Re: Dulce Rock

August 6th was my first day at work out of Durango after having been sent over from Alamosa.
It was also around the time they put the second section of the Silverton passenger train on, and the "usual" freight crew that would have gone east that day took the passenger run. They had to make up a crew for the Extra 492 East and myself and Al Stevenson were assigned as brakemen , conductor "Punk" Blackstone.
Richard Thate (pronounced "Totty") was a new
hire fireman and they put me on the head end with Virgil Hedrick as Hogger.
I was on the 492 when we hit the rock, but not as
fireman.
After the wreck, we went back to Arboles on the section gang motorcar, and were driven back to Durango. Richard stayed with 492 to keep her alive until we got back out there next day with the wrecking train to start cleaning up and re-railing her.
The link on the above post has the story. It is pretty accurate.