Re: How I caught the bug!!!!!!!!

My story starts in January 1960. I had been railfan for a few years, but steam on the West Coast was about dead, and I was looking for something to do between semesters at college. I had heard vague rumors about the "Colorado" narrow gauge, but in those pre-internet days we depended on "Trains" magazine for news, and it had sort of forgotten about the ng. But finally I got enough info to suggest something might be running, so Gordon Chappell, Rey Barraza and I jumped into my '52 Ford and off we went to Durango. We spent about a week, staying at the Strater for about $5 a night, chasing a Farmington turn, and chasing east out of Durango to maybe Arboles. Then we drove to Chama through about a foot of fresh snow, and literally almost ran into the doubleheaded westbound from Durango in a driving snow storm at the grade crossing near the Dulce turnoff. My first visit to Chama was in that driving snow storm, and by the time we got there all the trains had left. That first trip led to yearly visits to the ng. until it abandoned. And one of the best things about that trip is 42 years later Gordon, Rey and I are still good friends, and still visit the ng.