Day 1 - Wednesday 5/31/17 - A Halfday of Travel from Houston to Amarillo, Tx
On the morning we were planing to leave, I was going to working until 11 or so but ended up not having to work past 9:30 because of extra hours I worked the week before. I just called into a meeting about a proposal and was done! I ran a few errands with Emily before heading to get the rental car at about 10:15. I had it booked on the location on Richmond that was close to the house for 11:30 but figured I could pick it up early. Enterprise said they wouldn’t have it ready until 11:15 at the earliest. We went back home and headed back up at 11:15 and they still didn’t have the car but was having one brought over from another location. Finally, about 11:45 the car showed up. It was a Ford Focus SE (hatch back). We got back to the house and I was on the road by 12:10.
Met Blake at the Wells Fargo on I-45 and Spring Cypress at about 12:50 and we headed north. We stopped at Bucee’s in Huntsville since the car didn’t have a full tank from Enterprise. We made it through Ft. Worth by 4:00pm so didn’t hit too bad of traffic. We stopped at Whataburger in Wichita Falls and got gas as there as well. We made it to Amarillo about 9:45 and crashed at the very nice and then, new, Hampton Inn on the east side of town by the airport.
Met Blake at the Wells Fargo on I-45 and Spring Cypress at about 12:50 and we headed north. We stopped at Bucee’s in Huntsville since the car didn’t have a full tank from Enterprise. We made it through Ft. Worth by 4:00pm so didn’t hit too bad of traffic. We stopped at Whataburger in Wichita Falls and got gas as there as well. We made it to Amarillo about 9:45 and crashed at the very nice and then, new, Hampton Inn on the east side of town by the airport.
Day 2 - Thursday 6/1/17 - Travel from Amarillo to Chama, NM and Railfan the Afternoon
We woke up at 7:30 and ate breakfast at the Hampton Inn. Left at 8:15 and made a quick stop by Madam Queen, the Santa Fe 2-10-4 #5000, on our way out of town. Stopped for gas at Tucumcari, NM and Subway for lunch in Santa Fe, NM. Arrived in Chama just before 2:00pm mountain time after hitting rain north of Santa Fe.
We stopped at the station in Chama since Blake realized, on the drive up, that he forgot his ticket for the charter. The Chama station couldn’t help him since the charter was being done by the Friend’s of the Cumbres & Toltec but they called the Friend’s office for him which said he would be fine. He in fact was, as they just checked a list of registered riders each morning and no tickets were shown by anyone.
We headed up to Los Pinos with hopes to catch the train in the valley on its climb to Cumbres. We sat at Los Pinos til a little before 3:00 before thinking the train probably skirted passed us on the drive between Cumbres and Los Pinos. We headed for Cumbres and sure enough, the 487 was there and almost ready to head down the hill. We had a good chase of the 487 with the passenger train down into Chama. We walked the yard for a bit before checking into room 202 before checking into the Shamrock Hotel (Roger and Barbara Hogan’s place). 489 was being tested due to repairs to a hot driver so we got to see it shuffle a few miles out of Chama and back back in. We grabbed dinner at Subway and did some night shots in the yard before turning in for the night. It is sure nice being within a short walk of the yard!
We stopped at the station in Chama since Blake realized, on the drive up, that he forgot his ticket for the charter. The Chama station couldn’t help him since the charter was being done by the Friend’s of the Cumbres & Toltec but they called the Friend’s office for him which said he would be fine. He in fact was, as they just checked a list of registered riders each morning and no tickets were shown by anyone.
We headed up to Los Pinos with hopes to catch the train in the valley on its climb to Cumbres. We sat at Los Pinos til a little before 3:00 before thinking the train probably skirted passed us on the drive between Cumbres and Los Pinos. We headed for Cumbres and sure enough, the 487 was there and almost ready to head down the hill. We had a good chase of the 487 with the passenger train down into Chama. We walked the yard for a bit before checking into room 202 before checking into the Shamrock Hotel (Roger and Barbara Hogan’s place). 489 was being tested due to repairs to a hot driver so we got to see it shuffle a few miles out of Chama and back back in. We grabbed dinner at Subway and did some night shots in the yard before turning in for the night. It is sure nice being within a short walk of the yard!
Day 3 - Friday 6/2/17 - Railfan the Normal Passenger Trains
We awoke to the sound a whistles in the yard and were down in the yard by 8:00am. 463 was sitting outside the shops with 489 inside and 487 over the ash pit. 489 was still having a few issues with a hot driver so it looked like 487 would be our steed for the chase up. We followed the 487 around the yard as she was being serviced but then 489 poked its head out, had its fire cleaned and got coaled. Blake swore it was going to be a double header but I was doubtful. Sure enough, the 489 shuffled back to the shops and 487 took the train alone. We had a good chase up the hill. There were two or three other cars with us on the chase, including a husband and wife about my age who had the chase down to a science it seemed like.
At Cumbres, we debated if we should head over to explore Antonito a bit or drift back to Chama. We suspected that 489 might be making some test runs. Blake wanted to see 489 and I wanted to check out Antonito so we agreed to scout down toward Chama away and if nothing, turn and head to Antonito (since we wanted to try to see the train at Los Pinos again). Sure enough, Blake smelled coal smoke as we drifted down the mountain and we were able to chase 489 the last third of the climb to Cumbres, watch her turn no the wye at the top and chased her back down to Chama. We were greeted with some thunder while watching the 489 turn on Cumbres but no harm came of it. The 489 stopped at Cresco Tank to check the troubled driver and encountered a heard of sheep, that we saw them taking off a truck the day before, around Labato Trestle. Word was, the driver was now running cool and it turns out she helped the 463 with the passenger train up the hill on Saturday (though we didn’t get to see it because of our own adventures with the 315). The weather was pretty stormy up on the mountain so we stayed in Chama, resting in the hotel for most of the afternoon. We made it back into the yard by 3:30 or so to see the 484 bring the passenger train in just after 4:00pm. We hung out in the yard a bit. I called my parents and they got to see me on the webcams! We again had dinner at Subway and did another pass through of the yard at about 8pm before calling it a night.
Safe Travels,
B (& E in Spirit)
At Cumbres, we debated if we should head over to explore Antonito a bit or drift back to Chama. We suspected that 489 might be making some test runs. Blake wanted to see 489 and I wanted to check out Antonito so we agreed to scout down toward Chama away and if nothing, turn and head to Antonito (since we wanted to try to see the train at Los Pinos again). Sure enough, Blake smelled coal smoke as we drifted down the mountain and we were able to chase 489 the last third of the climb to Cumbres, watch her turn no the wye at the top and chased her back down to Chama. We were greeted with some thunder while watching the 489 turn on Cumbres but no harm came of it. The 489 stopped at Cresco Tank to check the troubled driver and encountered a heard of sheep, that we saw them taking off a truck the day before, around Labato Trestle. Word was, the driver was now running cool and it turns out she helped the 463 with the passenger train up the hill on Saturday (though we didn’t get to see it because of our own adventures with the 315). The weather was pretty stormy up on the mountain so we stayed in Chama, resting in the hotel for most of the afternoon. We made it back into the yard by 3:30 or so to see the 484 bring the passenger train in just after 4:00pm. We hung out in the yard a bit. I called my parents and they got to see me on the webcams! We again had dinner at Subway and did another pass through of the yard at about 8pm before calling it a night.
Safe Travels,
B (& E in Spirit)