Fifty years ago—C&TS opening day May 26, 1973
| May 26, 2023 02:04PM |
Fifty years ago was opening day on the C&TS, Saturday May 26, 1973. Two weeks prior on the 12th, the railroad ran a flanger train with 483 & 484 to open the pass as the spring snow was feet deep. 484 was in the lead with a pilot plow installed for the task; I've seen some Gordon Chappell photos of the flanger train at Cumbres and 484 was covered.
Here is 483 leaving Chama on the 26th:
Entering the S curve just below Lobato siding, Jim Shawcroft is the engineer. Someone else is riding the toolbox on the tender where the doghouse used to sit:
At Coxo, there is still quite a lot of snow cover; for some unknown reason the 11-car train has caboose 0503 on the end:
Waiting at the Highway 17 crossing next to the snowsheds before departing downgrade to Antonito:
Here is 483 leaving Chama on the 26th:
Entering the S curve just below Lobato siding, Jim Shawcroft is the engineer. Someone else is riding the toolbox on the tender where the doghouse used to sit:
At Coxo, there is still quite a lot of snow cover; for some unknown reason the 11-car train has caboose 0503 on the end:
Waiting at the Highway 17 crossing next to the snowsheds before departing downgrade to Antonito:
| Subject | Author | Posted |
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Tank Smith | May 26, 2023 02:04PM |
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488 stops for water at Los Pinos tank on closing day Oct. 1979. Photo courtesy Don Richter
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