Re: Need help with another date - Alamosa 1969?

Sometime in 1969 all the out of service engines were lined up as seen here. A few years before, this portion of the Alamosa roundhouse was torn down leaving these "garden tracks". The engines were shoved in to position by the Alamosa switcher. As a complete engine and tender could not fit on the table with the diesel switch engine, the tenders were removed from the engines and shoved in separately. Note that 488's tender is behind 488, facing backwards. Also note that 488's pilot plow is missing. It was removed and hauled over to Durango and put on 483 for the National Park Service train in Nov. 1968.

The pics at Cumbres look like 1969 also. The new highway - still unpaved - is crossing the tracks in the background. In the shot out through the snowshed, you can see new construction to left where the parking area was located.