Re: One question...

Depending on personality traits, The operator there probably tried to keep from going nuts.

Some people thrive on such environments.....some don't.
Rule G could have become a problem for some.

May not have been too bad a way to live for others.

I suppose they could have kept an ear on the telegraph wire, as that would have kept them apprised of what was going on over the rest of the subdivision.

Keeping the oil burning switch lamps and semaphore signals burning during darkness hours, trimming lamp wicks and filling oil reserviors for them and such as that.

Meanwhile they had to keep themselves fed, so cooking and cleaning up the dishes and general housekeeping would be another activity....If they had no wife along, maybe they'd hire a young gal to come up from Chama for those things, plus other "benefits"....

I dunno where they got drinking water from, but they'd have to haul it from a spring or pump it from a well, I suppose...maybe the engine water cistern, but there were tales told of dead things in there....

I imagine there was no shortage of time for sleeping, depending on train movements that required "OS's" or train order attention. Two passenger trains a day went by there anyway.

Winter would bring the added tasks of keeping the place warm enough, so keeping fires going, hauling coal for the stove(s) and cleaning out the ashes would be other tasks, plus digging snow out of the way from doors, etc.

Maybe some other hobby...Cumbres would have been a good place to practice one's shooting if one was so inclined...either rifle or pistol.