Thanks to Jerry Day for providing some great info on why the Chama Roundhouse was retired.
DENVER & RIO GRANDE WESTERN RAILROAD
AUTHORITY FOR EXPENDITURE
Number: T-9905
Date to be started: October 1943
Date to be completed: November 1943
Location: Chama, New Mexico
Description: Retire turntable and part of roundhouse, construct 280 feet engine storage track on level grade and rearrange trackage to make two stalls of roundhouse available for use instead of one.
Purpose and Necessity: The turntable at Chama is in such poor condition that it can no longer be used to turn engines. It has not been used since 1929 for placing engines in the east seven stalls of the roundhouse, only one stall being used at the present time. All work on engines is done on the rip tracks, which are on a 2% grade. This is dangerous for men working on locomotives and causes damage to locomotives when moving them due to the fact that after the engines have been standing for any length of time, water collects in the cylinders and dry pipes, making it necessary to use a great deal of steam pressure to move the locomotives on this grade. This method of handling the storage and repair also blocks the rip tracks and entails extra switching movements, costing approximately $560 per year. The proposed arrangement will eliminate these extra moves, increase the safety of the employees working on the locomotives, and reduce the damage to the locomotives resulting from condensate.
Note: The original AFE did not include the construction of the crossover between Tracks #10 and #11. After the AFE was made, it was found that this crossover would be necessary to allow eastbound trains to use the back track. The AFE is being revised to include the cost of construction of this track and other minor track changes.
William
aka drgwk37
