Gilpin District Tram

Welcome to the Gilpin District Tramway, my name is Jim Key. I am the current Owner and General Manager of the GDT. The idea for the Gilpin District Tramway was conceived by Darel Leedy of Arvada, Colorado. Darel’s design was influenced by Don De Vere’s layout plan that appeared in the April 1983 Model Railroad magazine and Mal Ferrall’s book “The Gilpin Gold Tram”. Construction on the layout was started in October 1999 and was operating during the Sn3 Symposium in February. By August 2000 the layout was dismantled. The Tramway was featured in the September 2003 Model Railroad Craftsman article, “Three ways to Gilpin” along with Joe Crea and Keith Pashina’s layouts.

 The remains of the GDT were located in early 2005. After being dismantled, the layout had been stored in another Denver area basement with no plans for immediate use.  By October the layout was acquired and moved to its new home in Fort Collins, Colorado. 
 
I would like to thank David Keith who hosts this web page and has offered to continue posting updates. The track plan and some of Darel’s photos have been retained. As progress is made, updated photos and information will be posted. 

Rebirth of the Gilpin District Tramway would not have been possible with out the help of friends Jerry Wilson, Dave Brock, Mike Condor and of course Darel Leedy for creating the layout that has had such an influence on all of us. 

• Darel Leedy's original GDT web site

• Original Track Plan for the GDT

 
CURRENT STATE

The layout has been re-assembled and currently follows Darel’s original track plan. Initial assessment is that there are some problems with track-work and turnout controls. Repairs and/or replacement are on-going. Trains have been running in the Black Hawk yard with limited success. Darel never finished installing all the turnouts or track for the layout. Installation of this missing track-work has been started. Most of the building mock-ups were located and are on loan until permanent structures are built. According to Darel, the mock-up for the Polar Star Mill didn’t survive. Joe Crea came to the rescue and  drawings for the Polar Star Mill were featured in the Nov/Dec 2005 Gazette. A new mock-up for the mill is under construction. (1/4/06) 

LOCOMOTIVES

GDT #1 is a heavily modified PFM Benson shay. The model features correct domes cast from Jerry Wilson’s masters, link and pin couplers, and one of Jerry’s laser cut cabs. It is beginning to take on the look of the Gilpin Tramway’s first shay (see page 27 of “The Gilpin Gold Tram”). A good friend of mine, Mike Horner, overhauled the running gear and installed a new can motor. A new fuel bunker and additional detailing is planned. 
 
The GDT’s larger shays will be built using the trucks, wheels, and cylinders from an MDC HOn3 Shay. The drive line will be modified according to the MDC Shay Handbook to produce a smooth running shay. The frame, boiler, cab and fuel bunker will be modified and/or scratch built to produce a model very similar to one of the Gilpin Tramways larger shays. 

ROLLING STOCK

The GDT’s rolling stock is based on prototype cars used by the Gilpin Tramway. The Gilpin Tramway’s early ½ cord ore cars and 17’ flatcars were equipped with small trucks and 14” wheels. Later equipment used a larger truck and 20” wheels. The small trucks will be represented by Grandt Line HOn3 freight trucks with custom 14” wheels by NWSL and PSC’s HOn3 Westside lumber trucks are perfect for the large trucks. Initially, link and pin couplers will be used on all equipment. The coupler pockets are from Grandt Line and a brass staple will be used for links. This method is described by Harold Minkwitz at his web site www.Pacificcoastairlinerr.com. Jerry Wilson has produced a great laser cut kit for all versions of the Gilpin’s ore cars and is working on a kit for the excursion cars.  Currently half-a-dozen of the ore cars have been built but lack final detailing.