Re: Operating Iron Victorian Horses on the C&TS

From what I remember, when running up grade, one stopped for water and wood at every opportunity. When going down grade one generally stopped at each water tank, but not at each wood pile.

Going west from Antonito, we got water at Lava, wood at Big Horn, water at Sublette, water and wood at Osier, water at Los Pinos, water and a bit o' wood at Cumbres, highball Cresco into Chama.

Going east, water and wood at Cresco, water and wood at Cumbres, highball Los Pinos, water and wood at Osier, water at Sublette, a bit o' wood at Big Horn, highball Lava into Antonito.

We loaded up a boxcar with firewood and sent the 19 out on a wooding mission, putting suitable sized piles at Cresco, Cumbres, and Osier. The car was set out at Big Horn. A separate delivery was set up for Antonito.

Trailing a tank car is not an option..... it would be everything the Eureka could haul just to move it west. Eureka was happy with 3 light cars: a rider gon, an outfix box (04982) and 0503. We did add the 4444 into the mix going down hill and did pull it from Osier up to Cumbres once - which was a bit of a struggle.

Eastward out of Chama, the Eureka managed a caboose hop with 0503. We tried pulling a wood gon, but she just couldn't do it.