J. B. Squires: Difference between revisions
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[[J. B. Squires]] was a | [[J. B. Squires|Jesse B. 'Byron' Squires (aka: "JB")]], of Colorado Springs CO, a Professional Machinist. A prolific live steam locomotive builder since the late 1940's, Byron Squires had constructed all in 3-1/2 inch gauge: by 1950, a coal-fired 0-8-0 Switcher, a 4-6-2 Pacific, and a 4-8-2 Mountain; by 1960, a 4-4-2 Atlantic; and by 1964, a 4-6-6-4 Challenger articulated chassis & boiler shell was under construction. All of Byron's locomotives were constructed having steel boilers with copper flues, and all were gasoline-fired, except the 0-8-0 Switcher which burned coal. | ||
An active Rocky Mountain Live Steamers (RMLS) Co-Founder Member, by 1956 Byron had also constructed a 60 foot x 118 foot elevated-oval track, about 304 feet in length, which completely filled the large backyard of his new suburban residence in Colorado Springs. He named his railway the <i>Colorado Short Line RR</i>. This little railway then, was the only 3-1/2 inch gauge "closed-circuit track loop" known to exist in the entire Colorado Front Range Region. It was a simple oval, without any spurs or separate steaming bay facilities except for using the track itself, or using either an adjacent bench or some 2 x 8 planks laid on the ground-- but no one ever complained about the spartan facilities. Byron, and his wife Elizabeth, were very sociable and good-natured folks, who thankfully, always took a kind interest and derived a great pleasure in sharing their Colorado Short Line RR with all fellow "Live Steam" enthusiasts. | |||
Byron Squires was considered to be the Vice-President of the [[Rocky Mountain Live Steamers]], and his wife Elizabeth was considered to be the Secretary, of sorts. She acted as the Editor & Publisher of the <i>RMLS Journal</i>, a small club newsletter which was distributed only three or four times per year to the Membership. The Journal contained details of the latest "Steam-Up", and gave notice of future Event Dates anticipated or planned, and often included information any Member may wish to relate about their live steam activities, the current progress on any locomotive under construction, and other fun bits of news. All of the RMLS Members and their families enjoyed a pleasurable camaraderie in the occasional Steam-Up Events & Picnics, Bull-Sessions, as well as other gatherings throughout the years. | |||
In 1965, Byron Squires retired, and moved his residence out to a small acreage a few miles NE of Colorado Springs, in rural Black Forest, CO. And by 1966, continuing to proudly host and represent the RMLS, Byron & friends had constructed a new "Colorado Short Line RR" comprised of a 3-1/2 inch & 4-3/4 inch Dual-Gauge, elevated, closed-circuit distorted-oval track loop of about 600 feet in length, which also had convenient spurs for Steam-Bay & Service areas. This track accommodated the ever-growing interest in 1-inch Scale x 4-3/4 inch Gauge live steam locomotive activities. As was occurring elsewhere, participation in the Live Steam Hobby in the larger scales was rapidly growing in Colorado. It is rumored that Byron eventually had built at least one steam locomotive in 1-inch Scale x 4-3/4 inch Gauge, as had one or two other [[Rocky Mountain Live Steamers|RMLS]] members. Byron and Elizabeth Squires continued their generous hospitality, still taking a great pleasure in hosting RMLS Steam-Ups and Annual Meets. | |||
