Little Book Cliff Railway
Encyclopedia
The Little Book Cliff Railway (LBC) was a narrow gauge railroad that operated in Colorado
, United States
, from 1889 to 1925.
The LBC was incorporated on September 11, 1889, by William Thomas Carpenter and several other prominent Grand Junction, Colorado
, business men. The purpose of the 12 miles (19.3 km) narrow gauge railroad was to haul coal from the Book Cliff mines
owned by Carpenter to Grand Junction. Construction began in 1890 and progressed in sections until the rails finally reached Carpenter, Colorado
, which was the station name applied to the Book Cliff mines' coal camp, in the third week of June 1892.
The LBC's first locomotive was a 20-year-old Denver and Rio Grande Railroad (D&RG) cast-off that Carpenter purchased for $
1,200. Throughout the railroad’s 35-year existence it owned but five locomotives; two of which were unique gear-driven Shay locomotive
types that were purchased new from the builder. Other rolling stock included about 30 coal cars, a caboose
, two excursion cars, a couple of flat cars
for hauling stone and performing maintenance-of-way work. The road's cars and coaches were all built by Grand Junction craftsmen, except a few that were rented from the D&RG on occasion.
The LBC made money for Carpenter; he then re-invested it into a project to enlarge the road. The project, a railroad called the Colorado, Wyoming & Great Northern (CW&GN), would have negated the need for the Uintah Railway
. The CW&GN financially overextended Carpenter and he was unable to weather the Panic of 1893
. Isaac Chauncy Wyman then acquired the LBC through bond foreclosure and reincorporated it as the Book Cliff Railroad about 1900.
One of the most pleasant aspects of the railroad was the excursions it hosted. An outing to the Book Cliffs
meant a day of hunting, horseback riding, hiking, picnicking, and a general good time. Of special note were the Memorial Day
excursions; scores of people would go to Carpenter, gather the abundant wildflowers there and return to town with them to decorate their loved ones graves. Associated with many excursions was a conveyance called a Go-devil. It consisted of little more than a few boards bolted together and attached to a set of handcar wheels. Thrill seekers used them to coast back down the tracks to Grand Junction at break-neck speeds.
The most interesting feature along the line was its double-horseshoe curve about 8 miles out of Grand Junction. It was there that most of the road's accidents occurred. The worst was when Locomotive No. 4 rolled on its side sometime between 1915 and 1925. A curious fact about the LBC was that it lacked locomotive turning facilities. Their locomotives operated facing the same direction the entire time the road owned them. When a train reached Carpenter, the engine was run around the train on a passing track, coupled to the other end, and it pulled the return trip to Grand Junction in reverse.
In 1925 the Monument Investment Company purchased the railroad from Princeton University
in order to acquire the company's yard property in Grand Junction. They began railroad scrapping operations that summer and before long, pieces of the railroad were sold to buyers scattered throughout the country.
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, from 1889 to 1925.
The LBC was incorporated on September 11, 1889, by William Thomas Carpenter and several other prominent Grand Junction, Colorado
Grand Junction, Colorado
The City of Grand Junction is the largest city in western Colorado. It is a city with a council–manager government form that is the county seat and the most populous city of Mesa County, Colorado, United States. Grand Junction is situated west-southwest of the Colorado State Capitol in Denver. As...
, business men. The purpose of the 12 miles (19.3 km) narrow gauge railroad was to haul coal from the Book Cliff mines
Book Cliff mines
The Book Cliff Mines were coal mines located near Grand Junction, Colorado. They closed in 1925.-History and Description:By the time Grand Junction was three years old it had become apparent to its citizens that they needed a good coal supply if the town was to grow and prosper. Early in 1884 an...
owned by Carpenter to Grand Junction. Construction began in 1890 and progressed in sections until the rails finally reached Carpenter, Colorado
Carpenter, Colorado
Carpenter is a ghost town in Mesa County, Colorado, United States, twelve miles northeast of Grand Junction at the end of an extension to 27¼ Road. The settlement was established by William Thomas Carpenter early in 1890 to provide the miners who worked in his two Book Cliff mines with a place to...
