Re: The first freights of the following year . . .

Greg Scholl Wrote:
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> . . .  In 1968 we chased the first train of the year
> up the hill from Chama to Alamosa.  It also had
> two cabooses.  I have no idea what it had from
> Alamosa to Chama the day before because we
> were chasing 498 from Durango to Pagosa Junc-
> tion with a train.  The idea of extra section crew,
> or shuttling hostlers, makes the most sense . . .


That was the first eastbound freight of 1968, Greg -

It met the second westbound freight in Chama the evening before, and the crews returned to their home depots after staying in Chama overnight.  In a very un­usual move, the first westbound train – which JBWX has nicknamed 'The Mad Dash' – ran straight through from Alamosa to Durango on May 28, 1968, without meeting a corresponding eastbound freight and overnighting in Chama.  See [chasingtrains.smugmug.com] for John West's photos, [ngdiscussion.net] et seq for photos by Ernie Robart, and [ngdiscussion.net] et seq for additional information.

- El Abuelo Histœrico, Greengo y Curmudgeoño de los Locomoturas Viejos y Verdes,
aka Der Grossväterlich DünkelOlivGrünDampfKesselMantelLiebHabender