Re: Narrow Gauge operations in August 1966

This is all quite interesting. I am trying to equate all of this with a trip that I took with two friends to Durango and beyond in the summer of 1966. We were young and had just finished our freshman year in college and took off for the west. Our departure was planned for late June, but we were delayed a couple of weeks because my 1958 Chevrolet dropped a valve which put a hole in the top of a piston which was fatal to the engine. I had been to Durango a couple of times in years previous with my family but for this trip we were on our own. Our first day in Colorado we went from Walsenburg to Durango, and spent several hours in Alamosa. 483 and 487 were hot in the house and we were allowed free run of the entire house and shop. We camped for the night in the pubic campground north of Durango, and the next morning got the bad news that my trusty Chevrolet now needed new upper and lower ball joints. Mr. Morehart (the owner of the dealership) took a chance on three college guys and gave us a loaner on the condition that we not take it out of town, so we could at least get back to our camp. We spent the next day walking around town, and taking in the comings and goings of the Silverton. 484 and 492 were also live in the Durango roundhouse. The next morning we picked up the car, and were told that 492 had gone to Farmington and we got the impression that it was the first train in a long time because of a wash out, so we headed to Farmington. For reasons related to the Aztec Ruins at Aztec and some local young ladies, our arrival in Farmington was somewhat delayed, but we caught 492 switching, but the beautiful morning weather had turned rainy and cold. We followed 492 north, taking the photos below where it eased its way through the shoo fly discussed in Johns's post. and went ahead to shoot photos at sunset as the train entered Aztec. The combination of the rain and the heavy train gave us a show. It took 492 three tries to get its train up the hill and into Aztec, with us watching and listening from the hill east of town and the tracks. A great show, but none of my photos in Aztec turned out.

Below are the photos of the 492 on the shoo fly. I confess that I would love to know the date, because August seems to me to be too late but I don't remember any more. If anyone has the Durango records of the 492 trip, that would be greatly appreciated.