Re: 55 years ago, December 20 - 21 1965, 487 & 493 on flanger spreader run
| December 21, 2020 11:10AM |
The two engines were moving right along, and it was a bit of a challenge to get ahead
I followed the train to the Hangman trestle, but with the speed of the train and the condition of the dirt road it seemed impossible to get ahead again
So after this photo I turned around to meet my brother in Breckenridge and a fun couple of days trying to learn how to ski. As for the 487-493 flanger spreader outfit, it made a successful run over Cumbres to Chama, and returned to Alamosa the next day, December 21 (55 years ago today). But the Rio Grande did not follow up with a revenue freight. I am guessing that most likely wind re-filled the cuts. 487 and 483 went out again with the flanger /spreader outfit on December 27, returning to Alamosa on December 28. The events of December 29, 30, and 31 are difficult to piece together, we could really use some help from Jimmy Blouch.
On December 29 engines 484 and 488 brought a freight from Durango to Chama, while 498 and 493 brought a heavy pipe-and-drill mud train from Alamosa to Chama
On the next day, December 30, 498 and 484 left Chama for Durango, while 488 and 493 headed to Cumbres. 493 derailed at Windy Point. The crew left 493 at Windy Point and returned to Chama with 488. In the meantime the dispatcher recalled 498 and 484, and the two engines returned to Chama. 488 and 484 then made up a work train and re-railed 493 at Windy Point, after which the three engines returned to Chama.
On December 31, the dispatcher changed the engine assignments. 493 and 498 ran to Durango, and 488 and 484 ran as a flanger outfit to Alamosa. I don't know if this train included any freight cars. The outfit finally arrived in Alamosa about 1:30 am on January 1.
On January 10 the Rio Grande made another run from Alamosa to Chama with 487 and 484. I don't know if this was a flanger/spreader and/or if revenue freight was included.
On January 11 engines 487 and 484 made a flanger/spreader Big Horn turn Chama-Big Horn-Chama for snow removal.
On January 12 engines 487 and 484 made a flanger/spreader run Chama - Alamosa
On January 13 engines 488 and 484 made a freight run from Alamosa to Chama, and 493 brought a freight from Durango to Chama
On January 14 engine 484 ran from Chama to Durango, and 493 and 488 made a Cumbres turn in the morning, and a run to Alamosa in the afternoon.
On January 17 engines 487 and 483 made a flanger/spreader run from Alamosa to Chama
On January 18 engines 487 and 483 made a flanger/spreader run from Chama to Alamosa
On January 25 engines 493 and 483 made a flanger/spreader run from Alamosa to Chama, which my friend Nguyen and I followed as far as the Whiplash ( I posted this run earlier). This photo is most likely the last one ever taken of a Rio Grande flanger/spreader outfit
On the next day, January 26, 1966 493 and 483 returned to Alamosa with the last flanger/spreader run ever operated by the Rio Grande. In the following winters the Rio Grande shut down the narrow gauge when there was enough snow to require a snow clearing train.
Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 12/26/2020 08:14PM by Olaf Rasmussen.
I followed the train to the Hangman trestle, but with the speed of the train and the condition of the dirt road it seemed impossible to get ahead again
So after this photo I turned around to meet my brother in Breckenridge and a fun couple of days trying to learn how to ski. As for the 487-493 flanger spreader outfit, it made a successful run over Cumbres to Chama, and returned to Alamosa the next day, December 21 (55 years ago today). But the Rio Grande did not follow up with a revenue freight. I am guessing that most likely wind re-filled the cuts. 487 and 483 went out again with the flanger /spreader outfit on December 27, returning to Alamosa on December 28. The events of December 29, 30, and 31 are difficult to piece together, we could really use some help from Jimmy Blouch.
On December 29 engines 484 and 488 brought a freight from Durango to Chama, while 498 and 493 brought a heavy pipe-and-drill mud train from Alamosa to Chama
On the next day, December 30, 498 and 484 left Chama for Durango, while 488 and 493 headed to Cumbres. 493 derailed at Windy Point. The crew left 493 at Windy Point and returned to Chama with 488. In the meantime the dispatcher recalled 498 and 484, and the two engines returned to Chama. 488 and 484 then made up a work train and re-railed 493 at Windy Point, after which the three engines returned to Chama.
On December 31, the dispatcher changed the engine assignments. 493 and 498 ran to Durango, and 488 and 484 ran as a flanger outfit to Alamosa. I don't know if this train included any freight cars. The outfit finally arrived in Alamosa about 1:30 am on January 1.
On January 10 the Rio Grande made another run from Alamosa to Chama with 487 and 484. I don't know if this was a flanger/spreader and/or if revenue freight was included.
On January 11 engines 487 and 484 made a flanger/spreader Big Horn turn Chama-Big Horn-Chama for snow removal.
On January 12 engines 487 and 484 made a flanger/spreader run Chama - Alamosa
On January 13 engines 488 and 484 made a freight run from Alamosa to Chama, and 493 brought a freight from Durango to Chama
On January 14 engine 484 ran from Chama to Durango, and 493 and 488 made a Cumbres turn in the morning, and a run to Alamosa in the afternoon.
On January 17 engines 487 and 483 made a flanger/spreader run from Alamosa to Chama
On January 18 engines 487 and 483 made a flanger/spreader run from Chama to Alamosa
On January 25 engines 493 and 483 made a flanger/spreader run from Alamosa to Chama, which my friend Nguyen and I followed as far as the Whiplash ( I posted this run earlier). This photo is most likely the last one ever taken of a Rio Grande flanger/spreader outfit
On the next day, January 26, 1966 493 and 483 returned to Alamosa with the last flanger/spreader run ever operated by the Rio Grande. In the following winters the Rio Grande shut down the narrow gauge when there was enough snow to require a snow clearing train.
Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 12/26/2020 08:14PM by Olaf Rasmussen.
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488 stops for water at Los Pinos tank on closing day Oct. 1979. Photo courtesy Don Richter
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