Re: I FOUND THE CALENDAR PICTURE!!!

Thats the same train Larry. December 6th, 1968. Last Steam on the line between Chama and Durango of any kind. 483 went back to Alamosa with 2 cabooses being the last Rio Grande move over Cumbres the same day! The end of an era!!!
The film has the first scene of the probably taken right next to Al Chione, as the camera shows the train coming at you(looking the other way). Ernie chased it to about Arboles. A really neat shot of it coming into Gato with a Frozen Tank! I don't know if he went all the way to Durango or not. One has to remember he also shot stills, as well as movies, and sometimes both.
By the way, I found his book Rio Grande Narrow Gauge-The Final Years, Alamosa to Chama. I had it in a different room, and read it all again last weekend. Well worth it for the photos and documentation of many of these trips. I believe it covers 1965-1968. He eventually plans on a part 2-Chama-Durango, etc I think. I suspect he still sells these, but I need to ask, since its worth mentioning at the end of the dvd perhaps.
Speaking of Christmas trains, every year when we were kids the Norfolk and Western ran a "Santa Train" sort of. It was usually the regular stopping passenger train"The Cavalier" with Santa on board. I have a movie clip my dad made around 1955-56 of the train arriving, and Santa giving my little brother Randy a gift. Nothing finer than steam and Christmas with Santa, eh!!!
Greg Scholl