Another rumor laid to rest-#497

Good story about how the 497 got to stay in Durango,one part needs to be cleaned up.
The part of the story about the D&RGW and the Union, in this case the BLE (Brotherhood Of Locomotive Engineers) not coming to an agrement about a deadhead crew bussing to Durango from Alamosa is pure bunk... The contracts are quite clear about the deadheading issue with all of the the Operating Unions (BLE BLF & the UTU). Therefore deadhead head moves were not covered on a case by case basis.
This came up another time and I pulled out a copy of the contract to verify.
What mite have happened is that with the illregular operation on the Narrow Gauge there mite not have been another qualified crew, (Engineer or Fireman) that was willing or able to take the run.
At that point in the life of the Narrow Gauge there is a good chance that the D&RGW could have cared less of what equipment got moved where, or if they ever ran another train.