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David K
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Las Flores & San Juan Mine Railroad (1895-1910) II
This was first posted in 2005... now condensed and with additions:
The railroad line runs 5.4 miles from the ruins of Las Flores (south of Bahia de los Angeles) to the bottom of El Terminal canyon where a cable bucket
tram line brought the ore down from the San Juan mines high atop the sierra.
Here is the railroad bed at Las Flores heading south...
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Here is the railroad bed near the terminal (south end)...
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As the railroad approaches the terminal platform, the line is elevated via this ...
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Here is the terminal platform where Dr. Abraham Vasquez ('Doc' of Camp Gecko) shows me where giant wheels were once mounted at the bottom of the cable
tram line. Here the ore was dumped into train cars for the trip north to Las Flores where the ore was processed...
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Doc and I pose by one of the tram tower timbers as we hike up the canyon...
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One of the ore buckets that litter the canyon bottom (the good stuff has already been removed and some is on display at the museum in Bahia de los
Angeles...
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In 2003 my daughter and I went back for another look...
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GPS and Mileage Notes (map datum NAD27 Mex.)
0.0 Camp Gecko Driveway (4.1 mi. so. of pavement/ town): 28º53.96', 113º31.85'
5.7 The old Las Flores jail is 0.3 mi. to right.
8.1 Top of long grade, a poor road continues ahead (28º46.98', 113º32.00'). Main road to Punta San Francisquito bends left.
11.1 Park where railroad crosses, now going from south to north, uphill. Platform at 28?44.73', 113?32.54' a short walk north from the road.
The auto road continues a short distance ahead to the trail going up Terminal Canyon to the San Juan mines. Before the cable tramline, pack animals
brought the ore down the mountain.
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The museum of Bahia de los Angeles... on the outside, to the right, is a display of the railroad and ore tram bucket system... In front of the town
plaza is the locomotive that was left at Las Flores and an ore car that came from the smaller gauge train line up at San Juan...
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Years ago, at Las Flores...
Erle Stanley Gardner, 1966.
From Marv Patchen's 'Baja Adventures' (1970's photo)
Railroad map from this book...
Rail bed, looking south 2009.
Looking north, 2009.
The railroad bed, just west of the Las Flores jail...
2002 notes:
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Map for reference.... stars placed by Las Flores and San Juan mines, terminal platform noted with arrow. Mileages from Las Flores (east of jail house
on graded road) to the junction with the road that continues uphill to the terminal (2.4)... and then 3.0 on to the terminal on the minor road
(overgrown brush will scratch vehicle).
It should be noted that the original topo map is incorrect with the placement of the graded road south of Las Flores (I doctored the map to correct
its location), and in naming Arroyo el Terminal: It is labled at the next arroyo south of where it really is! Too faint to see in this reproduction...
Google Earth allows you to see the railroad line route as it circles at the terminal, otherwise hidden by vegetation on the ground... next!
[Edited on 4-13-2011 by David K]
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TacoFeliz
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Any idea what the small concrete building (remains) at El Terminal platform was for? Engine for tram maybe? And while we're on the subject, do you
know if it is possible to make it to the San Juan mine site from the San Gregorio side?
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David K
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| Quote: | Originally posted by TacoFeliz
Any idea what the small concrete building (remains) at El Terminal platform was for? Engine for tram maybe? And while we're on the subject, do you
know if it is possible to make it to the San Juan mine site from the San Gregorio side? |
On the platform was a giant wire wheel, horizontal just beyond where the ore buckets droped their load into the train cars... Only the block/ rock
base platform remains. Doc told me about the wire wheel that was once there.
Talked to Jose last July about driving to San Juan in my Tacoma... he said no problem. Maybe talk to John M and Neal... I know you guys (Perko) had a
flat that stopped the attempt back a few years ago! Photos at http://vivabaja.com/neal I would love to go!!!
See the Discover Baja article about San Juan in the issue before last. Photos look great.
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David K
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From Space!
Terminal Platform at south end of railroad.
Here ore buckets came down the mountainside using a cable tram (see L.A. Bay museum for display).
Here's a look at the mountain the ore came down from... Originally using mules, then the cable tram bucket system.
Here is the San Juan Mine, on the top of the 4,200' mountain where gold and silver was extracted... there were other mines, as well... A tiny railroad
line went from here to the top of Terminal Canyon where the ore buckets were loaded.
