NNG - SLRG July 12

On July 12 we ran our first "Rails and Ales" special. The event drew close to 400 passengers requiring additional cars on the regular train out of Alamosa.

18 pours it on east of Alamosa.


Into the foothills, the extra coaches were quite noticeable. Here 18 is working wide open and just making 25 mph through the S-curves below Russell.


The 3 extra coaches put the train's tonnage to around 550 tons, about 50 tons more than 18 is rated up the west side of the hill. At Sierra 8577 is waiting for helper duty over the hill. The original plan was to have 8577 couple on in front of 18, but as you can see it is facing backwards and 8577's plow and 18's pilot won't clear, so 8577 will get cut in behind 18.


In case you think 8577 is going to do all the work, here we see 18 doing her best to drag the whole works up the hill. Even back in the train, 18 could clearly be heard giving her all.

pics by Steven Butler.

At Fir, 8577 and the extra coaches were dropped for the Rails & Ales activities occuring there. 8577 later returned to Alamosa. 18 picked up the 3 cars that afternoon on the return trip to Alamosa.