Thursday 7/21/2011 & Friday 7/22/2011
Back in 2011, I lived in the Texas panhandle town of Borger. This was a mear 7 hours from the steam mecca of Chama, New Mexico and the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad. A friend from back home in central Texas and I started talking one evening and he mentioned that he had never visited the C&TS so a trip was devised. Being new at my company, vacation was a premium but I did have every other Friday off so a plan was made! Some of my most classic C&TS photos came from this trip!
So on Thursday, 7/21, he flew into Amarillo that evening. I picked him up after work and we headed west. This being 10 years ago at the time of writing but I believe we made it to Santa Rosa, New Mexico before stopping for the night but it could of have been Tucumcari. From Santa Rosa, it was three and a half hours to Chama that we were able to cover on Friday morning. It was tight but we made it to Chama just as the 10:00am departure was leaving. So we headed out of town to chase it.
We then dropped back into Chama where we had lunch and rested a bit at the Hotel & Shops, my preferred place to stay in town. We headed back up to the summit early afternoon to see the train from Antonito, Colorado roll in. We gave chase down the hill. Since our hotel was right across from the train yard, we were able to talk through the yard in the evening which was a fitting way to end the long day.
So on Thursday, 7/21, he flew into Amarillo that evening. I picked him up after work and we headed west. This being 10 years ago at the time of writing but I believe we made it to Santa Rosa, New Mexico before stopping for the night but it could of have been Tucumcari. From Santa Rosa, it was three and a half hours to Chama that we were able to cover on Friday morning. It was tight but we made it to Chama just as the 10:00am departure was leaving. So we headed out of town to chase it.
We then dropped back into Chama where we had lunch and rested a bit at the Hotel & Shops, my preferred place to stay in town. We headed back up to the summit early afternoon to see the train from Antonito, Colorado roll in. We gave chase down the hill. Since our hotel was right across from the train yard, we were able to talk through the yard in the evening which was a fitting way to end the long day.
Saturday 7/23/2011
Saturday, we were to ride! Naturally, my travel companion wanted to ride Chama over to Antonito and therefore up the big grade. I convinced him to ride Antonito over to Chama since I had never done that. I used the reasoning that we got to hear the engine work for most of the day up the lesser grade than all out for just an hours. I still kind of regret that decision as he hasn't made it back to Chama since (that I know of).
We started the morning with the usual walk through the Chama yard but either we didn't get there early enough to see the Chama engine get water and coal or the bus for Antonito left before all that happened. The ride was excellent as always and I did like the fact that you got to go through the 'boring' high desert of the the east end of the line in the morning while you are excited vs at the end of the trip. We hit some rain after the lunch stop at Osier but still had a great ride!
We started the morning with the usual walk through the Chama yard but either we didn't get there early enough to see the Chama engine get water and coal or the bus for Antonito left before all that happened. The ride was excellent as always and I did like the fact that you got to go through the 'boring' high desert of the the east end of the line in the morning while you are excited vs at the end of the trip. We hit some rain after the lunch stop at Osier but still had a great ride!
Sunday 7/24/2011
On Sunday, we had to head back to Texas and my apartment in Borger but we weren't done with the C&TS yet! We got up early enough to see the engine serviced that morning. We then chased that train up the summit at Cumbres. I used a long lens for most of the shots during the chase and was really pleased with the photos! From Cumbres, we chose to drive back to Borger by continuing on into Colorado and then heading east over La Vita Pass and then south over Raton in order to change up the drive some. I knew it was to be a seven and a half hour drive or so but it sure felt longer.
We spent the night at my place before I ran him back to the airport in Amarillo early Monday morning, making it back to work a hour or so late.
A quick but very worthwhile trip!
We spent the night at my place before I ran him back to the airport in Amarillo early Monday morning, making it back to work a hour or so late.
A quick but very worthwhile trip!