Tiny railroad line in the San Juan Valley... elev. 3,836'
Here's the top of the cable tram line route...
From the bottom of the tramline, the Las Flores Railroad took the ore to Las Flores for processing into ingots...
Here is where the San Francisquito road makes a bend, 2.4 miles from Las Flores and the road and railroad to the terminal:
Here is near Las Flores at the north end of the railroad line:
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David K
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Anyone going to Las Flores or the terminal for a fresh look at this? Please post photos!
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Wahoo
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Thanks David, again!!!
Rene D.
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David K
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You like this stuff? Great!
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Barry A.
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David------------it's the BEST!!!!
Thanks again.
Barry
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Paulina
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"The museum of Bahia de los Angeles... on the outside, to the right, is a display of the railroad and ore tram bucket system... In front of the town
plaza is the locomotive that was left at Las Flores and an ore car that came from the smaller gauge train line up at San Juan..."
I'd like to mention Herman Hill, gold miner extraordinare, and give him credit for the display outside of the Museo. He knows the mines and their
workings like the back of his hand. A wealth of information, IF you can get him to give it up. Most people will only know what they can read about
them and his adventures by reading his book, "Baja's Hidden Gold". I belive he still has copies available for sale at his home in Bahia.
This past summer we were talking about his mining work when he showed me how he would eat the beans from the Ironwood tree while he was working.
Keeping the beans in his mouth helped keep his thirst in check.
Regarding the locomotive display in the town square; it saddens me that some of the young people of Bahia de Los Angeles show, in my opinion, a lack
of pride in their town's herritage, and respect for those who paved the way for them and their families so long ago by working the mines, enduring the
harsh living environment, putting the town on the map.
Don't get me started on my graffiti rant.
P<*)))>{
\"Well behaved women rarely make history.\" Laurel Thatcher Ulrich
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David K
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Thanks for posting the photo of the train in town... It was so sad to see grafitti sprayed on the train last time we were in Bahia (New Years '09). I
hope your photo is newer in that the painting on the train was removed.
The cart behind the train in your photo is from the San Juan railroad, on top of the mountain... it is a narrower gauge than the engine from Las
Flores.
[Edited on 11-14-2009 by David K]
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Paulina
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The train photo was taken Aug. '09.
[Edited on 14-11-2009 by Paulina]
\"Well behaved women rarely make history.\" Laurel Thatcher Ulrich
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David K
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Good... thanks.
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TacoFeliz
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| Quote: | Originally posted by David K
On the platform was a giant wire wheel, horizontal just beyond where the ore buckets droped their load into the train cars... Only the block/ rock
base platform remains. Doc told me about the wire wheel that was once there.
Talked to Jose last July about driving to San Juan in my Tacoma... he said no problem. Maybe talk to John M and Neal... I know you guys (Perko) had a
flat that stopped the attempt back a few years ago! Photos at http://vivabaja.com/neal I would love to go!!!
See the Discover Baja article about San Juan in the issue before last. Photos look great. |
Thanks, DK. We'll let you know when we're headed that direction.
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David K
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Sounds great... I hope I can join you!
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David K
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Here is a fine example how the activities of man in the desert make interesting discoveries, 100 years later! Also, with so many people living in Las
Flores back then, how utterly clean the area is of their time there. Only one building and some graves remain.
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David K
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Interesting places so close to civilization... yet so far away... The desert preserves so much that we can still enjoy the activities performed 100
years or more ago!
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airmech
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David, I wish we had seen this before we went up there in April. We found the tram cable in the canyon and plenty of timbers....now we have the
answers to what we were finding. bg
OH yeah, we always remember the camera when we find cool stuff........never before
Both optimists and pessimists contribute to the society. The optimist invents the aeroplane, the pessimist the parachute.
— George Bernard Shaw
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David K
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De nada... this is why I bump up the old stuff I posted on occaision. I know it is valuable to some Nomads who may have missed it before.
Take a stroll through the Nomad Historic Interests and Literature forum to see many years worth of cool stuff posted!
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elgatoloco
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bump. RIP airmech.
MAGA
Making Attorneys Get Attorneys
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BajaBlanca
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I so wish that Baja had a train all the way north and south ....
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