Re: C&TS 1977

drgwk37 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Earl Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > The Worthington Duplex pumps were set up for
> fire
> > fighting, steam being provided by the plumbing
> > that fed the doghouse heaters. Both 484 and
> 487
> > had pumps. Don't remember whether 483 had one.
>
> > The Chama water tank was out of service. There
> > had been a steel tank installed sometime in the
> > 1970's but it was never made functional. It
> > wasn't until 1982 or so the tank was returned
> to
> > service. Until that time the tenders were
> filled
> > overnight with garden hoses. Knowing the
> > frailties of the Chama Municipal Water System,
> > rigging up the tank car for water might have
> been
> > a solution.
> >
> > I don't know where the funding came from for
> all
> > the improvements. There was a lot of Economic
> > Development Act grants rolling around then,
> might
> > have been one of those.
> >
> > Scenic Rys had developed a long term master
> plan
> > for the C&TS which included a new facility in
> > Antonito and a major backshop constructed in
> > Chama, down beyond the wye. There were major
> > projects for Chama, Osier, & Cumbres. Only
> > problem was - who was going to foot the bill?
> > Once it came apparent that the revenues of
> running
> > trains were not going to pay for any capital
> > improvements, the RR Authority (as it was known
> > then) started going for Government funding. Of
> > all the grand projects proposed for the C&TS,
> only
> > the Antonito Yard ever came to fruition. When
> > money came available for a small 2 track shop,
> it
> > was decided to built it up the yard, not down
> > where the hoped-for backshop was to be
> > constructed. This was probably done because to
> > the need to utilize the current engine house
> for
> > its machine shop and other facilities. With the
> > construction of new engine shop, the dream for
> a
> > recreation of the Alamosa backshop faded away.
>
> Thanks Earl, would have been neat to see a real
> backshop built in Antonito, but with the new
> Friends structure and what they are doing is a
> good substitute.
>
> William
> aka drgwk37

The amount of real estate needed to create the necessary backshop facility does not exist in Antonito. To create a 4 track shop with pits, overhead cranes, a suitable machine shop with wheel press, wheel lathe, etc., not to mention the trackwork necessary to connect all this takes a lot of room. The RR owns the land west of the Chama Wye, which would have been big enough.

When the shop was built in Chama, the C&TS had engines service - 483, 484 and 487. 483 was a round to mid-1977. 488 came along in May 1979. Trains ran 4 days a week, one-way each operating day. Including helper jobs, there were SIX train movements a week.
Now, there are 5 engines in service (have been as many as 6), there are at least 14 train movements a week, plus helpers which in the 1990's averaged 4 (up to as many as 7) a week.

All done out of the same shop....

Ya think the C&TS has outgrown the facility?