Re: C&TS — Aug. 19, 1973 (part 1)

The date is Sunday August 19,1973, and 483 is heading back to Chama with a full weekend train. Passing over the trestle at milepost 296 and around the curve at the Big Horn section house site, is a 21-car train counting the rider gon on the rear:




A few minutes later, going around the Whiplash on a hazy day in the San Luis Valley:




And then at the little cut at the top of the Big Horn "stairs":




Meanwhile that same morning, 484 has left town and is headed out of the Narrows with an unusual train: the recently repainted (and unlettered) RPO 65, long refer 157, half of the C&TS stock car fleet (i.e. one car, too weathered to make out the number), an idler flat, and caboose 0503. Strapped down on the idle flat was a very bright red player piano which constituted the entire lading for this hill turn (some of these have been posted previously but not all):




Down in the canyon below Hamilton's Point, the fireman is putting on a good show. Looking closely at the rear of the train, there are more than a handful of passengers for this even, and there is a large-ish sign attached to the piano (can't read it though). An American flag is planted at the far end of the idler flat.



(Part 2 next)