Re: A 'Bumblebee' Visits Chama In 1951!

CharlieMcCandless Wrote:
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> The New Mexico only San Juan ran from Chama to
> Dulce from Feb. 1, 1951 to May 22, 1951. On the
> first run the conductor was Ed Morgan and the
> engineer was Thomas Vincent Cummins, according to
> dispatcher's train sheet information supplied by
> Jimmy Blouch. On Groundhog's Day, 1951, the
> conductor was Stamie Edminsten and the engineer
> Cummins
> . Edminsten missed the first run of the stub run
> because he was conductor on the last westbound
> trip of the Alamosa-Durango San Juan on Jan. 31,
> 1951. He had to return to Alamosa by Frontier
> Airlines and then make his way to Chama.

A couple of interesting things here. First off, the train crews on the San Juan worked all the way to the other end - Alamosa to Durango. Over one day, back the next. Which is how Edmiston ended up at the "away" terminal in Durango on Jan. 31. As the train crews still had rights on passenger trains all the way from Alamosa to Durango, he could still hold the "Stub Train" even though it ran west from Chama toward Durango, away from his home terminal. The big drawback being he had to live in Chama to do so. Deadheading anyone by commercial aircraft in 1951 must have been rare, and probably the only time that happened on the Narrow Gauge. I would imagine he went by plane because Wolf Creek Pass was closed from the storm that slowed things the last day the train ran. It is interesting that he had to go all the way back to Alamosa (probably to get a change of clothes). Then he had to deadhead on a freight train to Chama to begin his duties on the Stub Train.

The engine crews always worked Alamosa to Chama and Durango to Chama. As the Stub Train ran in the district west of Chama, a Durango-based engine crew ran the train.

And according to the Union pay agreements all the jobs paid a full day's pay, plus overtime if they worked over 8 hrs. Crews that deadheaded got paid a day's pay for deadheading. So, Edmiston got a day's pay to deadhead to Alamosa, then a day's pay to deadhead to Chama, probably on a freight train, or if the roads were clear the trainmaster might drive him to Chama by way of Espanola, NM.