"I'm taking Mac Poor's word..."
I believe also that he saw that document and of course it was a primary source. That does not mean the comment is definitive. It's a data point. I haven't seen the actual document. One issue that I've found over and over across years of research is that documents are cited in books but sometimes when you hold the actual document you find the information may not be what you were told. Taking someone's word is not the same as fact. There is a margin of error. I've taken to taking pictures of documents, screen-shooting articles and looking for non-cropped pictures because transcription and cropping can lead to error. Do not interpret this as me saying anything negative about Poor, it simply is that he was human and over 30 years of research I've seen and made mistakes. I early learned to listen and then go find the source. I'd love to see that timetable. And even then I've seen errors in timetables. It would be a data point.
Cliff Mestel provided a very nice accounting of what he found in primary source period records from 1890-94 that also need to be added as data points. These were published in early copies of the Bogies and the Loop magazines. 1) St Elmo had turntables listed 1890-93 and none in 1894 and 2) Alpine Tunnel has no turntable listed 1890-94. Thoughts on this: data in documents can be listed as a specific year but likely reflect a time prior to the printing date. For example, the 1894 data for Alpine may actually represent an 1893 accounting. 1894 is a key date as Trumbull took over and then by October started to move to reopen the tunnel. This, plus that mid-90s photo of St Elmo, hints to them moving the turntable in '95-'98. Or not. Data point.
Some other data points:
April 5, 1897 US District of Colorado. The complaint document from the lawsuit of the cook who fell into the pit in the shed:
That in operating the railway and at a station thereon known as Alpine Tunnel, a large shed boarded up on all sides and on top is used for the protection of cars, engines, and a turntable from snow and rain.
That at one side and within the enclosure of this shed, several rooms are partitioned off and used as a station, eating house, kitchen, etc., [all built in 1890 just prior to the line closing for 5 years] where meals are prepared and served to workmen upon the railway and to passengers on the line.
That within the enclosure of the shed or building and within a few feet from that portion so partitioned off is situated a large turn-table with about a pit 10 feet in depth.
That on the 12th February 1897, plaintiff was employed as a cook in that kitchen, preparing and serving meals, and in passing from that kitchen to the outer door of the shed [likely the door centered on the long face of the building facing the mainline], should occasion require it, it was necessary to pass between the rooms and the turntable. [I think this confirms the turntable inside the engine shed in 1897 and would suspect, not yet with solid evidence, that it was installed during the 1895 upgrades the DL&G did when reopening the line. If not already there...]
Jan 21, 1905 Denver Post: The large stone roundhouse of the Colorado & Southern railroad on the summit of Alpine pass was destroyed by fire yesterday afternoon, together with the turntable, coal chutes, water tank, and boarding house. [ie, everything inside.]
Jan 27, 1905 Fairplay: The large stone building of the C&S on the summit of Alpine pass has been destroyed by fire. The structure was a large and important building to the railroad company, as it contained the round house, turntable, coal chutes, water tank, and boarding house all under one roof. The bunk house and other buildings will probably be rebuilt in the spring.
Feb 3, 1905 Denver Post: The turntable at Alpine pass, which was destroyed by fire two weeks ago, has been repaired and other things put back in shape so that the train movements are not delayed on the top of the hill. The bunk house and other buildings will probably be rebuilt in the spring. [it appears the turntable inside the engine shed ruins was repaired and in use.]
October 13 1906 C&S Sidetrack Ledger: New track for turntable 220'. [this is the track just west of the portal on the tunnel construction spoil pile where the engine shed turntable would be moved.]
There is compelling evidence to a turntable inside the roundhouse as early as 1897 and likely earlier. There is conflicting data to this in a timetable and some memories. The big question for me remains the date of installation. I'm leaning to around 1895 as very likely as that was the last period of upgrade activity at that location before the C&S took over. Looking for earlier evidence thanks to the 1893 inventory which hints strongly at an earlier date, which I would consider the summer of 1890.
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 08/21/2020 02:57PM by degg13.
