D&S Photo Specials *PIC*

For a long time the C&TS was the mecca for those of us who enjoyed recreating the past with authentic photo specials. Probably the all time high was reached with the John Craft specials back in 1992, but for several years several folks including Greg Scholl, David Rogers, and even me did some pretty authentic trains.
More recently the D&S has taken the lead, putting on some really good specials. They have some folks in Durango who really put a lot of heart into getting it "right". And have been creative with stuff like the bumblebee train, Railfair, etc.
What makes a good photo special? Well that depends. In some cases just a steam engine and some freight cars can make a lot of folks happy, and keep the cost low. But for the fanatics like me (and there are a few of us) it means recreating the way it was in as much detail as possible. Not only lettering, but also consist and blocking of cars, engine placement, etc. On the C&TS mid-train helpers were important because on what is now the C&TS you rarely saw a DRGW doubleheader, at least with the big engines. On the Craft specials Earl Knoob even made a point of making sure we had water bags hanging on the side of the engine cabs. For the railroad it is a lot of work and the C&TS and D&S guys who make it happen deserve a lot of credit.
Here are a couple pictures of a "Silverton mixed" on the D&S taken in 2001. Maybe the coach should have been green, but this sure looks like a pretty authentic train to me. Thanks Durango.
JBW