (ghost town Carbonera ca 1884) but they were sloped and gassy, then from La Plata Mine reached by a private railroad run by the D&RG. Then there was a City mine that branch off the main right at the round house in Durango. Ten years after arrival at Durango, the D&RG got some coal from Porter off the new RGS, and later Hesperus. All during this time the mines at Monero shipped east to Chama and west. At one point there is indication that a mine south of Tierra Amarilla shipped coal over the TAS railroad to Chama, unknow to what extent but may have been a reason for the Brazos to TA extension. The NML found its own coal mines south of Lumberton and it lasted for years beyond the abandonment of the RG&SW, 3 miles being there till 1929 and 1.33 miles remaining till the 1967 removal. Several coal mines were worked by the Pagosa Lumber company along the Pagosa Springs Branch.
Along the RGS following Porter, was the Ute Mine on the branch, then Hesperus, a long feeder tram fed the Mancos Coal Co. at Mancos for several years. The Montezuma Lumber Co. opened a mine five miles up their line and the New Mexico Lumber opened a mine at Beaver Camp to serve that entire logging line.
During this time since 1900, several very good viens were located on Perin's Peak. The Boston Coal & Fuel Co. built their own railroad up to it and it which ran to near the end of 1926. Later a Triangle mine rebuilt over the Calumet grade and this mine ran until the RGS shut down in 1952.
[This will be part of RGS Story XI due this summer from Sundance Publication, Inc.] Volume 9 or RGS Story shows a cable tram off the top of Smelter Mountain just west of Durango which fed coal to the giant Smelters on the west side of the Animas.
There may still be a day when a coal line is built into the Hesperus area for coal
Today, Monero is closed and coal is obtained west of Durango that is used in D&S, and C&TS. Correction details welcome.