The restoration of the Como depot has been ongoing for several years. After initial stabilization efforts, foundation repairs, and a new roof, the contract to complete the restoration was awarded to Older Than Dirt Construction in June of 2013. The photos below show the last stages of the structure's restoration. Funding for this phase comes primarily from grants from the Colorado State Historical Fund and the Colorado Department of Transportation with matching funds from the DSP&P historical society and others. Previous contributors are described on the pages linked below. This phase is intended to return the Como Depot to it's circa 1900 appearance, to ultimately allow it to become a Como history museum and welcome center.
If you would like to help this most worthy project, donations would be greatly appreciated. (and NO amount is too small) The Denver, South Park and Pacific Historical Society is a registered non-profit 501(c)(3) and as such all donations are tax deductible, and receipts will be provided. Checks can be sent to:
The Denver, South Park and Pacific Historical Society.
P. O. Box 26
Buena Vista, CO 81211-0026
Track work will continue in 2018. Volunteers are needed to keep the progress going. Please check the News page for the 2018 track laying dates. For more details, contact Bob Schoppe.
Be sure to visit Como on Boreas Pass Railroad Day, Saturday, August 18, 2018. Klondike Kate will be steamed up and running. There will be guided tours of the depot, roundhouse, and other points of interest from Como to Breckenridge.
This view shows the depot August 2015 and how far it has come since the top view from May 2008. The society will now start outfitting the depot as a Como railroad and town history museum.
And we could use a little help here. If anyone has any items appropriate for a circa 1900 depot they would like to donate it sure would be appreciated. Specifically we need a depot bench (church pew), old desk and a couple of pot belly stoves.
The grand opening and dedication ceremony took place in late August.
See below for a few more recent photos.
The depot was formally dedicated on August 22, 2015, with a few people dressing in period clothing for authenticity. See the Depot Dedication page for more details about the dedication ceremony.
With the depot completed, we started to build some track to complete the scene. The top photo was taken on July 18, 2015, and the bottom photo is from August 8, 2015. August 2017, just in time for
Boreas Pass Railroad Day, track was completed to the turntable.
Denver's CBS4 presented this great update of the depot and its restoration.
This earlier CBS4 piece introduced the project back in 2006
Starting on the north wall with new cedar siding, the Older than Dirt construction crew begins repairs on the depot exterior in August 2013.
A good “transitional ” view, here we see the new siding boards Mike and crew have spliced in along with the remaining original boards The yardmaster's hut is being rebuilt and the first coat of primer/sealer is being applied in September 2013.
The early morning sun highlights the rear of the depot with the first coat of primer/sealer. One of the rear windows has a coat of the green trim that will be used when the final trim paint is applied in 2014. Around that window there is also a test area of the final light gray paint for contrast.
This October 2013 view shows the reconstruction of the yardmaster's hut roof and the first coat of light gray on the depot. Next spring the final coat of light gray and dark green trim will be applied to restore the depot to it's circa 1900 appearance. Eventually the platform will also be rebuilt.
This mid-October southeast view provides a good contrast to the May 2008 view on the beginnings page of the Como Depot project to show how far the depot has come since restoration began. Winter is not far away. Mike Perschbacher and crew of Older than Dirt Construction began the final phase this past summer and expect to finish both the exterior and interior by summer 2014.
The agent's office shows off the new floor and ticket window. The walls have been painted, but the trim is still awaiting paint. The interior colors are based on actual paint samples.
Another view of the ticket window, this one from the customer's side.
The restored crossbucks mark the location of the once-busy intersection of Colorado highway 8 and the tracks of the Colorado and Southern Railroad.
The depot sign replica is based on the original and told the traveler how many miles it was to Denver or Leadville. The rain gutter has been restored and will be painted the same dark green as the windows and door.
