pd3463 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> If the perlite plant did not open until after the
> Chilli Line was abandoned, what industries were on
> the line to Antonito that made SG necessary?
>
> Phil
At one time there was considerable agricultural business in the Valley. There were produce sheds in La Jara, Romeo, Antonito and other places. During certain times of the year daily turns were made down the valley picking up reefer cars full of produce. These trains were crewed by men off the Narrow Gauge Board and would have either NG or SG power on the trains. The produce was loaded into SG cars to avoid transfer in Alamosa.
The perlite operations did not start up until the 1950's. Until then, the stub track that was the remnant of the Chili Line was used for car storage. There is a RWR pic of 494 backing a LONG string of stock cars south of Antonito in 1950. In the middle of the pic is the bridge over the San Antonio River, which today is in the midst of the perlite operations. Somewhere I have seen a pic of a mixed gauge train head north with a couple of covered hoppers of perlite in the consist.