Re: Winter Ops over Cumbres

As long as the Gramps field was shipping oil, the D&RGW did a creditable job of keeping Cumbres open - at considerable expense. When the Oriental Refinery in Alamosa closed in 1964, much of the day-to-day business was lost and the remainder could be diverted to trucks.
The winter of 60-61 Rotary OY made on one trip departing Chama on March 12. In addition there were several flanger trains run.
The winter of 61-62 was much tougher, in addition to several flanger turns, Rotary OY was used 3 times departing Chama on Jan 26, March 8 and March 28 (OY's last use).
I should mention the Rotary came from Alamosa to Chama then returned to Alamosa.
Operations continued regularly through the winter of 62-63 with only a couple of flanger turns. The winter of 63-64 was tougher requiring at least 10 flanger turns to keep the line clear, but no rotaries were needed.
A 3 engine Extra east was called in Chama on Christmas Eve, 1964 using 488, 478 and 493. Call time was 8:45am. The call was busted and the same crew went to work with the same engines as a Snow Flanger East called at 8:00pm. With its arrival in Alamosa the next day the narrow gauge was shut down for the winter with the exception of a turn run from Durango to Chama and back with 498 and Jan 4&5, 1965. The narrow gauge was closed until the next trains ran out of Alamosa and Durango on May 21, 1965.
The D&RGW managed to keep the line open until late Jan., 1966 when after spending several days running flanger/spreader trains, the last eastbound spreader extra left Chama with 493 and 483 on Jan. 26. The line was closed and no trains ran until May 10, 1966. The line operated until closed by snow after the last train on November 30, 1966.
The line remained closed until the Silverton passenger consist was deadheaded across the line from Alamosa to Durango May 29, 1967. The line was operated until early December. The last train crossed the hill on Dec. 5 behind 493. Another train was scheduled for Dec 12. But snow closed the line, after waiting a few days, the loaded cars were transfered to trucks. On Dec. 20, 497 ran caboose hop from Durango to Gato to pick up westbound loads set out there. 497 derailed at the crossing at Falfa nad had to be rerailed by 473. 497 continued to Gato, picked up the loads and returned to Durango that night. The next day 497 took the loads to Farmington.
The next operation over Cumbres was not until May 28, 1968.
As to current snow amounts, I cannot say as I'm wintering in "sunny" Texas where it snowed 8" the other day. Usually the deep snows dow not start accumulating until the middle of this month.