If you ever come across back issues of Trains, the Oct 69 issue has three articles that should be read:
God made snow for farmers and artists by John Norwood
Trains, October 1969 page 20
This is the account of the winter of 1951.
and then immediately following, "Extra 498 and 493 West" a photo story by John Gruber.
And right after that: "When All Roads Led to Durango", by William Moedinger.