492, 493, 480, and 488 moving freight from Chama 60 years ago today - January 31, 1964
| January 31, 2024 06:10PM |
January 31 is always a special date for me - because it brings back memories of a memorable day on the narrow gauge - now 60 years ago
On January 31, 1964 the narrow gauge was busy moving tonnage freight from Chama to Durango and making two freight turns to Cumbres. Three of us managed to be there - I had arrived on the Chama Valley Bus Lines the day before, Tom Koglin got there in a borrowed '55 Chevy, and Frank Barry was living in Chama at the time.
On the morning of January 31, 1964, Chama was a busy place, with the two hostlers servicing 492 and 493 for a run to Durango, and preparing 480 and 488 for a day of Cumbres turns
493 was the first to head out of town, running to Gato ahead of the westbound freight in this photo by Thomas Koglin
492 followed 493 with a long train of large diameter gas pipe
480 and 488 made a Cumbres turn in the morning, and a second turn in the late afternoon, here coming across the old second crossing just before sunset
On January 31, 1964 the narrow gauge was busy moving tonnage freight from Chama to Durango and making two freight turns to Cumbres. Three of us managed to be there - I had arrived on the Chama Valley Bus Lines the day before, Tom Koglin got there in a borrowed '55 Chevy, and Frank Barry was living in Chama at the time.
On the morning of January 31, 1964, Chama was a busy place, with the two hostlers servicing 492 and 493 for a run to Durango, and preparing 480 and 488 for a day of Cumbres turns
493 was the first to head out of town, running to Gato ahead of the westbound freight in this photo by Thomas Koglin
492 followed 493 with a long train of large diameter gas pipe
480 and 488 made a Cumbres turn in the morning, and a second turn in the late afternoon, here coming across the old second crossing just before sunset
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488 stops for water at Los Pinos tank on closing day Oct. 1979. Photo courtesy Don Richter
The NGDF was started by Don Richter and is currently operated in his memory by Nathan Holmes and others. Others who have contributed to the upkeep of this board are (in no particular order): Charles McCandless, Everett Lueck, Ted Wilton, Cole Adams, James Bane, John Moellmer, Jon Bentz, Linn Moedinger, lloyd lehrer, Rod Jensen, John Craft, Steven Forney, Herb Kelsey, Bill Ramaley, Russ Sperry (El Russo Loco), Josh McNeal, John West, Jim Armstrong, Bob Bergstrom, Greg Scholl, Blake Forbes Doug van Veelen and Mark Fuller.