On Monday, August 17th, I was invited to ride the Casey Jones rail car to Elk Park with NARCOA-certified driver, Kevin Baldwin, a very mechanical guy from Silverton. NARCOA stands for North American Rail Car Operator's Association---a group which organizes and administers private individuals who drive what are known here as "pop cars" on the narrow gauge rail tracks.
Here is "Casey," waiting on the tracks for the passengers. It was built to carry 11 people but seven of us really filled it up! There is disagreement about the purpose of this vehicle: some say it was used as an ambulance and ran up the little rail lines that carried people to and fro from the mines up the nearby valleys and some say it was to carry the mine bosses to town for lodge meetings! According to The Rainbow Route, a rather definitive book about the railroads in San Juan County. it was actually used for both!
Looking at Casey from the front you can see a flat white area over the windshield with a little red sign on it. That is the gas tank! There is a gasline on the right (black) running down to the engine.
The engine is from a Cadillac car which was built into this funny-looking conveyance, replacing the original engine. The Casey appeared in the news the spring of 1915!!
Almost time to climb aboard! Kevin, the driver, is at the rear, checking to make sure all is in place and everything is working. He and another passenger had to prime the engine---they had to pour fuel into each piston chamber with a tiny oil can and little funnels! It actually has an electric starter and it started merrily (and noisily) on the first try!
There were ten other rail cars in our parade, with Casey Jones leading the way. Here we are, all turned around at the Y at Elk Park, ready to ride the rails back to Silverton. It was a great way to spend a summer afternoon in the high country!!!
