D&RGW Cumbres Train Register
February 9, 1937 (Tuesday)
4:00 PM Extra west Rotary OY, engines 488-484 arrives, caboose 0503. Departs at 4:30 PM.
4:40 PM Train 115, engines 475-471, arrives, 10 cars. Departs at 4:50 PM (6 hrs, 10 mins late).
7:30 PM Extra west 480-486, arrives, 38 loads, 8 empties, 1276 tons, caboose 04990.
10:30 PM Train 116, engines 477-471, arrives, 8 cars.
11:10 PM Extra west 480 departs, light engine.
11:20 PM Extra west 486, departs, 38 loads, 8 empties, 1276 tons, caboose 04990.
11:33 PM Train 116, engines 477-471, departs, 8 cars (7 hrs, 53 mins late).
Note: Inaugural run westbound of the modernized passenger train. Eastbound train on this date had all non-rebuilt cars. A second complete set of rebuilt cars was not available until about the 10th of March.
D&RGW Alamosa Dispatcher Train Sheet (Detail supplied by Jimmy Blouch)
February 9, 1937
Chama:
Rotary OM, with 482-483, depart Chama 6:15 AM. Rotary broke down at MP 337 1/2, return to Chama.
Alamosa:
Rotary OY with 488-484 called Alamosa February 8 11:00 PM. Depart 11:30 PM.
Conductor’s Delay Report:
Alamosa: 30" getting ready
Antonito: 30" coal and water (Depart Antonito 1:50 AM)
Lava: 20" water
Sublette: 1' 5" eat, water, reverse wheel (Sublette 5:45 AM to 6:50 AM)
Osier: 35" water and orders ( Osier 9:00 AM)
Los Pinos: 1' 10" coal rotary and engines, water
Cumbres: 30" plow siding
Arrive Chama 7:40 PM.
Train 115 with 475-471
Consist of first run of new luxury San Juan.
159
163
65
151
168
167
312
272
Alamosa
B 7
Train 115 - Conductor’s Delay Report:
Osier to Chama 8' 10" rotary ahead.
Extra 480-486 west departed Alamosa 5:40 AM
Depart Antonito: 8:50 AM
Conductor’s Delay Report:
Sublette: 25" water and eat
Los Pinos to one mile east of Cumbres: 3'20" follow rotary and 115
One mile east of Cumbres 1'30" acct 2 derailments. RG 164 PHP acct loaded mostly in one end and top heavy, quarters of beef hung from top of car. 1' get train to Cumbres after taking RG 164 to Cumbres acct broken train line. 1' set 164 to wye and saw conductor Curtis' caboose off for 116 to get by.
Cumbres: 2' No 116. 45" get conductor Curtis' caboose and RG 164 behind caboose.
My engine men 16 hours up 9:00 PM, my 16 hours up midnight. I could not make Chama. Then necessary to return Curtis' caboose to train. So Curtis relieved me when 16 hours up. My train froze up. Engines had trouble moving train to let No. 116 pass and pick up RG 164 behind caboose.
Chama: 30" train away, 20" switch out and spot 3 mdse, 10" blocked by hostler
Moore & Curtis
(The above report filed by conductors Moore and Curtis. Train had two cabooses, Curtis and crew were deadheading on one and Moore and crew working on other. With RG 164 having broken train line it needed to be moved on the rear of the train. Conductor Moore and crew dead at Lobato, conductor Curtis and crew took train from Lobato to Chama.) Sunrise 7:05 AM
Sunset 5:25 PM
Note: The refrigerator car (40’ car #164 in this case) was referred to by the crews as the “meat car” and was always placed near the front of the train, if not the first car. If this car sustained damage, the crews were required to take all possible action to get this car to a terminal where it could be quickly repaired. It could not be left ‘bad order’ on a lonely siding somewhere. In blizzard conditions, if the train had to be left and the engines had to make a run for it, the crews were expected to take the meat car with them.
