Day 4 - Sunday 3/1/2020 - Rotary Run from the Colorado State Line to Cumbres
I woke up around 6:30am was quickly made the walk down to the yard. Numerous other attendees were already in the yard and I arrive just as the 487 was backing the OY down the main toward the depot. There she joined the 484 who was already picking up the support cards. The two big engines posed by the station for a few photos while the crews gave everything one final check. Most of us took up positions around the yard to watch the train depart. Pete Lerro and a group erected a snow man on the tracks that the OY easily handled on its way out of the yard at 7:15am.
The train was scheduled to leave a good two hours before we did in order to plow from the state line to Coxo crossing. This stretch of the railroad isn't easily seen from the road. Our caravan arrived at Coxo crossing just before 10:00am to find the OY and her train waiting for us. We were able to watch the OY flow from the road and then walked up and across the crossing at Coxo while the rotary waited. The snow here was starting to get some depth and the OY put on a good show as she plowed up to the crossing and slightly beyond it. The Chama Fire Department was on hand to water the 487 and 484 since the Cresco tank was not de-winterized for the event.
While the two engines were watered, we chatted with some friends from the Durango & Silverton who had come out to watch the historic event. In the group was Jon, who is part of our message group, and Chase who I have known for years. It was great to meet and catch up with them!
As the engines continued to get watered, a light snow started to fall to just add to the scene. Those that had snow shoes tracked into the trees a bit with a pair of guides / wranglers and were treated to some fantastic photos for it! The railroad had a good number of snow shoes to rent but I didn't speak up fast enough. I tried to walk through the soft snow and did to better than most, I didn't dare trek too far off of solid ground.
Once the engines were watered up, the train plowed on while our buses and us stayed at the crossing in order to watch the train tackle Windy Point. Windy Point is the steepest part of the climb up to Cumbres and also is known for the biggest snow drifts on the railroad. Lunch was brought up to us as we waited, with it again being Subway. I ate in the bus to warm up and to switch to the 80-400mm lens that I rented to bring along. The show from Coxo of the train tackling Windy Point was spectacular!
Once the train cleared most of Windy Point, we hurried onto the buses to head up Cumbres. Here, the ones with snow shoes walked to the far side of the section house while the rest of us got up on top of the snow and formed a line basically along the road. The snow here was a good 4 - 5 feet deep and made for some amazing scenes! Words cannot describe show neat it was to see the rotary take on the snow at the summit!
The rotary plowed up a ways and then backed to the water stand pipe to take water for itself and both engines. This naturally took a while and it was pretty cold and windy up there! With the engines watered, we all retreated to the road crossing to watch the rotary come forward. The plan was to plow across the highway and then down into tangle foot curve on the other side of the pass. We would of had a great vantage point from the road of the entire valley. However, right when the rotary reached the other side of the highway, the pilot stopped it and the train backed up. The crew jumped out and saw that there was a long run of ice on that side of the road. The pilot had felt the big plow ride up on it and luckily got it stopped and backed off the ice successfully. The call was made that they only had an hour or so of time left before the train needed to start heading back to Chama and there was just too much ice to clear it and still have time to plow on with the given time. So the day was over. We headed for the buses and were taken down the mountain back to Chama arriving at 3:30 or so.
Everyone pretty much split up at this point to rest or to head back home. I rested in the room for a bit and said my good byes to my roommates, Leighton and Mark. I then went back to the yard to see rescue engine 463 simmering quietly and then 484 bring the support cars in. I then watched the 463 get its fire cleaned while I waited, hoping to see the OY arrive but needed to meet Jason for dinner. We met at the pizza joint Locals at 6:00 to pick up a big stack of pizzas. We then headed to the Gandy Dancer bed and breakfast where a majority of the other Friends wranglers were staying. Craig Linn and Kirk joined us along with wranglers Don Atkinson, Bill Kempner, John Cole, Ian Kelly and Bill James. Mike Thode also stopped by. It was a great time for sure with many great stories told! It was great meeting face to face with many of the guys I had 'met' online before. Jason and I walked back to the room in light snow, arriving around 9 since we would have an early morning the next day. I was out by 10:00.
The train was scheduled to leave a good two hours before we did in order to plow from the state line to Coxo crossing. This stretch of the railroad isn't easily seen from the road. Our caravan arrived at Coxo crossing just before 10:00am to find the OY and her train waiting for us. We were able to watch the OY flow from the road and then walked up and across the crossing at Coxo while the rotary waited. The snow here was starting to get some depth and the OY put on a good show as she plowed up to the crossing and slightly beyond it. The Chama Fire Department was on hand to water the 487 and 484 since the Cresco tank was not de-winterized for the event.
