Re: Cumbres & Toltec Rock Tunnel

The track through this area is pretty much dead flat. From a 1/2 mile east of Rock Tunnel to 2 miles east of Los Pinos, the railroad climbs a grand total of....6 feet. It probably gains and loses that 6 feet several times.

My method of dealing with Rock Tunnel and its permanent 10 mph slow order was to approach it at track speed (about 12mph). At a forgotten magic point, I'd put a light set on the air brakes and let the train slow to about 8mph. I'd drop the Johnson Bar a couple of notches to keep the engine for wanting to eccelerate the train (kinda like downshifting your car). The idea was to to hit 8mph and release the brakes just as I went past the Garfield Monument. The train would continue to slow a bit as the engine crossed the rock wall and entered the tunnel. The brakes were now released as we rolled into the tunnel, just about the east portal, the train would be rolling free again. I'd open the drfting throttle valve to give the engine a touch more steam (I never touched the main throttle through all this process). We'd slowly pick up speed as the rear of the train came out of the tunnel. I'd hook the Johnson Bar back up, the speed would come back up to 12 mph. I'd close the drifting throttle, and we'd keep rolling east.

About a 1/3 mile further east, we'd start down toward Toltec Creek. then things got very different.

This ends your train handling lesson for the day.

Pretty good for a guy who hasn't run a train through there in 20 years, don't ya think?