Re: C&TS - Spring, 1982.

A few days later, on a Saturday, I was attempting spray 489 black in a typical Chama Spring 20mph breeze, when along came Dave Peterson. I had met Dave few years before at the Sierra RR when I was living out in CA working for Roaring Camp. Dave still posts here on the NGDF. We talked a bit, he asked if we were running anything, and I said we were running the deadhead move to Antonito on Wednesday, June 9. Not only that, but we were taking 4 flats up the hill to be loaded with bagged concrete for a project at Mud Tunnel. The train was now over tonnage and we would be double heading it up the hill. We had not run any double headers in 1981 and I don’t think any were run in 1980 either. So, this was to be a rare event, not to be missed.

My job for the 1982 season – at least for the beginning was to be Passenger Train Brakeman and fill in fireman as needed. Kyle was going to start off by running the same schedule we had run in 1981 – 5 days a week, Friday through Tuesdays. Starting the second Saturday in June, which in 1982 was the 12th. Then starting July 4th we were going to run 7 days a week for the rest of the season. How we were going to work the rest of the season was still a mystery at this time.

On Wednesday, June 9, we assembled the deadhead train to Antonito. In addition to the Antonito train consist of 9 box car coaches, snack car and open gon, we carried the box car used as the Osier gift shop. Trailing along at the end were 4 6500-class flats to be loaded with bagged cement up at Cumbres Pass tomorrow morning – 16 cars about 260 tons a nice, light double header. George Knauff and Russ Fischer were on helper 487, while 488 had Marvin Casias and Dale Martinez as crew. Getman was conductor and I was brakeman along with another guy (I think). Shop Foreman Doug Stamps road along, just in case…. We got out of town in the late morning, made the usual stop at Lobato to split the engines, then continued up to Kyle’s Kink where we made a brief stop before tiptoe-ing across the new track. My notes show another stop at Hamilton Point. We arrived at Cumbres, watered 488 and set the train out for the night. 487 turned on the wye and I got nominated to watch the engine for the rest of the day. That was a fine idea except I was new at this Narrow Gauge Extra Train Concept and failed to bring a big (or in this case ANY) lunch. Someone took pity on me and ran back to town and brought me something back up to me. My relief showed up at 6pm and I guess someone left me a vehicle to drive back to Chama. As promised, Dave Peterson showed up and chased us up the hill and later sent me a few slides of the day.

First 487 and 488 pose for the camera in Chama shortly before we highballed out of town


I guess this is a close I got to an official photo of repainted 488..


Dave caught is bombing out of town and at the first road crossing...