Re: A LONG Reach to Narrow Gauge Nirvana . . . 
| September 17, 2016 11:59AM |
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Right On, John -
Two major and worthwhile, but VERY long-term projects for The Friends that would keep Johnny Coal and company out of mischief for several years - reconstructing the entire snowshed at Cumbres and reconstructing / rehabilitating water service at Lava Tank. The latter would also provide a way to replenish the tenders of the smaller locomotives such as #315 (and #168 once she's operational) that simply can't make it all the way from Antonito to Sublette without a drink. Filling a tender from the water tower at Lava would be a lot more historical than pumping water from the m.o.w. water car, and provide an opportunity for Phraud-O-Graphs and videos not available for many years:
This is one of those extremely rare cases where I actually agree with Willie. Even if a modern high-powered pump on a trailer were used occasionally rather than a permanent replacement pump being installed in the old pump house, a tremendous effort would still be needed to restore the long pipeline up the side of a very steep hill. OTOH, a couple of tank cars could be spotted at Sublette with a hose trickling water into them for a week or so, and then as part of the prep for a high-end charter these could be hauled down-hill to Lava and used to fill the water tower a day or two in advance. Even just one carload of water should be sufficient to allow an extra run-by or two between Lava and Sublette, but #19 probably has enough power to haul two empty tank cars to Sublette and then ease them back down to Lava when full. Worth a try??
- El Abuelo Histœrico, Greengo y Curmudgeoño de los Locomoturas Viejos y Verdes,
aka Der Grossväterlich DünkelOlivGrünDampfKesselMantelLiebHabender
Two major and worthwhile, but VERY long-term projects for The Friends that would keep Johnny Coal and company out of mischief for several years - reconstructing the entire snowshed at Cumbres and reconstructing / rehabilitating water service at Lava Tank. The latter would also provide a way to replenish the tenders of the smaller locomotives such as #315 (and #168 once she's operational) that simply can't make it all the way from Antonito to Sublette without a drink. Filling a tender from the water tower at Lava would be a lot more historical than pumping water from the m.o.w. water car, and provide an opportunity for Phraud-O-Graphs and videos not available for many years:
This is one of those extremely rare cases where I actually agree with Willie. Even if a modern high-powered pump on a trailer were used occasionally rather than a permanent replacement pump being installed in the old pump house, a tremendous effort would still be needed to restore the long pipeline up the side of a very steep hill. OTOH, a couple of tank cars could be spotted at Sublette with a hose trickling water into them for a week or so, and then as part of the prep for a high-end charter these could be hauled down-hill to Lava and used to fill the water tower a day or two in advance. Even just one carload of water should be sufficient to allow an extra run-by or two between Lava and Sublette, but #19 probably has enough power to haul two empty tank cars to Sublette and then ease them back down to Lava when full. Worth a try??
- El Abuelo Histœrico, Greengo y Curmudgeoño de los Locomoturas Viejos y Verdes,
aka Der Grossväterlich DünkelOlivGrünDampfKesselMantelLiebHabender
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488 stops for water at Los Pinos tank on closing day Oct. 1979. Photo courtesy Don Richter
The NGDF was started by Don Richter and is currently operated in his memory by Nathan Holmes and others. Others who have contributed to the upkeep of this board are (in no particular order): Charles McCandless, Everett Lueck, Ted Wilton, Cole Adams, James Bane, John Moellmer, Jon Bentz, Linn Moedinger, lloyd lehrer, Rod Jensen, John Craft, Steven Forney, Herb Kelsey, Bill Ramaley, Russ Sperry (El Russo Loco), Josh McNeal, John West, Jim Armstrong, Bob Bergstrom, Greg Scholl, Blake Forbes Doug van Veelen and Mark Fuller.