Re: C&TSRR = Locomotive 487 At Sublette.

In September 1980, I was firing for the late Chris Pease on the Bill Peters Stock Special from Chama to Antonito. We pulled into Sublette and let everyone off to set up for a photo shot, then backed up to set up the shot with the train coming into Sublette and spotting for water. The idea was to capture the whole scene, including the train arrival, the fireman dropping off and positioning the water column and take on water. The engineer would drop off the fireman's side to oil around to complete the scene.

Well, we backed up quite a ways so all the "whistling" for the stop could be heard and making some noise as Chris brought the train in for a spot. There was a perfect line of photographers, many with movie cameras, up on the hill above us as I dropped off and swung the water column around then climbed up on the tender to take water. I opened the hatch only to realize that we were inches past the spot and I couldn't get the spout in the hole to take water. All I could do was holler at Chris, who was already oiling around for the photographers, that we missed the spot. Those who know Chris know that he had a little bit of a temper. The oil can went flying with the cuss words streaming from Chris like steam from a safety valve.

Needless to say, that wasn't the shot they were looking for and we had to do it all over again.

Dick Bell Photo