Part of the fun of exploring abandoned grades is matching current locations with historical photos. Photo locations of the D&RGW over Cerro are fairly easy to identify, given that the highway paralled the line most of the way. However the Otto Perry shot below, from the CumbresToltec.net site, has always stumped me.
Enter Olaf with his photos, and I noticed a pretty unique landmark, namely the small peak that is in common with the Otto Perry photo.
So using your map Olaf, I'm figuring that Perry was chasing the eastbound train and veered up P76Rd to grab a shot just as it approached the crossing. Road engine 317 and it looks like a Mudhen pusher just visible at the rear. Your photo was taken at a slightly different angle, and a little further down the grade.
So that Perry photo is possibly the closest we'll ever get to a Hairpin Curve shot, at least from what I'll call the "Early Railfan Era". Perry and Richardson seemed to hike into remoter locations on Marshall Pass, but that was in the 1950s when the line was surely slated for closure, and they were seeking out those spots. Chasing trains up Cerro, having driven all the way from Denver or wherever, I doubt that the Kindigs and Perrys would have hiked into that Hairpin Curve location for just one shot. Especially when the line was closed by the unexpected landslide, with no advance warning as per Marshall Pass.
My thoughts anyway... - and THANKS AGAIN for those great hiking pics Olaf!
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/12/2019 07:34AM by tgbcvr.