Today in history *PIC*

From Terence Ross Cumbres and Toltec book @1970 Terence Ross
Notes by Ernest Robart
OPERATIONS 1970
September 1: First delivery of equipment purchased by the Colorado and New Mexico State Railroad Authorities. D&RGW #5104 GP-7 left Alamosa, Colorado, with a mixed-gauge consisting of 39 narrow gauge freight cars, 1 narrow gauge caboose, 3 narrow gauge locomotives, 2 standard gauge idler flats, and 1 standard gauge caboose. Arrival in Antonito was around noon and all narrow gauge equipment was shoved onto CATS Railroad trackage. All equipment in the first delivery by D&RGW to Antonito is listed below [listed in order from front [west] to rear [east]):
Car # Car Type
700 Dump w/ballast
848 Dump w/ballast
483 Locomotive
9604 Drop End Gon
756 Dump Gon
859 Dump Gon
9615 Drop End Gon
6500 Flat
492 Locomotive
6516 Flat
3475 Box
3592 Box
3264 Box
9613 Drop End Gon
484 Locomotive
769 Dump w/ballast
801 Dump w/ballast
8249 Flat Bottom Coal
6518 Flat
6540 Flat
9557 Flat
3278 Box
3414 Box
Car » Car Type
3469 Box
9558 Drop End Gon
3073 Box
731 Dump Gon
3231 Box
3719 Box
3156 Box
3316 Box
6512 Flat
6543 Flat
6533 Flat
6542 Flat
163 Refrigerator
9533 Flat
1001 Flat
9569 Flat
1033 Flat
1515 Flat
844 Dump Gon
0503 Caboose
Engine 483, which had been inspected and passed by Colorado State Boiler Inspector, Fred Koehler, in Alamosa, was delivered with coal and water - ready to be fired. While this writer quickly relettered the tender to the CATS Railroad, crews began to fire the locomotive. They started the fire at, 1 p.m. and using 2 different air compressors to provide a draft for the fire, 483 was under 190 Ibs. steam pressure by 8 p.m. The new railroad had its first engine under steam.
September 2: 483, its tender refilled with water by the Antonito Fire Department, awaited its departure from Antonito. The crew decided to cut the train four cars behind the 484, since the whole string of cars was over tonnage for the locomotive. This made a train of sixteen cars and two dead locomotives. 483, slipping violently on two years' worth of weeds and rust, was only able to move this train about 200 ft. So the train was again cut, leaving 484 and five cars behind in Antonito. 483, with its shorter train, made better progress, but stalled when it reached the first curve (MP283.1). 492, with four cars in front and four behind, was dropped at this spot. 483, with the two cars of ballast in front of it and one car behind for the crew, continued west toward Lava. With a lot of slipping (even with only three cars), Lava was finally reached about three hours after leaving Antonito. After taking water there, it was decided to continue on to Big Horn. This was reached and after setting off the two ballast cars there, 483 returned to pick up the remainder of the train at MP 283. After another start up the hill, 483 made progress to MP 286 where it just couldn't get any farther. The dead engine (492) and four cars behind it were left there, while 483 went to Lava and set off the five cars it brought with it. ^Then it returned and picked up the 492 and four cars. Working hard, the 483 finally pulled the remainder of the train to Lava and set it off there. It then returned to Antonito with the "crew car", getting back at dark. The Line-Up:
September 2, Antonito - 483, 484, 30 cars
Lava - 492, 8 cars
Big Horn - 2 cars (ballast)