Russo Loco Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Thank you, John -
>
> A LOT of good people have my back, and a LOT of
> good people who can't be there are wishing us
> well.
>
> With a team like that, it's GOTTA be fun - even if
> #19 ends up pulling the train!!
>
> - Russo
Russ...I may not necessarily be all that excited about the trip plans you have set-up, but trust me when I tell you I DO understand all the time, and work involved with doing these things, and respect anyone for being nutty enough to attempt a charter.
And before we get lost in that, I do like John West's shot with the doubleheader, mountain background and stock pen. Very nice. Yes, there were some great images had on the afternoon of the Sunday, when about half of the people left. We even dropped the outfit cars and rode only in the open gon and caboose. We got some excellent shots around Lobato, using the helper supposedly returning from Cumbres meeting our train, then making up a westbound using the cars. Each move was at the west end of Lobato siding, and there was this reflecting pond to the west of the tracks making for some really nice images. We finished with a shot at the same crossing near the wye using John Coker's old pick-up, as 487 left Chama headed for Gato!!!
1993 seems like ions ago! I need to make up a little video to show you what the original footage looked like after the camera nosedived into the snow during the Rotary Run. Then show same scene professionally colorized. That was an expensive trip in many ways!!! I never did put those two videos on DVD..."Tripleheader Rotary" and "Chama Freight Turns".
One of my favorite scenes was the train with the mid-train helper blasting through Lobato in a snowstorm squal. I paid to have Caboose 0503 painted with Rio Grande on it, and even caught some flak from one of the C&TS employees about it!!
I will say that the C&TS did go out of their way to try to do what they could to make it a good experience for everyone. They gave us all a pair of Comp tickets to ride the regular train in 1993, as well as the third Rio Grande engine(497 which didn't last long). Earl came up with the idea on Sunday to have the 487 helper meet us at Lobato and then make a WB train for the good afternoon light. Got at couple of nice shots at Lobato as well as the yard, and crossing by the wye.
Greg
