Re: Alpine tunnel abandonment

There was going to be a cleanup train run by the Colorado & Southern in January, 1911 but ice in the tunnel forced the train to go out over Marshall Pass. Curley Colligon, who later would run the last common carrier passenger train out of Leadville, was one of the engineers: Blaine Markel the conductor.
Before a turntable was installed at Romley, the crew of the Buena Vista mixed turned the engine around at the Hanock wye.
While the tunnel was considered abandoned in 1910, the legal term was ``suspension of service''. Track had to stay in place until the official abandonment notice was given. The roadmaster routinely borrowed good rail for use on the Buena Vista branch, replacing it with old rail.
I believe various railfan books state that the rails were removed by crews using horse-drawn teams.