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The history of railroads in the Rocky Mountains comes alive on the Cumbres and Toltec. Sounds like a tag line from a commercial doesn't it. If you count the trips to the CB&Q station in Downers Grove Illinois in the 1950's to watch my dad go to work, I have been railfaning for over 60 years. But this year was the first time at the Cumbres and Toltec in Chama,NM. Not because I didn't want to go, just never made the time. I had the opportunity to do it this month. Wow! What a great experience. I drove from Omaha to Denver on Wednesday the 5th. Denver to Chama on the 6th. Rode the train on the 7th and headed home on the 8th. I woke up way early and left for Denver at 4 am. Got to the mile high city around noon and took up quick trip to Georgetown. Met the train coming back to Georgetown and then worked my way to south Denver for my overnight. Next morning off to Chama. A stop in Alamosa to see what the SL&RG was up to. Not much but they have a large amount of equipment there. Headed south and got into the fall colors after Antonito. Met the C&TS just down from Windy Point on the south side of Cumbres Pass.
Fall colors as you head along the Conejos River and up to Cumbres Pass. The railroad avoids this steep climb by going to the east and south and then turning west along the Los Pinos River from Antonito.
It really hard to find something a little different from what is usually seen. That is because there is really only 1 road. Hwy 17. Although there are some nice gravel pull off places to photo. Next year I think I will park the car and walk to some other views. But there are so many views. Every corner is a new vista and there many different weather conditions that could appear out of nowhere. Next post I'll look at the train ride up the east slope to Osier.
The 463 into the fall wonderland
The Chama Shop 3 locos under steam in 2016, amazing.
Th 463 coming back from turning on the wye at the south end of town
Friday I woke up before dawn dressed and made my last equipment check. Went over to Fina's for breakfast. Headed down to the yard. The air was crisp and the sky was clear. There was a large group that elected for the trip from Antonito to Chama. That way when you get off of the train you are home. The C&TS has nice buses that take you over the pass and into Antonito in a little over an hour. The sights were great on the "Motor Coach" too. We boarded the train and left on time at 10am. There is whole other world when you are riding on train, The sights sounds and smells are all different. Blueberry muffins and coffee with a slight smell of coal smoke. Just doesn't get any better. Walk outside to open gondola and look over the vast expanse where in 1880 Palmer thought a railroad would fit right here!! Shoot some scenery, watch for a view of the locomotive on the next curve. Oops not fast enough or a sway to left instead of right. I could do this all day. and we did.
I didn't keep track of exactly where the views were taken but I just wanted you to have the "feel" of the trip. Stops include Sublette and Osier the lunch stop
A view to east Think of 1880. Now we don't have to walk across this
Yep. My parents were born and raised in Chicago. Cicero and Berwyn. They moved out to Downers when my brother and I were born. Moved to Omaha in Late 1957 and visited relatives at least every year. My second home. Spent many hours along the CGW and EJ&E at West Chicago. Glad you liked the photos. I recorded 6 hours of audio from the tender of two locos on two different days. If anybody would like a dropbox link to it, just PM me and I'll send it. Tom
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