Howdy, Y'All -
As of 3/5/2010, Railfest in Durango is August (19?) 20-24, 2010; the C&TS
40th Anniversary Celebration in Chama is August 27-28-29-30*-31**, 2010.
Per Earl Knoob, the SL&RG will run a Photo Special on Thursday, 08/26!!
See the SL&RG website at [
www.riograndescenicrailroad.com], which indicates that this train will consist of
"vintage steam and rolling stock" - i.e. a classic train without any domes. HOORAY!!
As of Easter Sunday, the D&RG in South Fork is also planning to run some extra "trains" in late August!
See [
ngdiscussion.net], below, and [
ngdiscussion.net].
The end of August will definitely be 'Rocky Mountain Railroad Madness' - 2010!!
*****
"Boxcar Betty" has posted the details for this year's Railfest on the D&S "Events" page . See [www.durangotrain.com]
Note that the first train - an all-Pullman-Green consist of four cars, pulled by #473 - is currently scheduled for
August 19 ...
The C&TS date was moved forward from Labor Day primarily to avoid a conflict with this year's Narrow Gauge Convention in St. Louis, and also because area ranchers and hands usually gather in Chama and Antonito on Labor Day Weekend - making hotel rooms somewhat scarce. Because Sept. 12-14 is already into the beginnings of Fall Colors, and the last weekend of August is usually a fairly quiet time in Chama, it made more sense to move the date forward into August rather than backward into September.
So August 27-31 it is.
(Note added Monday & Tuesday events. And don't be surprised if there's some kind of warm-up on Thursday evening, August 26 ... )
Details of the C&TS events on August 27th through 31st have been posted at [www.cumbrestoltec.com]. These include afternoon & evening trains with a bar-b-que on Friday, a two-day weekend photo freight and Goose #5 excursion, and a motorcar round-trip. Some minor details of the August 30th Tribute to the 'Summer of Seventy' volunteers are still being worked out.
Note that there will be some schedule changes due to the fire at Lobato, but the C&TS 40th Anniversary Celebration on August 27-31 WILL occur!!
There will be several opportunities for moonlight rides and night photography on both the D&S and the C&TS the last 10 days or so of August, although the C&TS date and departure depot are still up in the air - see the thread starting with [
ngdiscussion.net]
...
As noted above, the C&TS 40th Anniversary Celebration WILL include a re-enactment of the first C&TS Train into Chama on 09/06/70, as a Tribute to the 'Summer of Seventy' volunteers. This will be held on Monday afternoon, August 30th - details have not yet been finalized. (See [
ngdiscussion.net] and [
ngdiscussion.net].)
So, it seems to me that late August 2010 might be a good time for some of our friends in Europe, Asia and the 'Lands Down Under' to come for a visit, with two major events on consecutive weekends within about 100 miles of each other!! I'm sure that RailFest in Durango will be fantastic as usual, and there are lots of events being planned in Chama as well. Most of the latter are rather tentative at present, but I've heard from Alan and Roger that there are some
VERY interesting plans in the works ...
Will the LC&S in Leadville plan a special train to help fill in the extra day or two between the D&S and C&TS events?
Will The Museum in Golden and/or The Georgetown Loop plan welcoming and/or farewell events (with Steam, of course*) for visitors flying into or out of Denver??
Will the C&TS Birthday become an annual End-of-Summer RR Days event in Chama??? HHHhhhmmmm ... I'll bet even the Phantom of the Roundhouse doesn't know!!
- Russ Sperry
* The answer is YES! There will be a night photo shoot at the GLRR on September 2nd!!
See [ngdiscussion.net]!!!
Edited 38 time(s). Last edit at 08/11/2010 01:35AM by Russo Loco.