|
RGS Story, The Rio Grande Southern Vol III 3 Over the Bridges Vance Junction
The RGS Story Vol 3 Over the Bridges Vance Junction to Ophir by Russ Collman, Dell A McCoy & William A Graves SIGNED by all 3 Authors NUMBERED 1227
Hard Cover w/Plastic Protective Cover Reflections from the lights on some photos.
496 pages
Copyright 1993
CONTENTS
Stations, Sidings and Major Bridges 13
Narrow-Gauge Railroading in the Ophir Loop Region 149
The RGS Ophir Station Grounds and Depot 241
Vera and Randolph Belisle and the Ophir Depot 291
The Little Mining Town of Ophir 297
The Mines in the Ophir Loop Area 335
MAP LIST
Rio Grande Southern, Ridgway to Rico, Profile Chart 14
Vance Junction 16
Uncompahgre and San Juan National Forests Geographical Map 40
Vance Junction and Ilium Right of Way and Track Map (June, 1919) 41
RGS Right-of-Way and Track Map, Milepost 39 through Bridge 41-A 50
RGS Right-of-Way and Track Map, Bridge 41-B through Bridge 43-A 53
Ames 64
RGS Right-of-Way and Track Map, Milepost 42 through Milepost 44 84
RGS Right-of-Way and Track Map, Bridge 44-A and Bridge 46-B through 47-A 118
Frank Tweedy Topographical Map of the Ophir Loop area in 1894 136
RGS Right-of-Way and Track Map, Milepost 37 through Milepost 47
(foldout map) 151
The Ophir Station and Settlement, 1922 190
RGS Right-of-Way and Track Map, Milepost 43 through Bridge 47-A 216
Kibbe's 1881 San Juan Mining Region Map 241
Sanborn - Ophir Loop - October, 1922 251
Ophir Town Plat 300
Old Ophir 304
USGS Bulletin Alta 337
Ophir, Alta and Matterhorn Area 338
USGS Alta Basin 342
Gold King Mill 345
USGS Palmyra Crushing Plant - Alta 360
Sanborn - Alta Stamp Mill and Bessie Mill 364
Sanborn - Alta, Belmont-Wagner Mining Company 369
Sanborn - Butterfly-Terrible Gold Mining Company, Mill 389
U.S. Bureau of Mines - Silver Bell Mines Company at Ophir 405
Sanborn - Carbonero Mine 406
USGS 1904 Ophir Area Mines 408
U.S. Bureau of Mines - Ophir Area 423
Sanborn - Carribeau Mining Company 429
Sanborn - Upper Suffolk Mine 434
Sanborn - Suffolk Mill, Ophir 441
U.S. Bureau of Mines - Suffolk Mine 445
Sanborn - The Ophir Loop Mines & Metals Company, Silver Bell Mill 455
Silver Bell and Butterfly Mine and Mill 456
Sanborn - Silver Bell Mine 457
USGS - 1904 Silver Bell, Matterhorn 471
Sanborn - Matterhorn Mill 486
Sanborn - San Bernardo Mine 487
INTRODUCTION
AS THE YEAR 1891 BEGAN, Otto Mears had good reasons to be optimistic about his little narrow-gauge Rio Grande Southern Railroad. Construction on the north end, from Ridgway to Telluride, had been completed during November of 1890. With trains serving the thriving mining town of Telluride, Mears had to believe that he had achieved his biggest reason for building the Rio Grande Southern.
The railroad traffic to and from Telluride and Pandora would always be the greatest source of revenue for the Rio Grande Southern. Construction on the south end, from Durango to the coal mines at Porter, was completed, and the winter of 1890-1891 produced handsome revenue for the RGS on both ends of the line.
The entire San Juan Region of southwestern Colorado was experiencing rapid growth, and the area from Telluride to Rico was in the midst of a silver boom. With the encouragement of the profits generated by the mining activity in the hills above Telluride, it is not surprising that Otto Mears was anxious to tap the mining potential of the Ophir and Rico areas.
Construction on the north end of the RGS was resumed at Vance Junction during the spring of 1891. The first nine miles from Vance Junction to Matterhorn would be by far the most difficult and the most expensive part of the railroad to build. The surveyors worked hard to find a route through the rocky cliffs and canyons above the confluence of the San Miguel River and the South Fork of the San Miguel. The route they selected required nearly continuous gradients of 3.00 and 3.25 percent, as well as the construction of an enormous reversing loop of track, which became famous as the Ophir Loop.
All pictures are of the actual item. There may be reflection from the lights in some photos. We try to take photos of any damage. If this is a railroad item, this material is obsolete and no longer in use by the railroad. Please email with questions. Publishers of Train Shed Cyclopedias and Stephans Railroad Directories. Large inventory of railroad books and magazines. Thank you for buying from us.
Shipping charges
US Shipments: When you add multiple items to your cart, the reduced shipping charges will automatically be calculated. . For direct postage rates to other countries, send me an email. Shipping varies by weight.
Terms and conditions
All sales are final. Returns accepted if item is not as described. Contact us before making a return. No warranty is stated or implied. Please e-mail us with any questions before bidding or buying.
Thanks for looking at our items.
| 
