DP steamer - a photo on Flickriver

DP steamer

            Here is another view of a "found" image that is clearly taken decades before before the first US copyright law and by some photographer who is long dead. I've never found other images of Denver Pacific Railroad steam engines or a decent version of this. It was so unsharp that most PS tools failed to make a "Dent." This Steamer wasn't a Stanley but was probably shot near Greeley after sneaking up the St. Vrain, and is definitely  an early "American" type 2-2-0 locomotive used as passenger engines with big drivers designed for speed more than traction. You interested in large drivers? The UP RR #844 had drivers 80 inches in diameter making them tower over my 6 feet as I stand on the ground. Neal and I once caught it at over 100 on it's way back to west to Cheyenne. I bet the speed recorder was disconnected. I found no number or name (not that you can) and it may have just put into service as loco #1. The smoke stack and tender load tell me that it was an original wood burner type so it really was a way-back machine. The scene is at a station on the lone prairie. A large building is behind the pilot, cow catcher and the station may be behind the rear. That depends upon the distance of the crank pin from the hub/shaft. It's haul of gondolas and boxes might max that engine even if it is standard gauge. I just noticed that there is no Janney coupler instead of the pre-century link and pin. 

The ties do look like they were recently cut by loving hands at home. It's lucky to be upright. Let's hope that the UP replaced them with substantial ties. 

"In the 1870s, investors of the Kansas Pacific eventually acquired control of the railroad... and as fast as possible.  On January 24, 1880, the railroad merged with the Kansas Pacific and Union Pacific, with the resulting company retaining the Union Pacific name."    Wiki 

I had to edit in a load of fakery to get the old snap to include the pilot. Boy was it crummy weather out east that day; kind of like our last several. 

Longmont's hand-hewn ties can never again be floated down the St. Vrain to the ghost RR! They won't need to use water to grow crops... ever again. The best crop then is actually topsoil. Take the money, build prairie castles and run. Water bluegrass with the river. Don't need no steenkin agriculture.

Taken on: January 10, 2021

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Sets appears in: • Colorado railroads • Historic images more » • Retouching • Steam « less

Groups appears in: • Colorado! • History : images without words don't document more » • Forgotten • Railroads • The American Southwest • HDR • Historical Artifacts • Rural American West • FlickrToday (only 1 pic per day) • Rural America - (Opted out of 30/60) • Traintrack • Colorado...Colorful...Cosmopolitan • Antique Photographs • Rural View (Nature, People, Places) • Colorado - through the lens • Clouds and Sky • Coloroddities • Abandoned and Disused Trains • HDR-Imaging • Colorado country roads • Colorado Historical Group • Railroading Crofutt • Colorado Railroad Museum • Colorado Photography Pool • Trains, Rails and Railroad Equipment • Real West • Ruins and Rust~(NO PEOPLE) • Centennial State Photography • Colorado Official • All Aboard!! The Train • HDR One Magazine • The Fading West/The Fading Past • STEAM TRAIN MECCA • Living Steam. « less

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