Author: Mel Mcfarland
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Summer storms | Caboose Cobwebs
If you are new to the region, this may be news for you. The “old-timers” can tell you it is nothing new. I ran across this story from July, 1891 and thought it interesting. This is what a Denver newspaper carried” “No estimate can be made of the damage done to the Rio Grande railways…
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Trains and cars | Caboose Cobwebs
A hundred years ago, Colorado had over a thousand cars! Ford was even cranking out Model T’s at a building in Denver. Back in 1920, Colorado had 420 thousand plated vehicles to keep track of. It was big news that El Paso County would need ten thousand more tags in 1925 than in 1924. The…
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First-class rail riding | Caboose Cobwebs
At the turn of the century in 1900, the railroads were getting new equipment as more passengers could afford first class. It was also when the Pullman Company opened a shop in Denver to keep their cars looking their best. The cars previously had to be taken to Chicago. I found this announcement in a…
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Water, water, something different | Caboose Cobwebs
The Colorado Midland had an experience back in the early 20th Century, and the lady who sought to protect some of her interests, backed up her determination with a Winchester rifle. The row occurred near Florissant, a small station east of Lake George. It seems that the railroad company had prior rights to water in…
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First-class rail riding | Caboose Cobwebs
At the turn of the century in 1900, the railroads were getting new equipment as more passengers could afford first class. It was also when the Pullman Company opened a shop in Denver to keep their cars looking their best. The cars previously had to be taken to Chicago. I found this announcement in a…
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The peril of floods | Caboose Cobwebs
No estimate can be made of the damage done to the Santa Fe and the Rio Grande railways during floods of the early days along the Front Range. This tale of one very unusual Summer is similar to what happened in 1965. The Interstate highway was even nearly destroyed at that time. In the early…
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Getting to Denver | Caboose Cobwebs
Looking back to the 1890s, the travel from Colorado Springs was on one of four railroads. The Denver and Rio Grande was built first, in 1871. The second was the Denver and New Orleans built in 1880. The third was the Santa Fe, built in 1887. The fourth was the Colorado Midland, but they did…
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Getting to Denver | Caboose Cobwebs
Looking back to the 1890s, the travel from Colorado Springs was on one of four railroads. The Denver and Rio Grande was built first, in 1871. The second was the Denver and New Orleans built in 1880. The third was the Santa Fe, built in 1887. The fourth was the Colorado Midland, but they did…
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The weather | Caboose Cobwebs
Generally, I like to talk about winter in the summer, and the reverse, but that’s not the case today. It seems like this year winter has already shown us some interesting events. I thought a look at back around 1895 would be interesting. It was news in the Denver papers that for three days no…
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Interesting subjects | Caboose Cobwebs
I often talk here about the weather, but mainly my subject has to do with railroad events, like accidents. Even today, a column could talk about the odd and serious traffic accidents seen on Monument Hill. This one is not that different. I found a report of a series of events around the area residents…