Re: And (most of) the answer is ...

Hello again, youse guys -

Looking again at THE (Color) Book*, it is clear that the train with the flanger ahead
of the spreader and snow on the tops of the tank cars was the March 14, 1963 train,
and the one with the spreader ahead of the flanger and no snow on the tank cars was
the March 22 train. Assuming that usual practices were followed on the 22nd, the train
pictured would have set out its eight tank cars at Cumbres, and the second train that is
described in Earl's notes (probably ten tank cars) would have added the first eight and
taken them to Alamosa. So now the only remaining question is which of the two engines
on the second train of March 22nd was the road engine and which one was the helper?
(I.E. which engine - #484 or #497 - pulled the train of (18?) tank cars from Cumbres to
the refinery in Alamosa?)

OR was the second train on March 22 a "Cumbres Turn", leaving its ten cars along with the first eight at the top of the pass, all of which would have been added to another train the following day, and all (presumably 28, or 38 if there was yet another "Cumbres Turn") cars hauled to Alamosa on the 23rd?

- Russo

* THE (Color) Book = "Narrow Gauge ... then and now" by Gildersleeve & Huxtable
  THE (B&W) Book = "Rio Grande Narrow Gauge - The Final Years, Alamosa to Chama" by Hereford & Robart
Combined with Earl's vast knowledge and copious notes, these make it possible to figure out most of our questions about events on the narrow gauge from the early sixties to the end of D&RGW operations over Cumbres.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/30/2009 10:14AM by Russo Loco.