Re: Durango, Colo. Ice Used October 1950

Dave:
Here are a couple more questions about the Durango ice house puzzle. I agree with you there was definitely a loading platform early on located on the west and north side of the structure as evidenced in the photo on page 20 of Dorman’s Durango book. This is also confirmed by the D&RGW Durango structure sketch Y-451 page 1 of 3 as reproduced in Maxwell & Small’s "Rio Grande NG in the Summer of ‘41" on pages 115/116. I would also call your magnified attention to the same Dorman photo looking at the south end of the ice house where it appears that there were 2 angled ramps for pulling the ice blocks up from the ground level to the second floor access door.
Now I have understood that the ice house was used by Rio Grande Motorways and the map legend (revised to 1939) reads #30 (structure number referenced on the map)
Ice House (Motorway Garage Sec. Lease # 9563)
so it would appear by 1939 it was no longer being used as an ice house but as a garage.
Again referencing the aforementioned circa 1939 map the 2 structures adjacent to the Ice House are called out as:
#28 Switchmen and Car Inspector’s House (Yard Office in ER)
#29 Coal House
From the photo of the ice house burning in Dorman’s book on page 61 we can see that the coal house was also burned as this was immediately adjacent to the ice house and has the external exposed studs as was typical D&RGW coal house practice. So I am wondering if the structure you are referring to as having the big ice machine wasn’t part of the switchmen and car inspector house (which did survive the fire) and is visible circa late 1940’s in a photo in Dorman's – Durango on page 40.
Rod