John West Wrote:
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> The helper FOLLOWED the freight to Gato?
> Wow, I had totally forgotten that – my failing
> memory thought it had run ahead of the freight
> since that was the usual routine.
IIRC, you are right about the usual practice, John -
If the westbound was heavy enough to warrant it, the helper would be tied on for the moderate hill from Chama to Azotea, then would run ahead light to Gato where she'd take on water and then pull ahead to make room at the tank for the road engine, and then back down and re-couple to assist on the climb to Arboles, after which she'd run ahead light to Florida, IIRC, and then help again with the climb to Falfa before running ahead light down Bocea Hill to Carbon Junction & Durango.
It appears that #476 may have had problems with her fuel supply on 05/28/68, since Ernie's photos show her – but not #478 – spotted over the ash pit in Chama and then taking on coal afterward. I'm guessing that, since time was of the essence that day, #478 departed Chama for Gato a.s.a.p. after arriving, taking water, and swapping her Alamosa crew for one driven from Durango to Chama. #476 followed only after her fire was cleaned and some fresh fuel was piled on top of the bad stuff from Alamosa. #476 was running light westbound from Chama, and apparently caught up to #478 and her train just a few miles shy of Gato.
- El Abuelo Histœrico, Greengo y Curmudgeoño de los Locomoturas Viejos y Verdes,
aka Der Grossväterlich DünkelOlivGrünDampfKesselMantelLiebHabender
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/28/2019 11:06AM by Russo Loco.