Re: The better known - aka "REAL" - Jukes Tree . . .

Dave Peterson Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The "friend of Earl's" mentioned in the article is
> most likely me. Back in the early 90's, I hiked
> the grade up to the beginning of the Narrows.
> Nearly hidden by the Scrub Oak was a very old
> tree stump in the proper location for the second
> Juke's tree.  It was the only stump I found that
> was near the ROW and would appear to closely
> match the background of Juke's 2nd tree . . .


Apparently both photos were taken in 1908, Dave -

So without exact dates we can't really say which tree was first – the one featured behind #401, or the one featured behind #417.  Certainly, since the one farther from town no longer exists, the one closer to town has been photographed more often in recent times.  But the photo featuring #417 has been published much more widely, and is the origin of the name "The Jukes' Tree".  A quick search today found the 417 photo reproduced on page 200 of 'The Age of Steam' (Beebe & Clegg, 1957)*, page 58 of 'Narrow Gauge in the Rockies' (Beebe & Clegg, 1958) and page 105 of Colorado Rail Annual Number Nine' (Colorado RR Museum, 1971), but I did not find the 401 photo in any of these publications, nor do I remember even seeing it until I read the article that Graham linked to above.  In fact, other than seeing the 417 photo several times, I don't recall seeing photos featuring the 401 tree until after the C&TS began running passenger trains in 1971; most railfans in the 1950s and '60s seemed more interested in chasing trains through 'The Narrows and on up the pass than in walking 1/4 mile from the first crossing back toward town to photograph a train passing 'The (other) Jukes Tree' and then not catching up to the train until after it had crossed Lobato or even passed Dalton.

In any event, it's pretty clear that the 401 photo and the 417 photo feature two different trees, and since the latter tree no longer exists IMHO it is fitting to remember Fred Jukes by naming the remaining one in his honor.

- El Abuelo Histœrico, Greengo y Curmudgeoño de los Locomoturas Viejos y Verdes,
aka Der Grossväterlich DünkelOlivGrünDampfKesselMantelLiebHabender

*  I'm getting old:  I requested - and received - 'The Age of Steam' as my high school graduation present in June, 1959.