Re: #498 at Monero in the Morning - 07/18/68
| July 18, 2018 10:22AM |
|
Good Morning, All -
As noted previously, per Ernie's notes #498 had picked up ten flats and two boxcars loaded with lumber at the Weidman sawmill in Durango on the morning of 07/17/68; more than two dozen eastbound empties were added to her train at Carbon Junction. Due to weeds making the rails slippery (this was the first train in a month during the peak summer growth season), only the twelve loads of lumber reached Chama. The remainder of the train – all empties – was set out on sidings along the way. A hotbox was detected near Arboles, and a broken spring hanger on the locomotive, so the crew tied up there for the required eight hours off duty while a mechanic or two drove out from Durango to effect repairs to the engine. The trip to Chama resumed at 7:00 a.m. on July 18 — fifty years ago this morning.
The delay at Arboles was a minor incident for the railroad – but a big benefit for Ernie – as it put #498 and her train in Monero with good mid-morning light on an east-bound freight — a very rare occurrence during the last years of narrow gauge operations. The aforementioned weeds and the sharp curves and steep grade through Monero required #498 to double the hill; here she is with the front half of her train approaching and passing the large coal tipple that is the heart of downtown Monero:
Photo copyright © 1968, 2018 by Ernest W. Robart - All Rights Reserved.
Photo copyright © 1968, 2018 by Ernest W. Robart - All Rights Reserved.
Photo copyright © 1968, 2018 by Ernest W. Robart - All Rights Reserved.
#498 dropped the first five loads of lumber on the siding near the east side of town, and stopped at the tipple for a bit of fuel while backing down to get the rest of her train.* She stopped at the water tower after re-assembling the train, and then headed out of town:
Photo copyright © 1968, 2018 by Ernest W. Robart - All Rights Reserved.
A final shot of the whole enchilada as #498 and her train depart Monero on their way to Chama:
Photo copyright © 1968, 2018 by Ernest W. Robart - All Rights Reserved.
(To be continued.)
- El Abuelo Histœrico, Greengo y Curmudgeoño de los Locomoturas Viejos y Verdes,
aka Der Grossväterlich DünkelOlivGrünDampfKesselMantelLiebHabender
* Per Earl Knoob, the only 'fuel' that came out of the tipple that morning was "a bit of dust and a dead cat." See [ngdiscussion.net] for 'The Rest of the Story'.
Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 07/13/2022 01:09PM by Russo Loco.
As noted previously, per Ernie's notes #498 had picked up ten flats and two boxcars loaded with lumber at the Weidman sawmill in Durango on the morning of 07/17/68; more than two dozen eastbound empties were added to her train at Carbon Junction. Due to weeds making the rails slippery (this was the first train in a month during the peak summer growth season), only the twelve loads of lumber reached Chama. The remainder of the train – all empties – was set out on sidings along the way. A hotbox was detected near Arboles, and a broken spring hanger on the locomotive, so the crew tied up there for the required eight hours off duty while a mechanic or two drove out from Durango to effect repairs to the engine. The trip to Chama resumed at 7:00 a.m. on July 18 — fifty years ago this morning.
The delay at Arboles was a minor incident for the railroad – but a big benefit for Ernie – as it put #498 and her train in Monero with good mid-morning light on an east-bound freight — a very rare occurrence during the last years of narrow gauge operations. The aforementioned weeds and the sharp curves and steep grade through Monero required #498 to double the hill; here she is with the front half of her train approaching and passing the large coal tipple that is the heart of downtown Monero:
Photo copyright © 1968, 2018 by Ernest W. Robart - All Rights Reserved.
Photo copyright © 1968, 2018 by Ernest W. Robart - All Rights Reserved.
Photo copyright © 1968, 2018 by Ernest W. Robart - All Rights Reserved.
#498 dropped the first five loads of lumber on the siding near the east side of town, and stopped at the tipple for a bit of fuel while backing down to get the rest of her train.* She stopped at the water tower after re-assembling the train, and then headed out of town:
Photo copyright © 1968, 2018 by Ernest W. Robart - All Rights Reserved.
A final shot of the whole enchilada as #498 and her train depart Monero on their way to Chama:
Photo copyright © 1968, 2018 by Ernest W. Robart - All Rights Reserved.
(To be continued.)
- El Abuelo Histœrico, Greengo y Curmudgeoño de los Locomoturas Viejos y Verdes,
aka Der Grossväterlich DünkelOlivGrünDampfKesselMantelLiebHabender
* Per Earl Knoob, the only 'fuel' that came out of the tipple that morning was "a bit of dust and a dead cat." See [ngdiscussion.net] for 'The Rest of the Story'.
Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 07/13/2022 01:09PM by Russo Loco.
Sorry, only registered users may post in this forum.
488 stops for water at Los Pinos tank on closing day Oct. 1979. Photo courtesy Don Richter
The NGDF was started by Don Richter and is currently operated in his memory by Nathan Holmes and others. Others who have contributed to the upkeep of this board are (in no particular order): Charles McCandless, Everett Lueck, Ted Wilton, Cole Adams, James Bane, John Moellmer, Jon Bentz, Linn Moedinger, lloyd lehrer, Rod Jensen, John Craft, Steven Forney, Herb Kelsey, Bill Ramaley, Russ Sperry (El Russo Loco), Josh McNeal, John West, Jim Armstrong, Bob Bergstrom, Greg Scholl, Blake Forbes Doug van Veelen and Mark Fuller.