Re: Extra 483 East 2:30 AM

1957 was the last big year for the pipe biz to Farmington. Lots of new guys got hired, the big pipe gons were built from SG cars, etc.
When it got busy like this, the west end crews tended to work at night. This was to expedite moving the loads west toward Durango and Farmington. The west end crews would leave Durango at night, arrive in Chama in the morning, get thier 8 hours rest and be ready to head back west when the latest train from Alamosa came off the hill. This day it didn't work quite as well, as the westbound arrived in Chama after midnight, and the eastbound crew arrived at mid-morning. The westbound crew probably got out of Chama after midnight the next day.
Other things to consider in the puzzle - items that we don't know about are when did the Farmington Branch crew drag back into Durango the evening before and how long it took to transfer the loads from SG to NG in Alamosa, build the train, air test etc.
The trainmasters and dispatchers can come up with real groovy plans that once they are put into motion, can fall apart real fast do to circumstances beyond thier control.
Jim Pearce told me he did more night work in Durango than day work. He told me of one old hogger to was always complaining "this railroad couldn't run a train in the daytime to save its life". Looking up at the quarter moon he added "nothing like working by the light of the 'Rio Grande Sun' ".