My experience in being hooked on narrow gauge seems to be different from those who grew up close to Colorado. My first RR experience was from the PRR (family worked there) and for many years I had the mistaken idea that a mainline had to have four tracks and electrification and split second timing on freight train movements.
I first came across narrow gauge in 1967 (I was 12) when Model Railroader published an article on TT scale in November and a series (the Enfield & Ohio) starting in December. I liked the smaller stuff and went to the hobby shop. That's when I found AHM's industrial HOn2 ½ stuff.
It was a few years later that I met a fellow in high school who knew about the D&RGW. And I started reading more.
In 1970, my family took what was to be our only trip to the west coast I was hoping to see the ng. We saw part of the D&SL near Steamboat Springs and Craig but did not get down to the Four Corners. I wasn't aware at the time that the last ng steam freight was done gone and I was hoping to see a steam freight. I also was not aware that the D&SL was never ng. Thank God for those who helped save the C&TS.
In 1972 we did get to Durango. We stayed in the Best Western (it was a road side type motel at the time) that backed up to the yards. Although the mainline was gone, the yards were still intact enough to see what they looked like in 1968. As dusk fell in the old yards and I was trying to get the car numbers and types recorded, I could feel the ghosts of the narrow gauge freight leaving for Alamosa. Unlike the SG stuff of SRR steam excursion program, this smaller stuff was more attainable, easier to relate to somehow. This was when I knew narrow gauge was here to stay.
I rode to Silverton the next day behind 476. We were lucky to ride, we had no reservations but it was the first day the second train ran and there was room for walkup passengers. Half way up the Canyon, a mountain shower started and our 9 car train had to be split and we doubled the hill to Elk Park. I remember baggage car 126 because our half of the train had the conssesion car. We were about 2 hours late (if I recall correctly) and we were given about an hour for lunch about 3PM in Silverton - I seem to recall something being said about not having the crew go dead.
The item that usually comes to mind first when I think of the ride were the wood truss bridges still in use on the RR. I remember looking into the roundhouse and seeing three hot locos. I also seem to remember one 480, one 490, in the roundhouse and a derilect 464 standing outside. In the enthusiasm of youth (14 at the time) I hoped one day to buy and restore 464. I cheered the day I heard Knott's Berry Farm bought 464 to restore her to operation.
The following day, we passed through Chama. I had written to the C&TS for info which never came. It took 4 visits to Chama and 12 years before I saw anything moving at Chama. In 1972, Dad looked at the Chama and said he thought that it was being scrapped and his justification was that there was no sign of activity in or around the yards and that everything was rotting away. We did not even get to stop.
In 1984, I finally had everything together about riding the C&TS and the most thrilling thing I'd experienced was riding Chama to Antonito knowing I'd never been there and recognizing many locations I'd read about and seen photos of. My movies from 1984 show an engineman with a bowler hat. I guess that was Earl.
Thanks for keeping the ng alive.
Doug
