More investigation...

The pic is shot in the afternoon. The only times 488 worked an afternoon hill turn were 8/1, 8/13, and 8/27. If my "first out" theory is correct, it's either 8/13 helping 492 or 8/27 helping 498. In both cases the engineer was Tony Sisemore, the fireman was an older guy named Weirick who came down from Salida when Monarch was SG'd in 1956 and losing his senority in the process. I've wondered if he was related to a man of the same last name who was foreman in Gunnison. The same name is mentioned in Lathrop's books.
One thing for certain - that innocent looking cut of 11 Gramps tanks wieghs in at 470 tons, the maximum for two big engines to pull up Cumbres. They will work for thier pay this afternoon.
It would make an interesting point to ponder if Gramps had not stopped shipping oil across the hill in 1964. The oil traffic is what kept the NG a year-round operation. Without a paved road over Cumbres, it wasn't practical to truck the oil. Once the oil biz was gone, the DRGW wasted no time shutting the works down in the winter and putting the biz on Motorway Trucks.
An interesting "What if...."