J. Craig Thorpe (American, B. 1948) "Colorado Locomotive" Signed lower right. Original Mixed Media painting on Paper.
Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation.
This painting is the original which appeared on the Fleetwood Legendary Locomotives of the 50 States Colorado Commemorative Cover postmarked March 11, 1995.
March 11, 1884, marked the opening of Colorado's famed Georgetown Loop. Publicized as one of the greatest engineering feats of its time, this line of the Colorado & Southern Railway (C&S) was constructed as the Colorado Central Railroad to connect the mountain settlements of Silver Plume and Georgetown. Although the direct distance between the two towns is slightly less than two miles, the difference in altitude is 638 feet. To surmount this obstacle and keep the grade as low as possible, narrow-gauge tracks were laid out in a series of loops with one even crossing over itself. A noted railroad structure that formed part of the Georgetown Loop was Devil's Gate Bridge. Resting on granite piers, the bridge carried the rails across Clear Creek -- a rushing mountain stream located 95 feet below. Epitomizing the railway boom in the Colorado Rockies during the late 19th century, the Georgetown Loop was part of an extensive network of narrow-gauge lines stretching for hundreds of miles, weaving around mountainous vistas and linking mining towns throughout the Centennial State. Though the Loop was abandoned and dismantled in early 1939, it was reconstructed by the Colorado Historical Society and reopened in 1984, its 100th Anniversary. This painting shows C&S's 2-6-0 Mogul engine No. 8 built by the Cooke Locomotive Works in 1884.
Image Size: 14 x 12 in.
Overall Size: 18 x 14.75 in.
Unframed.
(B14949)
Condition
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