Industrial sights
I moved in for another shot after my transportation take at the junk yard. This is about as industrial and back woods as Longmont gets. I thought the composition was pretty good but once again I needed to keep the threatening sky in it's present gloom. That took a mask and some careful work.
A great sky developed today, ending days of terrible skies, snow and finally, sprinkles. At least our yearly snow pack made it up over 100% if the upcoming days of heat don't melt the last load too soon. This area was what I found when I walked along a defunct siding just off the branch line west to Lyons now used daily by the Burlington (originally Burlington & Missouri River) rock train. This was an extension of the Denver, Longmont and Northwestern narrow gauge built by the Denver, Utah & Pacific. There were two quarry branches and the remaining cement plant spurs at Lyons. It's possible the GW RR used the siding even though they were east across town. I assume that the spur down the line serviced nearby industrial/agricultural sites. I need to look this site over again when good skies abound. I have paid my dues in waiting considerable time for this sky.
Somewhere along here, I assume the old grade of the Longmont, Middle Park & Pacific from Longmont directly toward Left Hand Canyon and the foothills to the west of the highway north from Boulder, Colorado was located. I have never found it other than west of town. Obviously, they fell a bit short of their goal of the Pacific Ocean. They fell short of their goal of Middle Park, Colorado which would have entailed an impossible crossing of the Continental Divide. And it fell short of its goal of Jamestown (and/or Ward), Colorado. The grading did achieve the Left Hand River Valley and through the very best fortune, rails were never laid on the grade. The canyons uphill from Jamestown are a choice of bad and much worse grades. They lost just a fraction of what they easily could have. Another grade that never saw rails to Longmont was the Denver & Pacific that claimed a junction in north Denver that was subsequently fought over by other rights of way.
Industrial sights
I moved in for another shot after my transportation take at the junk yard. This is about as industrial and back woods as Longmont gets. I thought the composition was pretty good but once again I needed to keep the threatening sky in it's present gloom. That took a mask and some careful work.
A great sky developed today, ending days of terrible skies, snow and finally, sprinkles. At least our yearly snow pack made it up over 100% if the upcoming days of heat don't melt the last load too soon. This area was what I found when I walked along a defunct siding just off the branch line west to Lyons now used daily by the Burlington (originally Burlington & Missouri River) rock train. This was an extension of the Denver, Longmont and Northwestern narrow gauge built by the Denver, Utah & Pacific. There were two quarry branches and the remaining cement plant spurs at Lyons. It's possible the GW RR used the siding even though they were east across town. I assume that the spur down the line serviced nearby industrial/agricultural sites. I need to look this site over again when good skies abound. I have paid my dues in waiting considerable time for this sky.
Somewhere along here, I assume the old grade of the Longmont, Middle Park & Pacific from Longmont directly toward Left Hand Canyon and the foothills to the west of the highway north from Boulder, Colorado was located. I have never found it other than west of town. Obviously, they fell a bit short of their goal of the Pacific Ocean. They fell short of their goal of Middle Park, Colorado which would have entailed an impossible crossing of the Continental Divide. And it fell short of its goal of Jamestown (and/or Ward), Colorado. The grading did achieve the Left Hand River Valley and through the very best fortune, rails were never laid on the grade. The canyons uphill from Jamestown are a choice of bad and much worse grades. They lost just a fraction of what they easily could have. Another grade that never saw rails to Longmont was the Denver & Pacific that claimed a junction in north Denver that was subsequently fought over by other rights of way.