The 43rd National Narrow Gauge Convention

Almost 1200 narrow gauge enthusiasts assembled in Denver from August 30 to September 2 for the 43rd National Narrow Gauge Convention.  This year's convention was one of the largest in recent memory, with 80 vendors and 60 clinics, not to mention 44 home layouts and museums open to convention goers.  The convention followed the format of previous events, with clinics and vendors open mornings and evenings, leaving the afternoons free to visit area model railroads and other attractions.  

 

 

I arrived a day early, rented a car and drove into the mountains to visit with a friend from Minnesota who has a cabin on the South Platte River.  The road between the cabin and the river was originally the main line of the Denver, South Park and Pacific Railroad.  Just a stone's throw from the cabin stands a log depot, which once served the narrow gauge DSP&P.

 

The cabin was rustic, but had a well stocked bar.  We spent the evening talking about the history of the place until finally turning in.  The sound of river crashing over the rocks and the light of a full moon were the perfect ending to my first day. 

 

The next morning, after an leisurely walk along the South Platte, I drove back to Denver and registered at the convention center.  That evening I made a quick tour of the vendor room, then wandered over to the contest room.  Models and photos were available for viewing throughout the convention.  Attendees each received a ballot to vote for their favorite entries, with winners to be announced at the closing event Saturday night. 

 

The quality of the contest entries was stunning.  Among the impressive structures was a beautiful HO scale model of a machine shop with lights and working overhead belts and pulleys. 

 

 An HO scale working model of the Durango coaling tower featured a working lift for the coal. 

 

 

As you might expect, most of the models and photos were of Colorado narrow gauge prototypes.  But there were a few Eastern narrow gauge entries.The winner in the passenger car division was an O scale replica of the East Broad Top's business car, number 20, the Orbisonia.

 

 

On Thursday, I drove up I-70 into the mountains to visit the Georgetown Loop Railroad.  The Loop is steeped in the history of Colorado.  By 1879 the silver boom had created a race between Colorado's competing railroad systems. One of the proposed routes, relying on the Union Pacific owned Colorado Central, would extend west from Georgetown, cross Loveland Pass, and turn south to the silver mines at Leadville.  But a competing route, using DSP&P track, crossed the Continental Divide first, leaving the Georgetown route unfinished.  The line never did reach the Divide, but it did beget the construction of the Georgetown Loop.  The Loop consists of a number of  hairpin curves, along with a spectacular, high spindly bridge, built to raise the track 638 feet in less than 2 miles. Today the loop carries tourists over a short run from Georgetown to Silver Plume and back. I did manage to get my photo taken with the high bridge in the background.

 

 After a great lunch in Georgetown, I drove back down I-70 to Idaho Springs, former home of well known author and model railroader Harry Brunk.  Long time readers of the Narrow Gauge and Shortline Gazette will know of Harry. He wrote a column from 1980 to 2010 describing his HOn3 Union Central & Northern Clear Creek Division. Harry’s layout depicted the Colorado & Southern’s 3-foot gauge Clear Creek line that once ran from Denver through Golden, up Clear Creek Canyon, through Forks Creek, spun a branch off to Black Hawk and Central City, past the famous Argo Tunnel, through Idaho Springs and Georgetown, over and up and around the famous Georgetown Loop and into Silver Plume and even a bit beyond.  Harry passed away recently, but his layout has been preserved at the Cheyenne Depot Museum in Wyoming. 

 While in Idaho Springs, I visited a large and incredibly detailed model railroad built by Mike Horner.  The layout, which occupied the entire second floor of a large garage, took over thirty years to build.  In talking with one of the operating crew, I learned that the railroad had not operated in over a year.  Mike's focus is on building, not operating.  But with the help of some local model railroaders, they had managed to get the whole thing up and running in time for the convention.  Truly an amazing layout!

On Friday, I joined several friends for a trip to the Colorado Railroad Museum in Golden, about 30 minutes from the hotel.  The museum has a large collection of historic and modern locomotives and rolling stock.  We arrived just in time for a ride behind RGS ten-wheeler #20. The Rio Grande Southern bought the locomotive from the Florence & Cripple Creek in 1889, pulling trains west from Alamosa to Durango.  A fan favorite, #20 was often requested to haul special charter trains for railfans.  Famed railroad photographers Beebe and Clegg chartered two private cars in the 1930's that carried them over the so-called "Narrow Gauge Circle" behind RGS #20. 

 

While exploring the museum, a young man noticed my convention name badge and asked, "Are you the Russ Norris who has a blog on the internet?"  Turns out he has followed my blog for a number of years -- the very first person who has ever told me that!  

In honor of the National Convention, the museum fired up a second locomotive just for the day.  K-37 #491 was originally built as a standard gauge engine, but the D&RGW rebuilt it to operate on narrow gauge tracks in the last days of steam railroading.  When we arrived at the museum, the K-37 was steaming up next to the roundhouse.  With my convention badge, I was free to wander almost anywhere, so I strolled over to take some pictures of #491.  The hostler invited me into the cab, where he was feeding coal into the firebox.  It was in the 90's in Golden that day, but the weather felt cool compared to the temperature in the cab.

In the afternoon, museum staff pulled #20 and replaced it with the K-37.  What a thrill when that huge locomotive came chuffing up to the station, slowed to a halt, and with a shout of warning from the engineer, performed a blow down for the crowd.

One of the delightful surprises at the museum was the discovery of a large HO scale model railroad in the basement of the station, owned and operated by the Denver HO Model Railroad Club. 

Space does not permit a review of all the historic rolling stock at the museum, but I can't finish without mentioning the famous "galloping geese" on display -- another tip of the hat to the stubborn little RGS, which found ways to keep operating right through the depression.  If you are ever in Denver, the Colorado Railroad Museum is worth a visit!

Saturday morning, the last day of the convention, several friends and I drove up and over the Continental Divide for a visit to the famous Como Roundhouse.  The route follows the DSP&P railroad to the top of the world.  After climbing steeply for miles, we passed the Divide and entered a wide flat prairie dotted with cattle and horses... and the occasional moose!

Como is a small village, but it played an outsized role in Colorado railroading.  The route that succeeded in reaching the silver lode at Leadville (and ended the dreams of Georgetown) ran through Como, which had an engine service facility at the top of the world.  A small group of dedicated local citizens is working to restore the roundhouse.  

The roundhouse has been largely renovated and the turntable is operation.  It is an "Armstrong" table, but the bridge is so well balanced on its bearing that I was able to push it myself with very little effort. 

After visiting the roundhouse and enjoying speeder rides on a half-mile stretch of track, we drove back down I-70, ending the day at a nifty little bar and restaurant not far from the cabin where I spent my first night. What a great way to wind  up a fabulous adventure!

 

 

The 43rd National Narrow Gauge Convention came to an end Saturday night.  Contest award winners were announced and a vote was taken on where the next annual conventions will be held.  Next year's event will be in Pittsburgh, and will feature a bus trip to visit the East Broad Top Railroad.  Future conventions will be in St. Louis, Minneapolis and Nashville.