Monte Vista Industry Trackage

: Monte Vista yard limit

Rio Grande only defined the word siding in its rulebook but used the word industry trackage and lead in its timetable: the word spur was designated to particular industry trackage like Rocky Spur at MP18.0 or C. V. Spur at MP615.8 between Wellington and Price.

Here, I’ll represent the former D&RGW/ now SLRG Industry Trackage at Monte Vista, Colorado, one of the surviving industry trackage in a town, as a record.

: 1960 USGS aerial photo of the industry trackage with trackside industries identified in 2017

The Monte Vista Industry Trackage (1997 UP Zone-Track-Spot 150, Coors Lead) diverts from the main track within the yard limit, west of depot team track switch, and curves cross the Acequia Dr at North Washington St. The facility now occupied by U.S. AutoForce, former Premier Tire Terminal, still retains loading gate facing the curved track.

: crossing Acequia Dr

Continuing north, the trackage stretches between facilities: former A. E. Staley Manufacturing Co. (ZTS 712, Staley) now occupied by brightly painted Colorado Seed Co. and San Luis Valley Auto Repair. Colorado Seed still retains the loading spout.

: looking south from BPW Way crossing
: Colorado Seed

North of BPW Way crossing, the trackage draws reverse curves next to the facility now occupied by San Luis Valley Precast. End of the reverse curves locates a switch diverting a siding for the facilities now occupied by MountainKing Potatoes (ZTS 713, Mountain King Potato). Switch stand is barely seen in the photo below.

: looking north from BPW Way crossing

In 1960, the end of the industry trackage at Schaefer Rd served the grain elevator now occupied by Coors. In 2014, the trackage extended further north to the new huge Coors elevator (ZTS 714, Coors)[1]. The trackage at the right in the photo below is the former end of the industry trackage, and the trackage with hopper cars is the lead to the new facility.

: looking south from Schaefer Rd crossing

[1] “Miller-Coors – Barley Storage Facility”, Halverson Company web page;
* 1992 photo of D&RGW GP60 #3155 switching ZTS-712 by James Belmont;
* 2012 photo of SLRG B39-8E #8527 switching ZTS-712 by Chris Starnes;

: Google map of Monte Vista Industry Trackage


最初に紹介する旧Rio Grande沿線に現存する引き込み線は、コロラド州Monte Vistaの町中に遺る引き込み線である。この引き込み線は今日San Luis and Rio Grande Railroadにより入換されている。

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引き込み線はMonte Vista駅構内、側線分岐の西端から北に分岐する。曲線を描きながら線路脇の道路を横断し、Premier Tire Terminalというタイヤ屋の建物の裏をなめるように北進する。タイヤ屋の建物には貨車積み込み口が遺っている。

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北進する引き込み線は派手な色に塗られたColorado Seed Co.という穀物サイロとSan Luis Valley Auto Repairという自動車修理工場の間を抜けていく。サイロでは今でも出荷があるようだ。

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踏切を抜けると、線路はS字カーブを描く。カーブ北端にはMountainKing Potatoes社貯蔵庫側線への分岐がある。

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1960年撮影の航空写真では、引き込み線の北端はCoorsビールの穀物サイロだった。しかし、2014年に同じCoorsの穀物サイロがその北隣りに増築され、引き込み線も併せて延伸されている。