More end of D&RGW ng questions

The thread about the agents at the end of D&RGW freight operations was very interesting. I was not aware that agents were still at their posts in 1969. Quite interesting, and that opened a pandoras box of more questions.

It would seem that the D&RGW remembered being stung with being denied permission to abandon the Silverton Branch less than ten years earlier.

Thus, while they anticipated being able to close Antonito-Durango-Farmington, perhaps they also made sure that they were ready to continue operations if need be as well.

SO, my questions now focus on the time after the December 5-6, 1968 final runs, and the handing down of the abandonment decision in 1969.

We already know the agents were still at work. Who else was?

Was their a skeleton crew in Alamosa tinkering on one or two locomotives? Machine shop work? (Granted Durango still needed parts).

How about the signal guys? If the agents were still working, was the signal line still in operation?

MOW folks? Was track work done west of Chama that never saw a train?

I had always assumed that early 1969 saw all ng operations outside of Durango closed, but that doesn't seem the case now.

Anyone who was there at the time have any answers?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/09/2009 11:22PM by Les Jarrett.