Soon, while the RMLS Steam-Ups and Events were in their "Heydays" at the Black Forest track, several live steam "Brothers" active in the larger "ground-riding" scales & gauges had formed a new Club in Denver, called the [[Colorado Live Steamers]] (CLS). This organization was officially incorporated in 1969, but unfortunately was forced to move out of their first tracksite located in Downtown Denver. In 1971, Byron Squires graciously invited the CLS to use his Black Forest facility as their Club Tracksite, where the CLS Members gratefully laid a 7-1/2" gauge track. This arrangement lasted for only a very few enjoyable years, until 1981, when tragically, and most sadly, the Grim Reaper took Byron Squires (at age 82--). This ended what little remained of any RMLS 3-1/2 inch and 4-3/4 inch Gauge activities, as well as any CLS activities at Black Forest, and after the tracks were removed, the Squires property was sold. | |||
The [[Colorado Live Steamers]] eventually found and developed another beautiful Club Tracksite in 1983 at Kassler (aka: Waterton--) Colorado, near the canyon mouth of the South Platte River southwest of Denver. However, a few years later the landlord was selling the property for re-development, so in 1995 the CLS was forced to relocate again, and the membership was then also split-up. Some members formed the "CLS-Bijou Creek & Western" Club some 60 miles east of Denver, this track was sited out in the remote, hot, weedy, nearly treeless, "sand-burr boonies" on the High Plains north of Byers CO; while other ex-CLS members founded the [[Rocky Mountain Rails]] (RMR) Club, sited at a much more scenic and convenient location for Denver area members, just south across the Platte River from the old tracksite at Kassler. | |||
: REFERENCE NOTES-- | |||
:: -- Excerpted & Revised in February 2022, with new "Corrections" -- | |||
:: from: IBLS/[[Rocky Mountain Live Steamers]] article (by Ken Scheer, Nov. 2015) | |||
== Home Track == | == Home Track == | ||
Revision as of 08:59, 17 July 2024
Jesse B. 'Byron' Squires (aka: "JB"), of Colorado Springs CO, a Professional Machinist. A prolific live steam locomotive builder since the late 1940's, Byron Squires had constructed all in 3-1/2 inch gauge: by 1950, a coal-fired 0-8-0 Switcher, a 4-6-2 Pacific, and a 4-8-2 Mountain; by 1960, a 4-4-2 Atlantic; and by 1964, a 4-6-6-4 Challenger articulated chassis & boiler shell was under construction. All of Byron's locomotives were constructed having steel boilers with copper flues, and all were gasoline-fired, except the 0-8-0 Switcher which burned coal.
An active Rocky Mountain Live Steamers (RMLS) Co-Founder Member, by 1956 Byron had also constructed a 60 foot x 118 foot elevated-oval track, about 304 feet in length, which completely filled the large backyard of his new suburban residence in Colorado Springs. He named his railway the Colorado Short Line RR. This little railway then, was the only 3-1/2 inch gauge "closed-circuit track loop" known to exist in the entire Colorado Front Range Region. It was a simple oval, without any spurs or separate steaming bay facilities except for using the track itself, or using either an adjacent bench or some 2 x 8 planks laid on the ground-- but no one ever complained about the spartan facilities. Byron, and his wife Elizabeth, were very sociable and good-natured folks, who thankfully, always took a kind interest and derived a great pleasure in sharing their Colorado Short Line RR with all fellow "Live Steam" enthusiasts.
Byron Squires was considered to be the Vice-President of the Rocky Mountain Live Steamers, and his wife Elizabeth was considered to be the Secretary, of sorts. She acted as the Editor & Publisher of the RMLS Journal, a small club newsletter which was distributed only three or four times per year to the Membership. The Journal contained details of the latest "Steam-Up", and gave notice of future Event Dates anticipated or planned, and often included information any Member may wish to relate about their live steam activities, the current progress on any locomotive under construction, and other fun bits of news. All of the RMLS Members and their families enjoyed a pleasurable camaraderie in the occasional Steam-Up Events & Picnics, Bull-Sessions, as well as other gatherings throughout the years.
