Finally got around to reading “Narrow Gauge in the Rockies” (Beebe&Clegg). To your collective knowledge has anyone ever built a garden railroad based on that prototype?
HJ,
I would love to have a correct 1:20.3 Uintah mallet and it’s successor: the Sumter Valley mallet.
I’m stuck with both versions in LGB’s “whatever scale.” 
They haven’t been run for a few years.
I’ve seen a few folks model the equipment (in 1:24), but not the railroad itself. I think Ozark makes Uintah-prototype brake hoses. They were mounted peculiarly high on the equipment, though I cannot remember the reason why. I did a model of their 0-6-2T a bunch of years ago from an LGB motor block. I’m with John–I’d love to see a proper 1:20.3 Uintah mallet, then run it around a 5’ radius curve. When someone makes a comment on that looking completely unprototypical, well, just show ‘em the photo at the top of page 187. 5’ radius scales to a 60-degree curve in 1:20.3.
I’ll tell you this much–I’ve driven the Unitah ROW from end to end. The road–if you can call it that–is built on top of the RR grade. There are places I was making turns thinking “they got a train around THIS???” It shows up fairly well on Google Earth, but it helps to have a map of the railroad to know where you’re looking. Cool railroad–lots of variety in locomotives, short trains, steep grades, and tight curves.
Later,
K
Kevin, you said -
“I’ve driven the Unitah ROW from end to end. The road–if you can call it that–is built on top of the RR grade. There are places I was making turns thinking “they got a train around THIS???””
What type of vehicle were you in? Did you start at Grand Junction? What time of year did you go?
If I remember correctly, in Bender’s book, it had the tightest curves of a Colorado 3’ gauge RR along with the largest NG locos
built for American NG. (The 2 custom articulates.)
It’s too bad that it didn’t get more coverage by fans, as the other CO NG’s did back in that era.
Looking at the pictures of the line and the equipment I think it would be the perfect railroad for a fairly steep hillside property … like our neighbour’s two houses up.
The picture I like the best is the top one on page 183; the Shay in “Muleshoe” curve with the “coach > boxcar > coach > boxcar > coach” consist.
And since I’m at it, I’m now reading “Rails, Sagebrush and Pine” by Mallory Hope Ferrell about the Sumpter Valley. 
<<Finally got around to reading “Narrow Gauge in the Rockies” (Beebe&Clegg).>>
Just a sample in that book, HJ.
You need Benders new revised edition. “Uintah, The Gilsonite Route.”
http://www.caboosehobbies.com/catalog/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=&products_id=169
Neat stuff, thanks guys!
From the few photos I’ve seen, I’d say that one reason the Uintah hasn’t been modeled much is because the scenery was not very dramatic. No tunnels, no big trestles or bridges, no towering cliffs, etc.
Another reason is that it was basically just an ore hauler. Not much variety there, as regards rolling stock or operations.
After reading the book on the lines in the Sumpter Valley I guess that would make a more interesting/varied proto to model. But I’m still intrigued by the grades and curves on the Uintah and in my opinion the 2-6-6-2 engines looked better with the side tanks.
Jon Radder said:That map is good, Jon. I don't guess I thought it sat above Interstate 70. Kind of gives me new ideas. Interesting thoughts now begin to take over. Its always strange how these ideas start.
Good interactive map here... http://bpratt15.home.bresnan.net/UintahMap2.htm
Quote:My first attempt was in late May, coming in from the north. Alas, Baxter Pass hadn't opened yet, which made for a very fast drive back up and around to get to Grand Junction before too late. That was in a Nissan pick-up. My next attempt came the following summer, in a rented Oldsmobile Achieva. Probably not the ideal car for the trek, but it came through unscathed--even having to stop on numerous occasions to get the cows out of the way. For that one I came north from GJ and continued up to Dinosaur National Monument. Alas, I can't find my pictures of the trip any more. Have to revisit at some point.
... What type of vehicle were you in? Did you start at Grand Junction? What time of year did you go?
Later,
K
Kevin,
Thanks for the reply.
I guess I’ve always thought that Grand Junction sat on the east side and it was a route out and back to and from the northwest. Your statement of Baxter Pass and Dinosaur National Monument give me some reference points on modern maps that relate to roads. Looks like a road trip. What do you think are the months that roads are passable?
Probably June through October, possibly early November at the latest.
Later,
K
Was the connection/interchange/transfer actually in Grand Junction proper?
Northwest of GJ in Mack, CO. Just up I-70 a bit.
If you haven’t yet, here’s a good site to visit: (the host site of the map on the last page)
http://bpratt15.home.bresnan.net/index.htm
Later,
K
Kevin,
Viewed that site a couple of years ago, when researching and reading up on the Uintah.
Forgot about Mack. I’d have to brush up on all of that, before we made the tires roll down the road.
Its interesting, I looked at that link for the Unitah. They claimed it was the “crookedest line in the west” I know it had a couple sharp curves but I live near a line that had “100 bridges in 37 miles” Here is a link to a brief history of the line. Crouch Line
I have been on the entire grade and it is a crooked line for sure. I couldnt find a good map online of the railroad grade.
I believe it is now called the Mickelson Trail.
http://gfp.sd.gov/state-parks/directory/mickelson-trail/
You can follow the roadbed out of Mystic, SD on google earth.