The Last Train Journey of Joseph E. "Doc" Lane
Several weeks ago, I was sitting with my good friend Gary Lane at 110 Reserve in Woodland Park having a beer and talking history. Then Gary started telling what he knew of stories from his own relations through Colorado history. In that conversation, I found out that Gary (who has a great love of trains and train history), has a fascinating family history in railroads and mining. He happily agreed when I asked if I could put together a podcast on some of that history. He gave me family documents to get me started.
So this episode about his great grandfather, Joseph E. Lane, who went by the nickname “Doc”.
The Uintah Railway Engine Number 3.
Engine Number 3 driven by Doc Lane on his last journey was a Class B Shay Locomotive from the Lima Locomotive works. Here is a quick video that explains the Shay development and design.
Here is a map that shows the roads that were build on top of the Uintah Railway bed. The “L” at in the southern portion isn’t actually part of the original bed, but the rest of it is fairly accurate. If you want to link to the actual map so you can move it around and zoom in and out, here is the link. https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/2/edit?mid=1EqchTXkCJKJKEb5NOU2GDM7AyqGuH8I&usp=sharing
Atchee, Colorado from where Doc Lane headed out towards Baxter Pass aboard engine number 3 during much snowier times.
An artist’s representation of Nora O’Neil warning Doc Lane’s train of the boulders on the tracks.
References:
Author Unknown. (1890, December 4). TIDINGS FROM THE RAIL: Pertinent Paragraphs. The Leadville Daily/Evening Chronicle, 4.
Author Unknown. (1900, September 28). A Colorado Heroine. The Silverite-Plaindealer, 8.
Author Unknown. (1900, October 10). Miss O’Neil Rewarded. The Colorado Daily Chieftain, 3.
Author Unknown. (1900, November 12). HEROINE OF THE ROCKIES: How Nora O’Neil Saved a Mountain Express Train. The Herald Democrat, 2.
Author Unknown. (1901, May 29). OIL NEAR ASPEN: J. E. Lane and Jim Craddick and Others to Prospect for Oil at Snow Mass. The Aspen Daily Times, 4.
Author Unknown. (1901, August 3). Oil! Oil! The Herald Democrat, 8.
Author Unknown. (1909, February 10). ENGINE PLUNGES OVER EMBANKMENT ON UINTAH: A Pioneer Engineer Meets Awful Death. The Daily Sentinel, 1.
Author Unknown. (1909, February 12). Untitled Article. The Daily Sentinel, 5.
Author Unknown. (1910, February 10). In Memoriam. The Daily Sentinel, 9.
Bender, H. E. (1995). Uintah Railway: The Gilsonite Route. Forest Park, Illinois: Heimburger House Publishing Co.
Pitkin County Open Space & Trails, Inc, Wildlife Specialties, LLC. (2011, October). Biological & Historical Resource Surveys: Pitkin County, City of Aspen & Snowmass Village Open Space. Pitkin County Open Space & Trails.
The Aspen Times. (2012, December 10). Pitkin County rejects oil, gas drilling in White River National Forest. The Denver Post. https://www.denverpost.com/2012/12/10/pitkin-county-rejects-oil-gas-drilling-in-white-river-national-forest/
Toy Man Television. (2017, May 21). The World’s Most Crooked Railroad – The Uintah Railway [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJhOJ8eseCs
Dinosaur National Monument. (2018, September 5). The Uintah Railway. National Parks Service. https://www.nps.gov/dino/learn/historyculture/the-uintah-railway.htm
Author Unknown. (n. d.). Joseph E. Lane. Find a Grave. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/72434741/joseph-e-lane
Author Unknown. (n. d.). The Uintah Railway: Mack, CO to Watson, UT. Abandoned Rails. https://www.abandonedrails.com/uintah-railway