Before Covid-19 turned all planning upside down, 315 was scheduled to run from Chama to Antonito this morning to be ready to double head with 463 on Saturday morning. The opening day double header would have been one of these fabulous events for which Cumbres & Toltec is rightly famous. It would have been a lot like this opening day run in 2014. On that day the weather was a bit hazy and muggy leaving Antonito, and all that moisture built up into a torrential rain storm by the time the train reached Los Pinos.

The train has come around the turn about a mile above the Hangman's trestle. Blanca Peak in the background is sporting a fairly small snow pack, much like in this year







The train is hauling a water car that will be set out at Lava on the rotary turning loop for 315



(to be continued)

After pumping water from the tank car into 315's tender, the train continues the steady climb toward Big Horn, with the Sangre de Christos in the background