Aerial tramways operated in numerous Colorado high country mines. I've been amazed at the spectacular engineering that went into building these things and the stories behind some of them. To start things off, here's a couple of photos I took of the American Mine tramway at London Mountain this past summer. The distance between the towers that carried the cable across the valley to the mill below is impressive. I'm sure I have photos of other trams and will share as I can find them. Please add yours as well.
ASTROBLEME
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Full Version: Aerial Mine Tramways
Colorado Prospector - Gem and mineral prospecting and mining forums > Prospecting, Mineral Collecting and Treasure Hunting Forums > Historical Equipment and Tales
Awesome pics Johnny, thanks for sharing. Those old trams were incredible! Sure would have been neat to see them in operation back in the days. 
I don't have any pics on hand for more but I was told there was one of these that operated in the Idaho Springs valley too dropping down from Virginia canyon to the Argo mill. On oh my god road there are a couple spots where one can view the old trams route but I don't remember if any timber structures are left along its old path. Maybe someone close there locally has access to a pic or two from the old times for that one.
CP
I don't have any pics on hand for more but I was told there was one of these that operated in the Idaho Springs valley too dropping down from Virginia canyon to the Argo mill. On oh my god road there are a couple spots where one can view the old trams route but I don't remember if any timber structures are left along its old path. Maybe someone close there locally has access to a pic or two from the old times for that one.
CP
QUOTE (ColoradoProspector @ Dec 5 2009, 02:49 PM) 
Awesome pics Johnny, thanks for sharing. Those old trams were incredible! Sure would have been neat to see them in operation back in the days.
I don't have any pics on hand for more but I was told there was one of these that operated in the Idaho Springs valley too dropping down from Virginia canyon to the Argo mill. On oh my god road there are a couple spots where one can view the old trams route but I don't remember if any timber structures are left along its old path. Maybe someone close there locally has access to a pic or two from the old times for that one.
CP
I don't have any pics on hand for more but I was told there was one of these that operated in the Idaho Springs valley too dropping down from Virginia canyon to the Argo mill. On oh my god road there are a couple spots where one can view the old trams route but I don't remember if any timber structures are left along its old path. Maybe someone close there locally has access to a pic or two from the old times for that one.
CP
Dear CP:
There is a tramway not too far from your new location at Alamosa. If you ever get a chance, take a trip up to Bonanza and check out the mill site in Squirrel Creek built for the Rawley Mine. The area has been reclaimed and has picnic tables and some interpretive signs. If you travel north from there, you will start to see the old tram towers that carried the ores from the Rawley Mill to the rail spur at Shirley (where Poncha Creek meets with Silver Creek). I think this tram was more than five miles long!
Here's a link to a website that has a map of the area and some excellent photos of the tram. Check out the guys hanging from the cable
http://staythetrail.org/maps/files/BLM-FS_...lNF_Bonanza.pdf
I'll add some more photos of the American Mine Tram at London Mountain.
Johnny
Hi Everyone:
More photos of the American Mine Tram.
First is a picture showing the two weights (rocks in a large wooden bin) inside the tram tower that served as a tension station. The box of rocks on the left was for the downhill side and the box of rocks on the right keeps the wire ropes tight on the uphill side.
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Next is a picture of the the end pulley (bull wheel) in the building where the ore was loaded from the mine for the trip downhill. Note the two large brake bands above and below the drive cable clamps.
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Here's the top of the large tower that sits 2,300 feet away from the last one uphill. Note the short sections of rail that transfers the bucket across the tower for the ramaining journey down to the mill.
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A photo of the approach into the tower...
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Next is a photo of the two types of cable used on the double-rope tram system. The carrier (bucket) will ride on the larger stationary cable while being pulled along by the smaller one.
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And an aerial view of the tram rout from the mine on the left down to the mill site on the right. The total distance is 3/4 of a mile!
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More photos of the American Mine Tram.
First is a picture showing the two weights (rocks in a large wooden bin) inside the tram tower that served as a tension station. The box of rocks on the left was for the downhill side and the box of rocks on the right keeps the wire ropes tight on the uphill side.
