Dec. 20, 1966
Flanger/Spreader Extra
487 Eng. Carl Jack, Frm. Jim Shawcroft
493 Eng Gayle Cunningham, Frm. Stan Smith
This was the first train west from Alamosa since Dec. 4 when 492 and 487 came east.
Dec. 21, 1966
Work Extra East
487 Eng. Carl Jack, Frm, Jim Shawcroft
493 Eng. Gayle Cunningham, Frm. Stan Smith
Called for 730am
The next train was another Flanger/Spreader train with 487 and 493 on Dec. 27-28, 1965. There still had been no revenue freight between Alamosa and Durango since December 4, 1965.
On Dec. 28, 487 (C. Jack, J Shawcroft) and 493 (R. Morgan, G. Cunningham) headed east for Alamosa, called at 8am. A west bound freight was headed to Chama. While over in Durango 488 and 484 were headed east. Carl and Jim somehow ended up back in Chama than night, but with the 493. 487 with Bob Morgan and Gayle Cunningham disappear. I assume they ended up going home to Alamosa. 498 came west from Alamosa with Lee Otteson and Wierick. A guess is 498 started east alone, 493 on the flanger train was turned in Antonito and doubled back to Chama helping 498. 493 had a plow 498 did not. How Carl and Jim got the short straw to go back to Chama in interesting.
It gets more interesting in that then next train out of Chama is:
Extra East
493 Eng. C. Jack, Frm. J. Shawcroft
488 Eng. Lee Otteson, Frm. Weirick
Called for 330am (!!)
How the crews got rested would be interesting to find out....
Then later that morning:
Extra West
498 Eng. Shock, Frm. Payne
484 Eng. Connor, Frm. Gibbs
Called for 730am
493 and 488 must have gotten in trouble and came back to Chama. It is not known if the Durango train got called back or if it even left Chama. The next engine call is:
Work Extra East
484 Eng. Shock, Frm. Payne
488 Eng. Otteson, Frm. Weirick
Called 1201pm.
(488 has a plow)
Note that Shock and Payne and west end men called to go east.
Everyone ended back in Chama for the night. The next day it seems everyone got to go home.
Dec. 31, 1965
Work Extra East
488 Eng. Jack, Frm. J. Shawcroft
484 Eng. Otteson, Frm. Weirick
Called 815am
Extra West
493 Eng. Connor, Frm. Gibbs
498 Eng. Shock, Frm. Payne.
called 10am
The notation of "Work Extra East" seems to indicate no revenue freight handled. Perhaps the crews simply took their engines and headed for home plowing their way along. It seems to me Ernie and Joe Hereford told me the train going to Alamosa had troubles, plowing deep snow. The didn't get into Alamosa until the wee hours of January 1, 1966.
The next operations were on Jan. 10, 1966. 487 and 484 ran the spreader/flanger train to Chama. Then...
Jan 11, 1966
Work Extra East Big Horn Flanger Turn
487 Eng. Faucette, Frm. Otteson
484 Eng. Lira, Frm. J. Shawcroft.
called for 800am
The next day, an east bound went out of Chama. perhaps they were taking the cars that didn't make it over the hill on Dec. 31.
Jan 12, 1966
Extra East
487 Eng. Faucette, Frm. Otteson
484 Eng. Lira, Frm. J. Shawcroft
called for 10am
On Jan 13th, an east bound came out of Durango with 493. Alamosa sent 488 and 484 west to Chama. That operation seemed to go fairly well. 484 went west to Durango, 488 and 493 made a morning Cumbres Turn and that afternoon made another trip up the hill, picked up the cars from the first turn and went on to Alamosa.
On January 17-18 another flanger/spreader turn was run to Chama using 487 and 483.
No freight operations followed this train.
Finally when Olaf and his frozen buddy showed up, On January 25, 1966, they sent another flanger train west with 493 and 483, returning the next day.
January 26, 1966
Spreader Extra East
493 Eng. Faucette, Frm. Otteson
483 Eng. R. Morgan, Frm. Cunningham
no call time.
At this point they gave up. There were no trains on the narrow gauge until early May, 1966. Frankly I'm surprised they kept up the fight as long as they did. Never again did the fight to keep the RR operating when the weather got bad. In 1966 and 67, they stopped running in December.
So, Olaf lucked out and caught the last operations on the narrow gauge for the winter of 1965-66.
