Re: 498 and 488 approaching Cumbres with the1963 RMRRC excursion

It is my understanding that the K36s were possibly originally equipped with the Le Chetalier water brake. If so, I don't believe they lasted long.

The practice of using the drifting throttle and running in reverse to bring light engines down the hill was carried over from the D&RGW. The noise Juergen heard was likely the engine running in reverse using the drifting throttle with the cylinder cocks open. I was not taught to use the cylinder cocks on the C&TS but that was the standard practice carried over from the Rio Grande crews on the D&S before the drifting throttles were removed from the engines completely.