1993 was by far the most difficult Rotary operation the C&TS ever performed. We had a LOT of snow that year, and it stayed on the ground for a long time.
From Ye Olde Timebooke:
Mon. May 3, 1993
in 630am
Plow Extra 487,497, 488
consist - OY, aux water car 0472, 487, 497, 488 outfit 04982, 0503
Depart Chama 800am
The first snow we encountered was just above Lobato, there was another small patch just west of the 2nd highway 17 crossing. We were moving a bit of snow off the rail past Cresco Siding. We stopped and topped off the water at Cresco. I think we drained the small internal tank at Cresco.
From Hamilton Point on we were in constant snow up to 5' deep. It was hard, slow going. The section crew got out and started shoveling snow into the tenders as we crept along. We finally reached Coxo Crossing at 430pm. After a conference with all the crewmembers we decided to call it a day and head back. OY, 487 and 497 would spend the night at Cresco, 488 would take the outfit car and caboose back to Chama for the night.
The ground beneath the snow at mp 336.1 had tuned to mush. As we backed over it, the outfit car derailed. We packed the frogs back from 488 and humped it back on. As we eased back 488's trailer truck went off. We spent an hour or so getting it back on and continued on to Chama, arriving at 930pm.
Tied up 1030pm,
15 1/2 hrs on duty.
Next day.
Tues, May 4
in 800am
X488E
Depart Chama 830am
At Cresco pick up OY, 487 and 497
Work Extra 487, 497, 488 depart Cresco 915am.
The tank at Cresco was not refilling well, OY, the water car and 487 got good tanks of water, 497 headed out with only a half a tank.
At Coxo we had a lengthy delay while the Rotary and engines got coaled at the highway crossing. With everyone coaled up, we headed up the hill. At Coxo siding, the steam line to OY's hydrostatic lubricator broke and had to be taken back to Chama for repair. We backed down to Coxo Crossing and waited for the repaired pipe to come back. It was after noon before we got underway again. The snow was deep at Coxo, some 8 feet on the level. The drifts on Windy Point were over 12' and had to be shoveled down to top of the OY's hood.
We finally got around Windy Point and 497 was running out of water. My wife at that time was a paramedic and had good contacts with the Chama Fire Dept. She headed for town to see if they could come give us some water. While Cumbres was beyond their jurisdiction, they agreed to come to our rescue. 497 finally sucked her tender dry at MP 331, and we had no choice but to stop.
Eventually the Chama FD showed up and a hose was run up the hill to 497, and Chama's pumper truck gave 497 a drink. If I recall the truck had to go back down to where Wolf Creek passes under the highway to re-fill the tank. While we waited for 497 to get enough water to make Cumbres, we watched the sun set in the west.
It was dark by the we got underway again. We plowed from 331.5 all the way to the highway crossing, shutting the works down at 930pm. We turned the train over to the mechanical dept to tend to the train and fill everything at the water plug and the crew got a ride home.
Tied up 1030pm
14 1/2 hours.
And the Beat Goes On....
Thurs. May 5
in 1000am (we needed to get some rest)
We got a ride to Cumbres.
We plowed the Yard and west leg of the wye, 488 was turned and set back to Chama. We obviously needed a lot of good rock ballast down at MP 336 and 488 was going to spend a few days running dump gons of ballast down there.
It was 230pm by the time we started east from Cumbres. It was solid plowing with only a few short breaks. We only got as far as MP 327.3 near Los Pinos before calling it for the night at 615pm.
The Rotary outfit backed to Cumbres and tied up for the night at 635pm.
The crew deadheaded back to Chama, tieing up at 730am
9 1/2 hours on duty
Finally.....
Thurs May 6
in 730am
Deadhead to Cumbres.
Work Extra 487, 497
DP Cumbres 1045am
We picked up where we left off the day before, Arriving at Los Pinos Tank at 1245pm. After filling everything with water, we departed at 100pm
There was still plenty of snow to move from Los Pinos east. We finished off the last drift just east of Osier (where the Loop is now) at 530pm.
497 started back shoving the outfit car and 0503, followed by 487 and the OY. We started off the hill at 737pm
Once again the bad track at MP 336 got us. 487's tank, OY's tank, and the rear truck of OY went on the ground. We were all dead tired, the snow here was cab window high on the up hill side and gangway high on the downhill side. We had to get those big heavy Nolan frogs down in there and set them. After we humped OY's rear truck on we left them on the rail and let the front truck run over them. And..... OY's front truck dropped off the rail a foot before the frog humped it back on.
We finally rolled into town at 1030pm.
Tied up 1100pm.
15 hrs. on duty.
The End......finally.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/19/2019 08:52PM by Earl.
