Friday, October 15, 2010

Comanche Crossing

  Strasburg Colorado's claim to fame is featured in a local museum and display of the old railroad station and other early buildings and artifacts. This somewhat weather-worn sign is near the actual location of the final rail connecting the east coast and the west coast. By clicking on my title, you will be directed to the website for the Comanche Crossing Museum, where I copied the text below. Comanche Crossing, a sometimes dry and sometimes raging creek, was the original name for the area.
                     
"On August 15, 1870, the last 10¼ miles of track were laid by two crews, one working from the east and one from the west in a record-breaking nine hours. Fifteen months earlier, the golden spike ceremony had been held in Utah, to note the joining by rail of the eastern United States with the west. But the tracks joined at Promontory Summit connected only Omaha and Sacramento in a continuous chain. With the completion of the rails at Strasburg it became possible, at last, to board a train in New York and travel all the way to San Francisco by rail."

Here I am standing by the original old train depot and an old caboose.

Another view. This location is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Keith had to get up on this old Case tractor!

That's me inside the whatchamacallit, the little car that goes by a hand pump along the rails.  Anyone know what that's called?

 And last,  my favorite picture, not at the museum — it's an old abandoned railroad car alongside the tracks right outside our KOA. I like the lonesome prairie scene.
(You may click on any of these photos to enlarge them.)

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Really nice pictures! What kind of camera do you use?

I think you know my daughter Noel from the KOA...

It looks like you two are the best of friends - just the way it ought to be! I'm blessed with the same in my husband.

All the best to you both on your travels and adventures!

~Cindy B.

Ann said...

I sure do know Noel! And we met you, too. We miss the KOA. I use an HP point and shoot, nothing fancy. It's an easy camera,just my speed.