Re: Durango Snow -- D&S activity

Having shoveled snow all day, I am impressed with this winter. I've lived in Durango for 35 years and I'll put this winter against any of the past winters. So far there have been no reports of buildings collapsing, but maybe today (Superbowl Sunday) will do it. We've had well over a foot of new snow since breakfast.
There was a work train which I watched go by the house about 10:30. I was shoveling on my roof at the time (snow is three feet deep there and it is solid). The work train was just the engine and caboose.
It came back down about 3. On Wednesday of last week the work train engine derailed. By the time it was rerailed and backed to Rockwood, water was low so the Hermosa fire pumper engine had to come to fill the tender. That work train got back to town about 6 pm.
The Thur train was canceled and the Friday train just turned as Cascade and got out of there pronto. Coming back down they stopped at Tacoma to let the passengers get out into the snow. The Sat train was to go see the hot air balloons (an event of our annual Snowdown), but the snow prevented the pilots taking off, so the train simply went on.
Today (Sun), as mentioned, the Cascade Express was a no-go. MOW now has three days to work on the track before the next scheduled passenger train.
The people on the Winter photo train are going to see a San Juan winter as is rarely seen. Incidentally, we do have a snowblower, but it looks more like a regular blower on steroids; it's not a rotary.
The flanger is out of the carshop and working up the line.