Day 5 - Sunday 6/4/2017 - DRGW 315 Work Photo Freight Cumbres to Antonito
We met up downstairs of the hotel at 6:30 and were up at Cumbres by 7:00am. The bus from Antonito was scheduled to get there at about 7:45 so the 4 of us had plenty of time to enjoy the 315 in the early morning light. We watched them prep the engine and take water. I took a moment to enjoy the coupula of the caboose while the bus arrived and the 315 coupled onto the train. The group from the bus continued to load and we were off.
We were treated to our first run by not a quarter mile away at tangle foot curve. Our group was only about 25 that day with a few of those 25 heading out after the tangle foot runby to expedite their travel plans. The lighter crowd on the train made for a nice day with plenty of chances to ride in caboose 05635’s copula. The run bys at the high Cascade Trestle were a highlight of the morning!
We picked up box lunches in Osier since we rolled through there about 10:00am, though most ate theirs relatively soon after that. We met the westbound passenger train at Toltec siding with 463 on the point. We did a pretty lengthy hike from the top of whiplash to the bottom then up the hill on the other side for a dramatic view of the three loops. This was one of the many shots that lent itself more to videographers than photographers, especially with a short, 7 car, train. Olaf Rasmussen was the coordinator on this charter and while there were too many long running shots for video people, the schedule of events were meticulously planned out and he listed to idea of locations to add or drop. He did a great job! Past whiplash, the mosquitos became horrible. Apparently it was the right combination of days after a decent rain event and we just fell right on it. Long sleeves and pants saved me, (only counted 12 bites) others didn’t fair was well I am sure. We met the east bound passenger train at Lava Loop, with the 315 having to muscle her way up the connecting track because of the water car on top. The 489 was the power going east as she was finally released from the confines of the Chama shop. We grabbed a another runby past Lava loop and got into Antonito about 5:30. We took Dennis and Richard to their car at Cumbres and got back down into Chama to start packing. We got dinner at Subway and took one last stroll through Chama’s yard at about 8:00pm that evening.
We were treated to our first run by not a quarter mile away at tangle foot curve. Our group was only about 25 that day with a few of those 25 heading out after the tangle foot runby to expedite their travel plans. The lighter crowd on the train made for a nice day with plenty of chances to ride in caboose 05635’s copula. The run bys at the high Cascade Trestle were a highlight of the morning!
We picked up box lunches in Osier since we rolled through there about 10:00am, though most ate theirs relatively soon after that. We met the westbound passenger train at Toltec siding with 463 on the point. We did a pretty lengthy hike from the top of whiplash to the bottom then up the hill on the other side for a dramatic view of the three loops. This was one of the many shots that lent itself more to videographers than photographers, especially with a short, 7 car, train. Olaf Rasmussen was the coordinator on this charter and while there were too many long running shots for video people, the schedule of events were meticulously planned out and he listed to idea of locations to add or drop. He did a great job! Past whiplash, the mosquitos became horrible. Apparently it was the right combination of days after a decent rain event and we just fell right on it. Long sleeves and pants saved me, (only counted 12 bites) others didn’t fair was well I am sure. We met the east bound passenger train at Lava Loop, with the 315 having to muscle her way up the connecting track because of the water car on top. The 489 was the power going east as she was finally released from the confines of the Chama shop. We grabbed a another runby past Lava loop and got into Antonito about 5:30. We took Dennis and Richard to their car at Cumbres and got back down into Chama to start packing. We got dinner at Subway and took one last stroll through Chama’s yard at about 8:00pm that evening.
Day 6 - Monday 6/5/2017 - Drive back to Houston
We were up and on the road by 5:00am due to the 15 hr drive (and loosing a hour due to time change) ahead of us. We stopped at Whataburger in Amarillo at about 11am (central time now) and then drove out to the Amarillo Railroad Museum to see if anyone was there. No one was so we just walked through their armored train area and that was it. We also stopped to see the Ft. Worth and Denver 501, a 4-6-2 that is on display in Childress, Tx. We unfortuanly took too long in Amarillo and Childress, or maybe just didn’t make Jason Rose time, but we hit Ft. Worth right at 5:00pm. We got Chick-Fil-A once we got through Ft. Worth around Waxahachie. I dropped Blake off at the Whataburger near I-45 and Spring Cypress where his Dad was waiting and make it home just before 10:00pm. The next morning, Emily helped me shuttle the rental back to Enterprise completing the trip.
Safe Travels,
B (& E in Spirit)
Safe Travels,
B (& E in Spirit)