Re: D&RGW #375 Caught Switching In Durango!

Martin,

As best i can discern, the old girl has just turned the San Juan and now is shoving her back into the depot. Note the switchman riding the rear footboard on the way to the depot. This is not to say switchmen did not ride the front footboard at this time no matter how dangerous it was…they most assuredly did. Modern so called "managers" would have a stroke watching these moves and others!

Most likely a K-28 will soon ease away from the service area and back onto the RPO, get blue flagged and the car toads will get to work on their air tests. Old #375 will patiently pant and gurgle to herself on the adjacent track as the switchmen are off to coffee or beans until the varnish departs Durango. Then it's back to work hammering out aces and deuces or blocking another train, and heaven help you if you blocked a single set out into two places on the train!

Lenicheck, i recently bought the "A Forties Memory" DVD and there is a nice color shot of #375 switching the San Juan in Durango, and another shot from the rear of the San Juan, with the old girl waiting across from the depot as the train pulls away as described above.

DW