While the two engines were watered, we chatted with some friends from the Durango & Silverton who had come out to watch the historic event. In the group was Jon, who is part of our message group, and Chase who I have known for years. It was great to meet and catch up with them!
As the engines continued to get watered, a light snow started to fall to just add to the scene. Those that had snow shoes tracked into the trees a bit with a pair of guides / wranglers and were treated to some fantastic photos for it! The railroad had a good number of snow shoes to rent but I didn't speak up fast enough. I tried to walk through the soft snow and did to better than most, I didn't dare trek too far off of solid ground.
Once the engines were watered up, the train plowed on while our buses and us stayed at the crossing in order to watch the train tackle Windy Point. Windy Point is the steepest part of the climb up to Cumbres and also is known for the biggest snow drifts on the railroad. Lunch was brought up to us as we waited, with it again being Subway. I ate in the bus to warm up and to switch to the 80-400mm lens that I rented to bring along. The show from Coxo of the train tackling Windy Point was spectacular!
Once the train cleared most of Windy Point, we hurried onto the buses to head up Cumbres. Here, the ones with snow shoes walked to the far side of the section house while the rest of us got up on top of the snow and formed a line basically along the road. The snow here was a good 4 - 5 feet deep and made for some amazing scenes! Words cannot describe show neat it was to see the rotary take on the snow at the summit!
The rotary plowed up a ways and then backed to the water stand pipe to take water for itself and both engines. This naturally took a while and it was pretty cold and windy up there! With the engines watered, we all retreated to the road crossing to watch the rotary come forward. The plan was to plow across the highway and then down into tangle foot curve on the other side of the pass. We would of had a great vantage point from the road of the entire valley. However, right when the rotary reached the other side of the highway, the pilot stopped it and the train backed up. The crew jumped out and saw that there was a long run of ice on that side of the road. The pilot had felt the big plow ride up on it and luckily got it stopped and backed off the ice successfully. The call was made that they only had an hour or so of time left before the train needed to start heading back to Chama and there was just too much ice to clear it and still have time to plow on with the given time. So the day was over. We headed for the buses and were taken down the mountain back to Chama arriving at 3:30 or so.
Everyone pretty much split up at this point to rest or to head back home. I rested in the room for a bit and said my good byes to my roommates, Leighton and Mark. I then went back to the yard to see rescue engine 463 simmering quietly and then 484 bring the support cars in. I then watched the 463 get its fire cleaned while I waited, hoping to see the OY arrive but needed to meet Jason for dinner. We met at the pizza joint Locals at 6:00 to pick up a big stack of pizzas. We then headed to the Gandy Dancer bed and breakfast where a majority of the other Friends wranglers were staying. Craig Linn and Kirk joined us along with wranglers Don Atkinson, Bill Kempner, John Cole, Ian Kelly and Bill James. Mike Thode also stopped by. It was a great time for sure with many great stories told! It was great meeting face to face with many of the guys I had 'met' online before. Jason and I walked back to the room in light snow, arriving around 9 since we would have an early morning the next day. I was out by 10:00.
Safe Travels,
B (& E in Spirit)
B (& E in Spirit)
Day 5 - Monday 3/2/2020 - Travel from Chama, New Mexico back home to Houston, Tx
I woke up at 3:30am. We were a little worried about the weather as there was a chance there could be a good bit a snow. It had snowed overnight but just a dusting and we deemed the drive safe to make. We were on the road a little after 4am. Didn’t have any issues with the roads thankfully and did see any deer that I recall. We stopped for gas in Clines Corner and for lunch in Amarillo just after 11am. I took over driving about an hour or so south of Amarillo cause Jason was pretty worn out. We again stopped for gas again just outside of Wichita Falls and then ran for home. We got to Jason’s about 7:00pm and I got home just before 8pm. Making the run from Chama to Jason's house in Spring, Texas right at 14 hours again.
This was no doubt one of the best train trips I have taken. I can't thank Jason enough for letting me tag along. It doesn't look like any of the other 50th Anniversary festivities will happen in 2020 but I have hope to make it when they do in 2021.
Safe Travels,
B (& E in Spirit)
This was no doubt one of the best train trips I have taken. I can't thank Jason enough for letting me tag along. It doesn't look like any of the other 50th Anniversary festivities will happen in 2020 but I have hope to make it when they do in 2021.
Safe Travels,
B (& E in Spirit)