Monday, August 6, 2012

Lysite Wyoming







This is the railhead at Lysite, Wyoming, with photographs also including the J. B. Okie structure, built in 1919.

Lysite is a very small town, although it's seen some rejuvenation recently due to a major natural gas processing plant having been built just outside of town.  It was originally, however, a local agricultural town and it is located quite near Okie's town of Lost Cabin.  Okie had hoped the rail line would go through Lost Cabin, and was disappointed when it did not, but he obviously adjusted and had this structure built near the rail line.  I don't know its original function, but as Okie was a major sheepman, I suspect it was for shipping wool.  Okie had stores in Lysite, Lost Cabin and Arminto as well.

Today this is is a Burlington Northern line.

Monday, April 30, 2012

40 Hommes et 8 Chevals


World War One era French boxcar, at American Legion Post in Cheyenne. This boxcar is of the type in which American troops were hauled in World War One, and examples were presented by the French government to American Legion posts after the war.

Union Pacific Big Boy, Cheyenne Wyoming



A Union Pacific roundhouse in Evanston Wyoming.  One of very few left.  This one is now a museum.

Friday, March 30, 2012

The Burlington Northern (CB&Q) in Sherdan, Wyoming









These photographs depict two Burlington Northern depots, or rather former depots, in Sheridan, Wyoming.  The wooden structure is the older of the two, being a 19th Century depot.  It's in private ownership today, and is actually currently for sale.

The brick structure is much later, and it bears a striking resemblance to the BN depot in Casper, Wyoming.  Apparently Burlington Northern depots were built to a standard set of plans. This substantial depot is also no longer a BN depot, but is now a bar and grill in Sheridan.

Also depicted is a decommissioned BN locomotive, built in 1940.

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Where the tracks no longer run



This area had tracks up until just recently, although now it's hard to tell unless you walk the ground.  This was the location of a sidetrack serving the Casper Air Base during World War Two. Regarded as a potential asset, as they still lead to the airport grounds up until recently, that feeling obviously no longer exists, and they were recently taken out.

Specialized steam engine, PIke's Peak Colorado


I don't know anything about this small engine, other than that it was on display in 1958 at Pike's Peak, Colorado.  It was obviously built at an angle anticipating being used on steep grades.  This is a cog wheel engine, which basically uses a geared wheel to climb a steep grade.

Union Pacific Terminal, Cheyenne Wyoming





Central Avenue, or what  becomes the South Greeley Highway, has an overpass over the substantial Union Pacific yard in Cheyenne.  This modern railroad terminal features a tower, much like an airport tower, which is bisected by Central Avenue, making the UP tower an island in the automobile traffic.

Union Pacific Rail Yard and Depot, Cheyenne Wyoming


This is the Union Pacific Depot in Cheyenne, Wyoming.  Built in 1887, and renovated and added on to in 1922 and 1929, today it houses a railroad museum and a restaurant.  It remains a major Cheyenne landmark.  These photographs were rather obviously taken fairly early on a March morning.

And this is the Union Pacific roundhouse in the rail yard. The railyard itself is a major Union Pacific rail yard.  The roundhouse is the home to Union Pacific 844, 838, 5511 and UP Challenger 3985, all steam locomotives.

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Railhead: Union Pacific Railroad Rail Yard

I recently updated this older entry.  The reason is that I went and scanned the original negatives, rather than the prints, and the old photographs are, therefore, much more clear than they had been previously.

Railhead: Union Pacific Railroad Rail Yard:

Union Pacific, Albany County, 1985

Thursday, February 2, 2012

Painted Bricks: Natrona Transfer & Storage Company

This thread was originally posted on our original blog, noted below, but is being reposted here as it shows how this facility, a transfer and storage company, once had direct rail frontage via a sidetrack.

Painted Bricks: Natrona Transfer & Storage Company:

Natrona Storage & Moving Company was a moving and storage company that dated back many decades. Their substantial building was built just off of the Burlington Northern Railroad, which made for easy shipping in the days when the company relied upon horse drawn wagons to move freight.

This building was in use up until quite recently, although it apparently no longer is being used. In recent years, as the "Allied" sign indicates, the company engaged in interstate moving, as well as local moving and storage.
This photograph was added those above were posted. This photos shows the railroad sidetrack that once served this building.

The painted signs on this building are, in fact, no longer there. Since the original photographs were taken, the building was substantially overhauled and no remnant of the original signs now exists.

Retired rail cars, Casper Wyoming



A sidetrack in Casper Wyoming, just off of the Burlington Northern, with retired rail cars.