Re: High empty return was typical of all railroads

rehunn Wrote:
=======================================================
> Charlie I was asking because the last couple years
> video footage was all
> doubleheaded out of Durango, must have been some
> they missed. Hard to
> believe that a single K36 or 37 could have gotten
> 20 cars up that hill as
> bad as the weeds had become.

Well apparently you and others don't have the video we did called "Last Steam Freights 1968" It documents every train run that year with film footage(By Ernie Robarts and My Brother Randy)of most of them. We also mention helpers that are not seen and so forth.

I can give a first hand account of June 4th 1968, when 498 pulled the first load of empties east from Durango to Chama. The engine had no helper, and really struggled up the hill from Carbon Junction. We thought it was going to stall several times.

If I remember correctly, the next day 498 went back to Durango(June 5th), while we chased 483 and 493 east up Cumbres Pass. I think Earl told us that when 498 went west, the 478 was sent to Gato to act as helper for 498 heading west to Durango. 478 had been used to Farmington and back on the 3rd which we witnessed as well.

On the 4th 498 indeed could have used a helper out of Durango, but didn't. 478 was hot, but 497 sat in the RH all year unused.
Greg