Re: Flanger spreader engine placement

Earl Wrote:
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> . . . It was standard practice to run all trains south
> [from] Alamosa with both locomotives on the point,
> then cut the lead engine back in the train in Anton-
> ito. In the winter it was common to see a plow-less
> locomotive on the point leaving Alamosa, with the
> plow-equipped locomotive, second out. At Antonito,
> the lead locomotive would get cut into the train, and
> the plow[-equipped] engine would be on the front.
> It seems to me I have seen pics of flanger/spreader
> trains run like this too, but John's pic of 487 leading
> the way out of ALA says something different . . .



So do Tom's three pics, Earl -

Plow-equipped #483 is on the point in all three photos, with plow-less #480 moved back between the flanger and the spreader in Antonito.  By the time the train arrived in Chama – about 36 hours after leaving Alamosa – the flanger and spreader had traded places, but #483 (with plow) was still on the point.

Here's one more of Tom's pics of the 03/20/63 snow train, departing Antonito after #480 had been moved back between the flanger and the spreader:

Photo copyright © 1963, 2013 by Tom Gildersleeve. All Rights Reserved.

BTW, I don't see any white flags on what must have been an extra – I presume this is because flags wouldn't have lasted more than 30 seconds into the first good drift . . .

I wouldn't be surprised if Chris Walker's guess on [ngdiscussion.net] (above) is correct, and "when they got to that god-forsaken place called Cumbres, they split up and spread out all the tracks using the two locos separately."

- El Abuelo Histœrico, Greengo y Curmudgeoño de los Locomoturas Viejos y Verdes,
aka Der Grossväterlich DünkelOlivGrünDampfKesselMantelLiebHabender



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 07/10/2017 01:17PM by Russo Loco.