Re: Chasing the narrow gauge 55 years ago, June 1964 - 7
| September 11, 2019 09:27PM |
On June 12, 1964, 473 continued a fast pace on the run to Antonito
473 is approaching the Conejos River bridge
This ended plans to follow 473 to Chama and to hopefully intercept the day's westbound freight operations (493 and 487 on a Cumbres turn and pm thru freight). Driving the dirt road over La Manga and Cumbres passes without a spare tire seemed far too much of a folly. For sure, tires in 1964 were far more prone to flats and blow outs than they are today.
So we set out to get the tire fixed, and drove to Las Cruces via Espanola, Santa Fe and Albuquerque to drop Leo off at NMSU. That gave me a day to get my gear together for my summer job in Kermit ( Anyone for digging ditches and painting smokestacks while wearing an aluminum helmet on 110 degree days ?). It sure was great to have a week in Colorado first.
473 is approaching the Conejos River bridge
This ended plans to follow 473 to Chama and to hopefully intercept the day's westbound freight operations (493 and 487 on a Cumbres turn and pm thru freight). Driving the dirt road over La Manga and Cumbres passes without a spare tire seemed far too much of a folly. For sure, tires in 1964 were far more prone to flats and blow outs than they are today.
So we set out to get the tire fixed, and drove to Las Cruces via Espanola, Santa Fe and Albuquerque to drop Leo off at NMSU. That gave me a day to get my gear together for my summer job in Kermit ( Anyone for digging ditches and painting smokestacks while wearing an aluminum helmet on 110 degree days ?). It sure was great to have a week in Colorado first.
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488 stops for water at Los Pinos tank on closing day Oct. 1979. Photo courtesy Don Richter
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