Coaches #1 & #2
| CCRR |
U.P. 1885 |
UPD&G 1890 |
C&S 1899 |
C&S 1906 |
| #1 |
#182 |
#182 |
Scrapped |
Gone |
| #2 |
#183 |
#183 |
#140 |
Scrapped |
 |
|
(1) Colorado Central coach #1 or #2 in Clear Creek Canyon c. 1875. Photo at
Beebe-161(u),
Digerness3-323(d),
Hauck-41 and
Poor-57(ME)(ul) |
DESCRIPTION
Since coaches #1 and #2 were out-shopped by the Union Pacific within three months
of each other, and reportedly were of the same length, we presume they were
look-alikes. This is reinforced by the fact that we have no identified photos of
one or the other and have seen nothing in the photographs that would suggest
individual differences.
Coaches #1 and #2 had thirteen
double-pane windows
with only the slightest arch at the top,
board-and-batten siding with an oval
name panel, and
broken
duckbill
platform roofs. The clerestory roof was fitted with what appear to be
Creamer's Automatic Ventilators
(the six small “boxes” spaced among the clerestory windows).
 |
(2)
Colorado Central coach #182 or #183 (probably the former) at Horse Shoe
Curve below Sunset on the GSL&P 1 August 1886. (The GSL&P had no
equipment of its own; note “C.C.R.R” on the box car.) Greatly enlarged detail of
a J.B. Sturtevant photo at
Kindig-180
and Speas-28(d). |
HISTORY
Tracklaying had progressed to Forks Creek (13.30 miles) by the
end of August 1872.
Hauck-25 says the Golden
Transcript reported that the U.P. Omaha shops were “building a passenger train
for the Western Division,” and that one coach was now finished and “other parts
pf the train” were due soon. According to another source, the 6 November issues
of the Denver Daily Times and of the Golden Transcript
reported coach #1 had been used for the
first time two days before. It had been out-shopped by the Union Pacific the
prior month.
Track was completed to Black Hawk (21.07 miles) 11
December 1872, and attention was shifted to the Georgetown extension, where
track reached Floyd Hill on 24 February. Meanwhile, the road had received two
more passenger cars: coach #2 and
baggage car #1. Coach #2 was received from
the Union Pacific January 1873.
Whether the two coaches were actually built by the U.P. no
one knows. They were more than likely knock-downs provided by some eastern
builder such as Jackson and Sharp and merely assembled by the U.P. shops.
 |
(3)
Stove side of Colorado Central coach #1 near Mountain City about 1880.
Charles Weitfle photo at
Kindig-62(u)
and Poor-61(ME). (Either
Weitfle was shooting through a pine tree, or the negative has been badly
damaged.) |
