Durango to Silverton 1930's-1940's

[Sek_Hakuna]

A few screenshots for those interested in this upcoming route. I am still tweaking the textures, turning trees and correcting other little things. The route itself will be completed soon after Christmas while the sessions will take considerably longer. I may choose to release the route before the sessions are done. There are a few payware items used in this route. Textures, trees, shrubs and grass from JVC, (jankvis). I tried my best to make the route as accurate as possible. The limitations of assets available for this location and era means I had to kit bash a few things and make do with a few others. The map itself is a DEM made with Transdem and is very accurate.

First up is the bridge just north of the Highline. I have Ben Dorsey to thank for this one and it looks great. Fixed orientation, made adjustments. Thx again Ben!

Here is the sawmill in Durango.

Some of the industries in Durango.

The Durango Depot

The bridge just north of Durango

Herrmosa.

 

[bendorsey]

The trestle end should be on the towards Durango side of the river (and a little supporting ground under the trestle bents wouldn't hurt either, lol).

I seem to remember the bridge just outside Durango as having a through truss and either a deck plate or thru plate girder span.

Ben

 

[Eboy87]

Wow, I'll be watching for this. I've spent a lot of time in the mountains around here. The Strator Hotel was very cool when my family stayed there on one trip. This has to be my favorite part of the country. It's looking good Sek. Keep up the good work.

 

[DaSnakke]

Nice project, good luck !

 

[sawyer811]

...This has to be my favorite part of the country...* It's looking good Sek. Keep up the good work.

Ditto on that one Eboy; I may be a midwesterner to the core, even when it comes to railroads, but my heart will always belong to Colorado and her wonderful slim-gauge trains...and ESPECIALLY to the Silverton! kep up the good work, my friend! :Y:

 

[wilh]

Wow! That looks very good. I actually live in Colorado and I am very familiar with the line and your route looks very good.

 

[Sek_Hakuna]

Thanks all! I spent a couple of hours tweaking textures today. There is still a lot of work to do.

 

[nfitzsimmons]

Now we need someone to fix or build the appropriate locos and rolling stock. I took a shot at it and failed miserably.

 

[sawyer811]

*cough* RGS No. 42 anyone? :hehe:

Sorry, couldn't resist. I climbed all over her in the Durango Roundhouse Museum when I was there ages ago, and frankly I kinda fell for her.

 

[prre6]

Look up on the DLS. There is a lot of stuff.

Fred

 

[Thad09]

Just some helpful hints:
Hermosa has a white pony truss bridge,
Durango:
Coaling tower. Look for Ben Neal's version on the dls... (not sure if you know this or not)
The Rio de Animas is wide. The bridge you're using seems a bit too small.
The freight houses were single story structures.

Most of my sources are form video's from the '50s and Mile-by-Mile guides. Also the '23 roster of the D&RGW.
Are you going to add the connection with the RGS west of Durango?

Ben,
You're right with the bridge. It's both thru deck and truss.

I tried a reskin of Prowler's C-19 making it RGS #42. I think togog's version of the C-19's would work better. I might try reskining that and see about releasing it on the DLS or something like that.

All-in-all, FANTASTIC JOB!!!!! Can't wait for it to be done!!!!

 

[Sek_Hakuna]

I'll check out the white bridge for Hermosa. The coaling tower I have at Durangolooks fairly close to the one in pictures. I'll try to find Ben's version.

In order to make both towns more visually interesting I elected to use a bit of imagination rather than actual rivet counts. I did try to find buildings matching the ones in photos.......it got to be frustrating and took the fun out of the creation process. I simply could not find enough appropriate structures to fill up the town.

Please keep the suggestions coming!

Randy

 

[Thad09]

Sorry, jsut the OCD in me was kicking in. lol If you need any help, I have a map from the 1980's version of the D&S Mile-by-mile guide that has the locations of mines near the line and the suraounding area of Silverton.

 

[Sek_Hakuna]

I would like to have the map for sure. Hopefully it's in digital form. In Silverton, from what I could find, the mines were some kind of ski lift arrangement to get the ore down to the rail. I did not model that Aspect and left it to imagination. The Cascade Wye had a sawmill at some point and I don't know what year the wye was added. I don't have the wye in but did the sawmill/logging camp.

I'll get some more screenies up today showing locations north of the highline.

Randy

 

[Thad09]

Sek, are you thinking of the Teft Spur? (M.P. 477.9, south of Cascade Wye). That was put in shortly after the line was completed. This was the late 1890s. Otto Mears took control around 1910-'11 to make ties for this lines after one of the floods. Date of the mill's closer, unknown to me. Otto Mear's SG&N (Silverton, Gladstone & Northernly) loco # 32's boiler was used there at that mill. The wye there at Cascade was probably put in when the D&SNGRR accuired the line for the Rio Grande back in the 1980s.

I can try and find a map of those mines for you.

 

[Sek_Hakuna]

More Screenshots

Scenery north of Tacoma Bridge

Tacoma Power Plant. I don't know how the water was fed from the lake to the turbines in 1930 but in more recent photos a large pipe can be seen. I like the idea of water splashing down the mountain.

Tank Creek

More scenery

Cascade Sawmill

 

[Sek_Hakuna]

More Screenshots

Bridge north of Cascade

Scenery

Farm, possibly fictional.

 

[sawyer811]

Correct me if I'm wrong (and I probably am...) but didn't there used to be a spur track that crossed over to reach the Tacoma powerplant? It seems like I remember seeing the bridge still standing when I took the train up the canyon (I know it was washed out by a flood at some point...or thought it was).

Great shots and work all around though, and forgive my questions and rambling; it could very well be the siding wasn't in place at this time period.

 

[Sek_Hakuna]

There could have been a spur. I reasoned that since the plant was hydro it did not need a regular supply of anything. I placed a footbridge for workers to cross the river. I do not know how building supplies were brought in.

Randy

 

[Thad09]

Yes, there was a spur leading to Tacoma along with a bridge. Both of you are correct. The bridge and spur were washed away from the 1911. The results from that flood washed away miles of track, hence the saw mill at Teft spur. At Tacoma, the river widen the channel form 90ft to 170ft (from the 1981 D&S Mile Guide). From what I remember reading, water was always supplied via a flue or pipe at Tacoma. I like the idea of it just flowing down the hill. It adds more visual intreset to the area. Good work so far!! Keep it up!!!