493 on a Chama turn - 52 years ago today (Nov 21-22,1967)
| November 21, 2019 04:24PM |
Six months ago, on April 22, 2019, I posted the above series of photos documenting the November 21, 1967 "unit train" of drill mud powered by 493 from Alamosa to Chama, and indicated that this thread would be continued for the next day, November 22, 1967. Well, here I am ready to do that (six months later), on the 52. Anniversary of those November 21-22 runs. Of course I realize that many wonderful things are happening on the narrow gauge, and most everyone is forward looking - toward the 493 restoration, the rotary operations, and the C&TS 50th anniversary events. I hesitated to bring up "ancient" events, but with the 52. Anniversary here today, I decided to boldly proceed anyway.
But first I should put November 1967 in perspective. The Rio Grande filed for abandonment in September. In October trains continued the 3-day Alamosa-Farmington cycle on a weekly basis. But that did not continue in November. The handwriting was clearly on the wall - there were no Alamosa- Farmington cycles that month. The last October train leaving Chama for Durango was on October 27 and there would not be another until December 6. However November was not totally devoid of action. There were still some lumber shipments that managed to escape the Rio Grande Motorways. On November 9 engine 476 brought a heavy train load of lumber from the Weidman mill east from Durango. On the same day 493 brought a long string of empty flat cars from Alamosa to Chama for lumber loading by the Skyline mill in Chama. On the 10th of November 476 and 493 made two trips to Cumbres, with 493 taking the accumulated loads from Cumbres to Alamosa.
On November 21 (52 years ago today) 493 brought 17 loads of drill mud from Alamosa to Chama. Again there was no train continuing to Durango.
The next day 493 made a Cumbres turn, and a Chama-Alamosa run for one of the more memorable narrow gauge adventures, especially for my brother and another railfan who joined the lumber stacks for a ride east to the San Luis valley. But I will make this a new thread.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/21/2019 04:30PM by Olaf Rasmussen.
But first I should put November 1967 in perspective. The Rio Grande filed for abandonment in September. In October trains continued the 3-day Alamosa-Farmington cycle on a weekly basis. But that did not continue in November. The handwriting was clearly on the wall - there were no Alamosa- Farmington cycles that month. The last October train leaving Chama for Durango was on October 27 and there would not be another until December 6. However November was not totally devoid of action. There were still some lumber shipments that managed to escape the Rio Grande Motorways. On November 9 engine 476 brought a heavy train load of lumber from the Weidman mill east from Durango. On the same day 493 brought a long string of empty flat cars from Alamosa to Chama for lumber loading by the Skyline mill in Chama. On the 10th of November 476 and 493 made two trips to Cumbres, with 493 taking the accumulated loads from Cumbres to Alamosa.
On November 21 (52 years ago today) 493 brought 17 loads of drill mud from Alamosa to Chama. Again there was no train continuing to Durango.
The next day 493 made a Cumbres turn, and a Chama-Alamosa run for one of the more memorable narrow gauge adventures, especially for my brother and another railfan who joined the lumber stacks for a ride east to the San Luis valley. But I will make this a new thread.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/21/2019 04:30PM by Olaf Rasmussen.
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488 stops for water at Los Pinos tank on closing day Oct. 1979. Photo courtesy Don Richter
The NGDF was started by Don Richter and is currently operated in his memory by Nathan Holmes and others. Others who have contributed to the upkeep of this board are (in no particular order): Charles McCandless, Everett Lueck, Ted Wilton, Cole Adams, James Bane, John Moellmer, Jon Bentz, Linn Moedinger, lloyd lehrer, Rod Jensen, John Craft, Steven Forney, Herb Kelsey, Bill Ramaley, Russ Sperry (El Russo Loco), Josh McNeal, John West, Jim Armstrong, Bob Bergstrom, Greg Scholl, Blake Forbes Doug van Veelen and Mark Fuller.