The Denver Tramway Power Company Building.

This very large structure was built by the Denver Tramway Power Company, a subsidiary of the Denver Tramway, to supply electricity to its network of electric trams in Denver. The giant building was constructed in 1901.

We don't often think of the physical plant that trolley cars of any kid require, but this structure gives us a pretty good example. The building was used as a power generating facility for fifty years, at which time the railway stopped operating (it has since been replaced by a new rail system operated by Denver's RTC).

After the Denver Tramway quit using it, it was used by International Harvester for a time.  Today, however, the giant open building is occupied by the Denver outlet for the recreational equipment co-op REI, replacing a smaller store that occupied a former grocery store in Aurora.

The rail lines still exist and are still in operating condition.  There's presently an effort to secure train service locally near REI, adding to Denver's extensive rail network.

 Storm drain outlet which a graffiti artist had made resemble a cat's head.

Lex Anteinternet: Company B, 27th Infantry, at Khabarofsk. November 15, 1918.

Company B, 27th Infantry, at Khabarofsk. November 15, 1918.

Soldiers of Company B of the Twenty-seventh Infantry waiting to unload supplies from Russian box cars at the railroad yards at Khabarovsk, Siberia, during the Allied Siberian Expedition on November 15, 1918.

Blog Mirror: Lost Rail

I honestly thought I had posted a link on the side bar here to Lost Rail.

I hadn't.

My failure to do so is absolutely inexcusable.  Lost Rail is art, both visually and in terms of the beautiful writing that it features.

Well, I corrected my oversight, but it's an inexcusable omission.

If you are going to check out one railroad blog, check out Lost Rail.  If its a contest between this one, and that one, it's no contest.  Lost Rail is great.

Stop at Powder River.

The Burlington Northern stops frequently near Powder River Wyoming. 

Not at a station. There isn't a station anymore, but just before the small town.  This long coal train was resting there when we went by the other day.

Abandoned Chicago & Northwestern line, Powder River, Wyoming

This is an unusual picture if you know what you are looking at.  In the distance, you can see an abandoned Chicago & Northwestern rail bed.  The line provided rail service from Casper to Lander starting in 1906, but its fortunes declined when it lost the U.S. Mail freight in 1943.   Shortly after that the Chicago & North Western began to run on the Burlington Northern line between Casper and Shoshoni, which still exists and most of the rail pulled.  In 1972 the portion of the rail between Lander and Shoshoni was abandoned for the most part, although a small local line still runs in the Shoshoni area.

This photograph not only shows the 1906 to 1943 rail bed, but also part of the original state highway that has been moved here and there in favor of a better road grade, as well as the current highway.   The old highway is to the right, the new one to the left.  The Burlington Northern is just a few miles to the north, but of course can't be seen in this south facing photograph.

This photo has made me realize how many rail locations I pass by all the time and haven't posted here.  This entire line is one I frequently encounter and could have posted long ago, and its not the only one.

Lex Anteinternet: Mid Week At Work: "The personnel of General Pershing's special train, which is under the direction of the Q.M.C. / Signal Corps U.S.A. August 22, 1918."

Mid Week At Work: "The personnel of General Pershing's special train,  which is under the direction of the Q.M.C. / Signal Corps U.S.A. August  22, 1918."

"Left to right: Rear row: Pvt. l/c H.C. Cullars, Pvts. J.S. Banks, E.A. Smith, T.J. Cooksey, Sgt. Paul Ackwith, Adjt. R.P. Fenelon, (French Army) Sgt. 1/c Roy Wilson, Pvt. C.C. Guiral, Bugler H.C. Trobee. Front row: Sgt. C.C. Crosby, Pvt. l/c S.V. Wiley, Pvt. J.P. Bascou, Cook C.W. Brissett, Cpl. T.A. Johns, Pvt. l/c C.F. Atz, Civilian Cook G. Parrand, Pvt. A. Reed, Captain Earl L. Thornton, Q.M.C. in charge."