Day 3 - Monday 5/15/2013 - The 463 First Run to Chama in Over a Decade
The day was finally here! Jason took the van up to Cumbres to park it there. As part of the film crew, he had a ride arranged for himself to Antonio from Cumbres. He was to use the van and chase the 463 from Cumbes down to Chama. I don't recall how I got to Chama's yard from the Vista Del Rio, but I am thinking Jason went and got me before heading up to Cumbres. Barry, Blake and I took the railroad's charter bus over to Antonito, arrive around 30 minutes or so before departure.
The 463 and 487 already had the train at the station ready to roll. There was a car of water with us as the 463 would be doing most of the work and they were going to water her at Big Horn using the water tank. There was also two cars of ties that needed to be transported over to Chama. This was normally a work train after all that they just happened to sell a bunch of tickets on.
We made a good departure from Antonio and we all took in the sights as the 463 started to stretch her legs a bit for the first time in a long time. They did do a runby for everyone at Gravity Hill, just before the water tank at Lava Loop. There a gravity hill, a hot box was encountered on one of the coaches. Nothing uncommon, especially after the cars were sitting in Antonito all winter. The crew was able to get it fixed and us moving again without much delay.
A Trains Magazine writer was on board and wanted a jpeg shot for I think both the NewsWire as well as for a little blurb in the next Trains Magazine issue. Roger Hogan was with him but said he shoots Raw and it would take a bit before he can get one of his edited. I volunteered one of mine and Roger let me use his computer to look through my images and email a few over once we got back to Chama. The last image in this group was want was put in Train Magazine.
The 463 and 487 already had the train at the station ready to roll. There was a car of water with us as the 463 would be doing most of the work and they were going to water her at Big Horn using the water tank. There was also two cars of ties that needed to be transported over to Chama. This was normally a work train after all that they just happened to sell a bunch of tickets on.
We made a good departure from Antonio and we all took in the sights as the 463 started to stretch her legs a bit for the first time in a long time. They did do a runby for everyone at Gravity Hill, just before the water tank at Lava Loop. There a gravity hill, a hot box was encountered on one of the coaches. Nothing uncommon, especially after the cars were sitting in Antonito all winter. The crew was able to get it fixed and us moving again without much delay.
A Trains Magazine writer was on board and wanted a jpeg shot for I think both the NewsWire as well as for a little blurb in the next Trains Magazine issue. Roger Hogan was with him but said he shoots Raw and it would take a bit before he can get one of his edited. I volunteered one of mine and Roger let me use his computer to look through my images and email a few over once we got back to Chama. The last image in this group was want was put in Train Magazine.
As we continued on toward Osier and our lunch stop. It started to snow lightly on and off. At Big Horn, they uncoupled the 463 and moved it beside the water tanker we were carrying so the little engine could take water. I don't know why I don't have a picture edited of this but will need to get one edited up. Past Big Horn, there was a mix of sun with some light snow.
Osier had a nice dusting of snow on the ground. I ate quick in order to see the two engines take water in the snow, we were here for the train after all!
Osier had a nice dusting of snow on the ground. I ate quick in order to see the two engines take water in the snow, we were here for the train after all!
The sun and snow combination continued past Osier and I got some of my favorite narrow gauge images during this stretch. Another runby was performed for us at Tangle Foot curve just below Cumbres which also had great light. We then all piled back on the train for the short roll up to the summit.
At Cumbres, we hopped off the train with Jason was abled to watch the departure and then headed into the van for the chase down the hill. In order to do this, we had to promise not to slow him down. He had predetermined positions to get into so that the entire trip down the hill was recorded. At Cumbres, the 487 was cut off and headed down the hill light and the 463 had the honor of taking the train down. The chase to the bottom ended with a great shot of the 463 coming into the yard!
That evening, there was a night shoot with the 463 in front of the Chama depot. The cool (cold) night air made for some great displays of drifting steam. After shooting the 463, I went over and caught some great images of the 487 being serviced in the engine house. I wanted to keep shooting but I was drawn away by Blake saying it was too cold to stay out there and I knew the morning would come early…
Day 4 - Tuesday 5/16/2013 - Drive Back South to Houston
It was probably a 4:00 or 5:00am departure. All I remember is my phone ringing asking me where I was. I guess I had forgot to set an alarm or slept right through it. I hurriedly finished what little packing I needed to go and ran outside to the van which already had Berry, Blake and Jason in it. The drive home was uneventful. There had been some bad weather recently with the Oklahoma / Texas boarder seeing several tornados. We kept our eyes open and an watch on our cell phones for radar but didn't run into any trouble.
These mad dashes are tiring but it was a trip to remember!
These mad dashes are tiring but it was a trip to remember!