Ed's article is absolutely fantastic. I was reminded of Phil Hastings'"Into The Freezing Darkness", 1954 Trains Magazine, where he was a passenger on a two engine freight out of Alamosa, leaving Antonito at sunset.
This, like the article from 1954, is narrow gauge railroading at its finest. This is what it means to run a mountain railroad and to do whatever it takes to make it happen. You could tell that Ed and his relief crews were bone weary that morning in Antonito, yet feeling good about a job well done.
Awesome article.