Re: OY Photo

In 2012-2013 Jimmy Blouch posted the dispatcher train sheets for the period August 24, 1940 through April 30, 1941. All rotary activity during the winter of 1940-41 was detailed in these postings. The OY ended up in Chama at the end of the 1941 snow season and remained there, which made it possible to photograph it out in the open (the OM ended up in Alamosa). It also ended up in Chama at the end of the 1936 snow season, but was returned dead to Alamosa in September of 1936. In 1941, the railroad did not do this. To my knowledge the OY did not turn a wheel from April 3, 1941 until it plowed its way back to Alamosa on March 8, 1944 (only the OM was used during winters of 1942 and 1943). Being the superior machine, it is difficult to believe that the OY would be hauled to Alamosa for shopping and then hauled back to Chama. I also suspect that it remained in red paint until its return to Alamosa, as I can’t see the railroad spending money to send painters to Chama. I could be wrong, of course, since when researching the D&RGW one learns to “never say never”.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/21/2020 10:50AM by Jim McKee.