In 1965, Byron Squires retired, and moved his residence out to a small acreage a few miles NE of Colorado Springs, in rural Black Forest, CO. And by 1966, continuing to proudly host and represent the RMLS, Byron & friends had constructed a new "Colorado Short Line RR" comprised of a 3-1/2 inch & 4-3/4 inch Dual-Gauge, elevated, closed-circuit distorted-oval track loop of about 600 feet in length, which also had convenient spurs for Steam-Bay & Service areas. This track accommodated the ever-growing interest in 1-inch Scale x 4-3/4 inch Gauge live steam locomotive activities. As was occurring elsewhere, participation in the Live Steam Hobby in the larger scales was rapidly growing in Colorado. It is rumored that Byron eventually had built at least one steam locomotive in 1-inch Scale x 4-3/4 inch Gauge, as had one or two other RMLS members. Byron and Elizabeth Squires continued their generous hospitality, still taking a great pleasure in hosting RMLS Steam-Ups and Annual Meets.
Soon, while the RMLS Steam-Ups and Events were in their "Heydays" at the Black Forest track, several live steam "Brothers" active in the larger "ground-riding" scales & gauges had formed a new Club in Denver, called the Colorado Live Steamers (CLS). This organization was officially incorporated in 1969, but unfortunately was forced to move out of their first tracksite located in Downtown Denver. In 1971, Byron Squires graciously invited the CLS to use his Black Forest facility as their Club Tracksite, where the CLS Members gratefully laid a 7-1/2" gauge track. This arrangement lasted for only a very few enjoyable years, until 1981, when tragically, and most sadly, the Grim Reaper took Byron Squires (at age 82--). This ended what little remained of any RMLS 3-1/2 inch and 4-3/4 inch Gauge activities, as well as any CLS activities at Black Forest, and after the tracks were removed, the Squires property was sold.
The Colorado Live Steamers eventually found and developed another beautiful Club Tracksite in 1983 at Kassler (aka: Waterton--) Colorado, near the canyon mouth of the South Platte River southwest of Denver. However, a few years later the landlord was selling the property for re-development, so in 1995 the CLS was forced to relocate again, and the membership was then also split-up. Some members formed the "CLS-Bijou Creek & Western" Club some 60 miles east of Denver, this track was sited out in the remote, hot, weedy, nearly treeless, "sand-burr boonies" on the High Plains north of Byers CO; while other ex-CLS members founded the Rocky Mountain Rails (RMR) Club, sited at a much more scenic and convenient location for Denver area members, just south across the Platte River from the old tracksite at Kassler.
- REFERENCE NOTES--
- -- Excerpted & Revised in February 2022, with new "Corrections" --
- from: IBLS/Rocky Mountain Live Steamers article (by Ken Scheer, Nov. 2015)
Home Track
A Colorado Live Steamer and His Road
J. B. Squires
The North American Live Steamer, Volume 1 Number 4, 1956
I am writing to tell you how much I enjoy your magazine. Also I have some pictures of my 3/4-inch steam railroad. My track is made of masonry. That is, the scaffolding is made of left sections of 7x7-3/8. The top half pummis and the bottom half sand and cement. The pummis is so I can nail ties on the left sections. My rails are 3/8 inch square iron put down with brass wood screws. The track is 300 feet and 44 inches with 30 foot radius curves. I have a mountain type 4-8-2 and a Pacific 4-6-2, also a 0-8-0 switcher which I certainly enjoy as a hobby.
- J. B. Squires
- 1939 Trent Ave.
- Colorado Springs, Colorado
GGLS
Atlantic
- This locomotive 4-4-2 Atlantic 3/4 scale was built by Byron Squires of Colorado Live Steamers back in 1973 off the Lewis blueprints Little Engines. Anyway I bought this locomotive brand new I was 16 years old for $600.00. I ran it at the Colorado Live Steamers until I sold it in 1980. What Great Memory's!
- Byron Squires built around 11 Locomotives from 3/4 inch to 1 1/2 inch. Colorado Live Steamers were on his property in Blackforest, Colorado from the late 1960's to early 1980's.
- Randall D. Rayer
Daris A Nevil visited the old downtown Chattanooga station and took photos of Squire’s Atlantic on display there in the lobby, May 28, 2024.
Video
See Chris Schieck