Hi Andy, Wow, long time since we have had contact - almost 40 years - unbelievable!
Actually, "483" is exactly right on all points. Earl Bell was not there in 1970. You and I signed waivers with someone from the volunteers when we arrived in Chama in August 1970, and went to work on the track the following day.
I remember, the very first thing we actually did was go out on a "midnight" motorcar run to Willow Creek siding out west of Chama and liberate brasses and maybe a few other spare parts from a bunch of sheep cars. What an adventure!
I think you are compressing memories of both 1970 and 1971. Earl did hire us then (Spring 1971, the start of the first season under Scenic Railways) - Mike Carr was the first employee hired, and I was the second, right after him. I was offered $400/month salary, and Mike was offered $450/month because he had a vast array of his own tools with him, and even brought a wood-framed motor car he had built back in Chicago, with a Briggs and Stratton engine on it. We used that motor car more than the originals because it was so easy to run and had a comfortable seat, too.
In 1970, the only paid employee I knew about in was Eddie Martinez, the security guard in Chama (I didn't know about the one in Antonito). Sid McKinney was an unpaid volunteer like the rest of us - for over 3 months straight, full-time. I worked as an unpaid volunteer for about 2.5 months 7days a week, until shutdown in the fall. Sid worked there so long without an income that he lost his 2 businesses and almost his house back in Amarrillo. He just loved that railroad too much!
"I do remember working on the crappy track in the narrows. I think we did this to get ready fof the brown engine coming over." That was the track repair we worked on just before the first train came over Cumbres to Chama, that is the reason for this celebration. You and I worked on the repairs in the narrows, with the help of the Siegrist Construction crew the contractor donated to help repair the damage their company had done while building the highway above. Sid McKinney led us and the Contractor crew, having had some previous track experience on the Santa Fe.
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 08/09/2010 04:10AM by employee2.