, which was the station name applied to the Book Cliff mines' coal camp, in the third week of June 1892.
The LBC's first locomotive was a 20-year-old Denver and Rio Grande Railroad (D&RG) cast-off that Carpenter purchased for $
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
1,200. Throughout the railroad’s 35-year existence it owned but five locomotives; two of which were unique gear-driven Shay locomotive
Shay locomotive
The Shay locomotive was the most widely used geared steam locomotive. The locomotives were built to the patents of Ephraim Shay, who has been credited with the popularization of the concept of a geared steam locomotive...
types that were purchased new from the builder. Other rolling stock included about 30 coal cars, a caboose
Caboose
A caboose is a manned North American rail transport vehicle coupled at the end of a freight train. Although cabooses were once used on nearly every freight train, their use has declined and they are seldom seen on trains, except on locals and smaller railroads.-Function:The caboose provided the...
, two excursion cars, a couple of flat cars
Flatcar
A flatcar is a piece of railroad or railway rolling stock that consists of an open, flat deck on four or six wheels or a pair of trucks or bogies . The deck of the car can be wood or steel, and the sides of the deck can include pockets for stakes or tie-down points to secure loads...
for hauling stone and performing maintenance-of-way work. The road's cars and coaches were all built by Grand Junction craftsmen, except a few that were rented from the D&RG on occasion.
The LBC made money for Carpenter; he then re-invested it into a project to enlarge the road. The project, a railroad called the Colorado, Wyoming & Great Northern (CW&GN), would have negated the need for the Uintah Railway
Uintah Railway
The Uintah Railway was a small railroad company in Utah and Colorado in the United States. It operated from 1902 to 1939.-History:The company was founded in 1902 as a wholly owned subsidiary of the Gilson Asphaltum Co. with the sole purpose of building a railroad into the isolated Uintah basin...
. The CW&GN financially overextended Carpenter and he was unable to weather the Panic of 1893
Panic of 1893
The Panic of 1893 was a serious economic depression in the United States that began in 1893. Similar to the Panic of 1873, this panic was marked by the collapse of railroad overbuilding and shaky railroad financing which set off a series of bank failures...
. Isaac Chauncy Wyman then acquired the LBC through bond foreclosure and reincorporated it as the Book Cliff Railroad about 1900.
One of the most pleasant aspects of the railroad was the excursions it hosted. An outing to the Book Cliffs
Book Cliffs
The Book Cliffs are a series of mountains and cliffs in western Colorado and eastern Utah, in the western United States. They are so named because many of them have the triangular appearance of a book that has been opened up, then turned on its sides and set to rest on the open sides of the book,...
meant a day of hunting, horseback riding, hiking, picnicking, and a general good time. Of special note were the Memorial Day
Memorial Day
Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May. Formerly known as Decoration Day, it originated after the American Civil War to commemorate the fallen Union soldiers of the Civil War...
excursions; scores of people would go to Carpenter, gather the abundant wildflowers there and return to town with them to decorate their loved ones graves. Associated with many excursions was a conveyance called a Go-devil. It consisted of little more than a few boards bolted together and attached to a set of handcar wheels. Thrill seekers used them to coast back down the tracks to Grand Junction at break-neck speeds.
The most interesting feature along the line was its double-horseshoe curve about 8 miles out of Grand Junction. It was there that most of the road's accidents occurred. The worst was when Locomotive No. 4 rolled on its side sometime between 1915 and 1925. A curious fact about the LBC was that it lacked locomotive turning facilities. Their locomotives operated facing the same direction the entire time the road owned them. When a train reached Carpenter, the engine was run around the train on a passing track, coupled to the other end, and it pulled the return trip to Grand Junction in reverse.
In 1925 the Monument Investment Company purchased the railroad from Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
in order to acquire the company's yard property in Grand Junction. They began railroad scrapping operations that summer and before long, pieces of the railroad were sold to buyers scattered throughout the country.