Re: D&RGW Durango Yard in July 1960

Russo Loco Wrote:
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> Right on, John -
>
> And I'll second your motion that Hart should post
> more of his 'Honeymoon' RR photos.*
>
> - Russo
>
> * I'd share some of mine, but most of them are
> standard gauge - and not yet scanned.
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I've heard you! I have some more but not in Durango, unless you want to see what 315 looked like back then on display, or what the once a day Silverton Train enroute was like. I've got a couple of shots in Gunnison, including the roundhouse, and a couple in Idaho Springs, Central City, and the CRRM. Some are B&W and will have to be scanned.

Before reaching Durango, we stopped in Ridgway (some color & B&W shots there), caught the 478 switching cars in the Silverton yard; they were still carrying concentrates out in those days.

After I got out of the Army in Buffalo, NY, we came back through Colorado in early April 1962. Bob Richardson told me how to get down to Como (B&W only there). We went through Breckenridge (no photos; nothing to photograph in a very small town deep in snow). But at Climax, we found standard gauge steamer #641 (the one that's been welded to the rails on display at the C&S Leadville depot for years) switching the Climax yards in deep snow (it is 11,000 feet up there) and then leaving with a train for Leadville. It had only been 20 years since this line was converted from narrow gauge during WWII. The snow was deep as we followed it to Leadville where it switched and turned on the wye. These are mostly in color.

Then we went on down through Salida & over Poncha Pass to Alamosa. A s.g. diesel switcher was making up a ng train and we followed that ng steam double header from Alamosa down to and just barely through Antonito. Didn't get to Chama because our car wasn't up to dealing with the snow on Cumbres. Went on to Durango (no action there; it was a Sunday but I did a couple of shots in the yard) and then up through Silverton, Ridgway & home.

I'll have to dig the photos out and see what they are. Most are color but some are B&W.

There is no way I can even get started tackling this project until long after the Holidays are over.

Best regards, Hart Corbett