I have mentioned from time to time my father was section foreman at Sublette during this period.
He would drive into Sublette and stayed in the section house. If no trains were scheduled during weekends he would often drive home and return to Sublette Sunday night.
During winters driving into Sublette was not possible. So on the weekends he and the laborer would take the motor car to Antonito.
Monday mornings they would return to Sublette with the motor car.
Of course weather conditions would be a factor.
Here is some of what he reported, March 21, about the activity surrounding March 20 1963.
“Monday it blew a howling hurricane all day. We didn’t try to go west. Tuesday was very nice – clear warm and little wind. We started at 8:30, dug thru drifts all day (from 2 miles west of Lava) and got to Big Horn at 3:00 PM. Turned around and went back. Fred, the Antonito agent, said they were to run the spreader and an X west Wed. So we came to Big Horn Wed morning and waited for the spreader. (Another nice day) He went by about noon, and we followed him to Sub then on to Osier. At Osier, the pony truck and first pair drivers on the head engine got derailed so we had to stay and help. He left Osier about 5:00 PM. It was then too late to come east against the train, so we waited. Got to Sub at 7:30 PM.”
“This AM, on the 8:00 AM lineup, Chama said the head engine" (Spreader, my insertion) "was on the ground at MP 323 (4 miles west of Osier) and the freight train stuck behind him. So we went to Osier. The freight had come back there to wait, so we set off behind him and walked (about a mile) to Osier. Dug out the switches. About 2:00 PM the spreader outfit came back. The head engine of the X west had gone up to help ‘em. The whole mess of ‘em got out of Osier about 3:45 and we came home.
Think the spreader outfit and the freight will both come back tomorrow.
If so, will go to Antonito as usual, weather permitting.”
Jimmy