Click to view attachment
Next is a picture of the the end pulley (bull wheel) in the building where the ore was loaded from the mine for the trip downhill. Note the two large brake bands above and below the drive cable clamps.
Click to view attachment
Here's the top of the large tower that sits 2,300 feet away from the last one uphill. Note the short sections of rail that transfers the bucket across the tower for the ramaining journey down to the mill.
Click to view attachment
A photo of the approach into the tower...
Click to view attachment
Next is a photo of the two types of cable used on the double-rope tram system. The carrier (bucket) will ride on the larger stationary cable while being pulled along by the smaller one.
Click to view attachment
And an aerial view of the tram rout from the mine on the left down to the mill site on the right. The total distance is 3/4 of a mile!
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Also of interest is this aerial view of the mine dumps at the American shaft. Notice how much of the material has been dug out of the middle of the pile. When gold made a big run up a few years ago, this material just "disappeared"! Rumor was that it was hauled away to be processed but I don't have the details...
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ASTROBLEME
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ASTROBLEME
INCREDIBLE! Boy what an accomplishment and back then, WOWSER!
Thanks for the great info, that pdf is loaded with info too.
That's a definate spot to visit again, we've only briefly visited the area before but next time we must allot more time.
CP
Thanks for the great info, that pdf is loaded with info too.
That's a definate spot to visit again, we've only briefly visited the area before but next time we must allot more time.
CP
Here's a couple of photos of the tram that carried ore from the consolidated mines of Mayflower, North Star and Shenandoah-Dives down to the Mayflower Mill almost two miles away. It transported 3 million tons of ore between 1928 to 1947, in all producing 34,000 tons of base metals, 4,900,000 ounces of silver and 341,000 ounces of gold!
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The mill was open for tours when I was prospecting the area back in 2003. There are several other trams in the Silverton area but this is the best preserved.
ASTROBLEME
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The mill was open for tours when I was prospecting the area back in 2003. There are several other trams in the Silverton area but this is the best preserved.
ASTROBLEME
Cool Pictures !!!! I enjoyed looking at all of them and reading about them also !!!!
Thanks for the posts...
Jeff
Thanks for the posts...
Jeff
I agree Jeff, these are some great old pictures and stories about the mining history. 
I've been trying to find any information on the Idaho springs tram but I've not found any. I suspect the local story I had heard was completely accurate. Maybe there was another one close?
I did however find some really cool old pics while searching that I thought were worth sharing here. Pictures were found from the Mining Bureau.com website where you can purchase a copy of any of these old prints for your home. There are some very cool old photographs available too.
First one is an old tram anchor from the Waldorf mine.
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This one is a machine that was called the Sigafoos tunneling machine and was used in Georgetown. Not directly tram related but did cause the need for it by digging out more ore.
Georgetown did have a tramway too.
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The next one is a revolving double ore cart dumper used in Telluride, bet this machine was kinda' noisey.
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This one isn't equipment but alot of equipment had been used to get this DOCK LOAD OF SILVER
into bullion bars.
Silver bullion waiting for the train, Buena Vista.
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I've been trying to find any information on the Idaho springs tram but I've not found any. I suspect the local story I had heard was completely accurate. Maybe there was another one close?
I did however find some really cool old pics while searching that I thought were worth sharing here. Pictures were found from the Mining Bureau.com website where you can purchase a copy of any of these old prints for your home. There are some very cool old photographs available too.
First one is an old tram anchor from the Waldorf mine.
Click to view attachment
This one is a machine that was called the Sigafoos tunneling machine and was used in Georgetown. Not directly tram related but did cause the need for it by digging out more ore.
Georgetown did have a tramway too.Click to view attachment
The next one is a revolving double ore cart dumper used in Telluride, bet this machine was kinda' noisey.
Click to view attachment
This one isn't equipment but alot of equipment had been used to get this DOCK LOAD OF SILVER
into bullion bars. Silver bullion waiting for the train, Buena Vista.
Click to view attachment
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