Re: 476

After the wreck involving 483 and 494, which were doubleheading down the 2% grade into Durango, a rule came out that trains were not to be doubleheaded between Chama and Gato or between MP 447 and Carbon Jct. This covered the areas of long descending grades.

After this, if a train needed two engines going west, the helper would run light from Chama to Gato (like 476 is doing), then doublehead with the train west to MP 447 (which is near Falfa, the top of the 2% grade down into Carbon Jct. and Durango). The helper would then run light into town.

If there wasn't a second engine in Chama to run west, a helper would be sent east from Durango to Gato to help the train west to MP447, cut off and run light to Durango.

There was a time when there would be helpers run from Durango up to Falfa, then they would be cut off and return to Durango. As the ruling grades of 2% existed between Carbon Junction and Falfa as well as from Azotea to Biggs Spur through Monero Canyon. The eastbound train would have to reduce tonnage somewhere west of Azotea. I was general practice to set out cars in Lumberton to reduce the tonnage. At a later date these cars would either be picked up by a lighter-tonnage eastbound, or a "Lumberton Turn" would be run west out of Chama to pick up the extra cars. When the coal mines at Monero were shipping considerable tonnage, Lumberton Turns frequently brought Monero cars to Chama to be sent east, as adding these cars to already high tonnage trains working up the 2% grade through Monero wasn't possible.