Re: C&TS Double Headers July, 1997

I'll take a guess at July 28 & 29. That fits into the rotation of locomotives. I ran 488 west on 7/26. It would have laid over in Chama on 7/27 and ran a helper on 7/28, then road engine to Antonito on 7/29. I ran 463 east as road engine on #2 with 487 helping on 7/27. That would have lined up 487 as road engine on the 28th. I brought 497 back to Chama on 7/27, so it would have been lined up as helper on 7/29.

Our locomotive rotation back then with 6 locomotives and daily helpers was east to Antonito on day 1, back to Chama day 2, day in the shop day 3, helper turn day 4, back to Antonito day 5. Of course boiler washes and other general mayhem would mess with that a bunch.

Looks and sounds like Blea running 488 on the first train. That's my Espee short 5-chime on 488. The leak on the right side of 488 is the packing gland that holds the packing in place. It's leaking where the gland is bolted to the back head. There is a gasket which makes the seal (is supposed to). Looks like another crummy rainy day.

The second train is yours truly on 497 with Mark Yates firing. Mark is running the second half from Cresco. You can see him in the shot at Cresco. Carlos was running 488 as road engine. We must have been deadheading the boxcar coaches to Antonito for something as they don't seem to have people sitting in them.

The first train has the old Antonito Gon (a 6200 flat) DH on the head end. The second has the 2 box cars. Maybe we were getting set up for some event over in Antonito. The Big Horn Tent Camp fiasco was a couple of weeks ahead, so who knows. GBart had us move stuff back and forth all the time that year. He might have run a dinner train out of Antonito or something weird like that that I have blocked out of my mind.

Dave, was this day the guy put his airplane into the mountain side below Windy Point?