Re: D&S in 1981
| May 15, 2020 11:38AM |
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Oh, but Tacoma has a much more interesting history than what Excel notes on their website. Tacoma almost didn't happen - and originally did NOT serve Durango.
The project was originally started in 1901 by the Animas Canal, Reservoir, Water, Power & Investment Co. (What a name!) They experienced a number of construction problems and financial issues...and reorganized to the Animas Power & Water Company in 1905. That company completed construction and started generating power in May 1906.
Power from Tacoma was transmitted to Silverton substation (what most people call the Silverton "powerhouse" - it never generated electricity) on two lines at 44kv (second line was built a few years later to improve reliability). The substation had three 750kW water-cooled oil transformers to step down to a 17kv distribution voltage. The Gold King Consolidated Mines Company at Gladstone was the first and only customer for awhile.
Animas Power & Water started selling power to the town of Silverton in June 1907 and the town's municipal power operation was shutdown soon after. Animas Power & Water went into receivership later in the year, and operated in that manner until June 1909 when it was sold at auction to the San Juan Water & Power Company. That company operated the system until 1913 when it was purchased by the Western Colorado Power Company and integrated into their growing consolidation of power utility in the San Juans.
Most people don't realize that the interconnected power "grid" that we use around the world today is basically an outgrowth of what evolved in the San Juans between about 1895 and 1920. Originally, each mine and community had their own small power system...but the harsh environment in the high country made reliability questionable at best, especially in the winter. Companies realized it was in their best interests to "play nicely" and interconnect with each other...and voilà - a reliable grid was created.
To keep it NG related: pretty much all of the project materials were transported up the canyon by the D&RG.
The project was originally started in 1901 by the Animas Canal, Reservoir, Water, Power & Investment Co. (What a name!) They experienced a number of construction problems and financial issues...and reorganized to the Animas Power & Water Company in 1905. That company completed construction and started generating power in May 1906.
Power from Tacoma was transmitted to Silverton substation (what most people call the Silverton "powerhouse" - it never generated electricity) on two lines at 44kv (second line was built a few years later to improve reliability). The substation had three 750kW water-cooled oil transformers to step down to a 17kv distribution voltage. The Gold King Consolidated Mines Company at Gladstone was the first and only customer for awhile.
Animas Power & Water started selling power to the town of Silverton in June 1907 and the town's municipal power operation was shutdown soon after. Animas Power & Water went into receivership later in the year, and operated in that manner until June 1909 when it was sold at auction to the San Juan Water & Power Company. That company operated the system until 1913 when it was purchased by the Western Colorado Power Company and integrated into their growing consolidation of power utility in the San Juans.
Most people don't realize that the interconnected power "grid" that we use around the world today is basically an outgrowth of what evolved in the San Juans between about 1895 and 1920. Originally, each mine and community had their own small power system...but the harsh environment in the high country made reliability questionable at best, especially in the winter. Companies realized it was in their best interests to "play nicely" and interconnect with each other...and voilà - a reliable grid was created.
To keep it NG related: pretty much all of the project materials were transported up the canyon by the D&RG.
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488 stops for water at Los Pinos tank on closing day Oct. 1979. Photo courtesy Don Richter
The NGDF was started by Don Richter and is currently operated in his memory by Nathan Holmes and others. Others who have contributed to the upkeep of this board are (in no particular order): Charles McCandless, Everett Lueck, Ted Wilton, Cole Adams, James Bane, John Moellmer, Jon Bentz, Linn Moedinger, lloyd lehrer, Rod Jensen, John Craft, Steven Forney, Herb Kelsey, Bill Ramaley, Russ Sperry (El Russo Loco), Josh McNeal, John West, Jim Armstrong, Bob Bergstrom, Greg Scholl, Blake Forbes Doug van Veelen and Mark Fuller.