Hello again -
The westbound train – like the 'Mad Dash' seven weeks earlier – wasn't long enough to necessitate moving the helper back to the middle or rear of the consist, so #483 remained on the point when leaving Antonito. Meanwhile, mountain goat Ernie (who has scaled all 53 of Colorado's "fourteeners", IIRC) drove to Big Horn and climbed to a vantage point well up the north side of the peak. Using a long telephoto lens he took a series of shots as the double-header approached The Whiplash, entered New Mexico for about a quarter mile, re-entered Colorado and crossed the trestle at the lower curve, and then headed up the middle level. (Note the "road" from the former lair of the JéBêWèX at Trolliessen (the trestle at m.p. 287.50) just right of center in the second photo)
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Photos copyright © 1968, 2018 by Ernest W. Robart - All Rights Reserved.
The mile-and-a-half of the big loop between the middle and top levels hasn't been photographed nearly as often as the tracks before and beyond, but Ernie was able to follow the action almost effortlessly
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Photos copyright © 1968, 2018 by Ernest W. Robart - All Rights Reserved.
This overview of The Whiplash helps tie the preceding six photos together, and to the map mentioned below
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Photo copyright © 1968, 2018 by Ernest W. Robart - All Rights Reserved.
For a rough map of the area around The Whiplash see the middle of my post at [
ngdiscussion.net]. For some additional photos see [
ngdiscussion.net] and [
ngdiscussion.net].
Judging by the angle, it appears that Ernie moved partway down the mountain and west toward the siding at Big Horn before taking this next shot; I think the dark line about 1/3 up from the bottom of the photo is the tail of the wye
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Photo copyright © 1968, 2018 by Ernest W. Robart - All Rights Reserved.
This closer shot shows the train at the east switch of the wye
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Photo copyright © 1968, 2018 by Ernest W. Robart - All Rights Reserved.
(To be continued.)
- El Abuelo Histœrico, Greengo y Curmudgeoño de los Locomoturas Viejos y Verdes,
aka Der Grossväterlich DünkelOlivGrünDampfKesselMantelLiebHabender
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 07/23/2020 11:49AM by Russo Loco.