Fifty years ago today on the C&TS, June 26, 1971 -- Part 1

Since the last visit to Narrow Gauge County on June 1st, 1971, lots of work was done to get the railroad into a condition suitable for passenger trains. Remember that just 10 months prior, the C&TS purchased a collection of long-neglected rolling stock which did not include even a one passenger car.

The boiler work and inspection of 484 was completed, followed by 487 being “test fired” once more to put the engine and tender back together. In Antonito, the new (small) depot was built in less than three weeks, and the remaining rolling stock pulled off the last of the D&RGW dual gauge and put onto a new spur (apparently 484 did a test run to Antonito sometime during June for this).

The morning of June 26th, 1971, was the event of the very first real passenger train to operate over the line. Officially it was called an excursion, sponsored by the Railroad Club of New Mexico. This eastbound was very much unlike current C&TS operations, and it was fortunate to have happened on a day close to the summer solstice, as will be seen.

N.B.—a lot of these color photos were taken with Agfachrome, which had strange color balance even before being aged 50 years. I’ve done the best I could to correct them, but have to apologize in advance that some may still seem off.

In this first photo, 484 has coupled onto the train of converted 3000-series boxcars; it is early in the morning as the shadows are long, probably before 8:00 am. The depot has been repainted the traditional D&RG yellow and brown, and is no longer the drab MOW gray; the depot signs have not yet been rehung. On the right at the entrance to the parking lot, Eddie Martinez (C&TS employee #1) is standing in his guard uniform, greeting people on their way in. Near the depot on the ground is a green wooden bench; this is one of the original bench seats from the passenger car prototype, #200, that were changed to molded plastic chairs (these bench seats remained around the depot for quite a few years). At the lower left near the Ford Chevy Corvair are two guys with serious film gear, probably 35mm movies—a TV station film crew maybe?




Here is a view taken while leaving the yards of the north side of the coaling tower, showing how entropy and decay have taken their toll.




Next is a stop at Weed City, aka Lobato siding, with people getting off. On the siding is a string of 3000-series boxcars, a drop-button gon, a 5000-series stock car, and one of the flangers. A holdover from autumn 1970 operations is boxcar 3244 which being used as the “tool car” presumably laden with disaster supplies; it was the first car behind the engine during all of 1971. Later this year it would have a “0” added, making it non-revenue #03244. Other interesting points: the first three passenger cars are 205, 206 (ex-3278) and 201; they have been given one coat of new paint but are unlettered. Their numbers are hand-written in chalk on the lower fascia boards as “201 OK”. At least three microphones are taped/mounted on the roof and side of #205, so someone must have been serious about spooling quite a lot of magnetic tape.




Lobato-Weed City was location of the first photo run-by, note the train crew climbing around on the doghouse.




Climbing the 4% eastbound, at Cresco the morning is still bright and sunny; another DBG is cut out on the siding, and a crew member is riding the tender.



Part 2 is next...



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/29/2021 09:39AM by Tank Smith.