Maybe you guys have seen this, or maybe not, but in RRobbs latest book, "Alamosa to Chama, the Final years" by Ernie Robart & Joe Hereford, Jr. there is a sequence of photos in the last chapter about the Cumbres turns. In at least one photo series, a K-36 is captured backing the first section back up-grade and westbound around Tanglefoot curve to join up with the second section.
It would appear that the first section was parked on the south siding from the day before (or earlier the same day). The road engine, after stopping at the water spout so the rear end helper could cut off and switch the caboose onto the back of the second section, has run east with the second section on the main. The road engine, after dropping the second section just clear of the east switch has run thru the switch light, reversed and backed into the first section parked on the south siding.
After coupling onto the first section and pumping up the air, the road engine pulls the first section east down around Tanglefoot curve until clear of the east switch. Apparently the helper has followed the end of the first section down the south siding and is now waiting at the east switch where it waits for the road engine to push the first section back westbound up the main to join up with the second section and thus clear the switch and the eastbound main. Once the road engine has cleared the switch the helper departs light eastbound to Antonito 15 minutes ahead of the road engine and the now combined train.
The description talks about a slow process of slipping drivers and waiting to build up steam for the next attempt to back upgrade around the curve. And this was with a 50+ total car train. I believe the date was either 1966 or 1967. I would be interested in reading about variations on how this was done.
