Re: Friends Freight Charter

I'm sure somebody who knows will answer this, but when the west bound regular passed the freight special at Toltec siding on Saturday, the whole crowd was grinning like mad and taking pictures of both trains.
The freight special pulled into Osier just as we were leaving... lots of cameras clicking away as they crept up to the tail of the westbound regular. Presumably somebody on the eastbound could post some pictures here.
There were a few great photo ops at Los Pinos as well. The regular (us) was pulling out after watering at the tank when the freight came into the valley. Each train was in full view stretched out for each other. Apparently they had a few cars with brake problems Friday, because there were a few freight cars set out on the Los Pinos siding on Saturday.
My railfan daughter and I were in the Chama yard when the special came in that night. Everybody appeared to be thrilled.
On a similar photographic note, I wished I had my camera that evening -- the management party in the Chama station would have made a great picture. There was a mob of people in the building and on the platform. With the station lights and the dark night, it was really pretty.
-- I should also mention that the train ran great two of the three times (all three behind 463) we rode this summer. Only the first time (July 9th) were 463's burned grates a problem -- they had to dump the fire at Osier and rebuild it. Later in July, and last Saturday, it ran fine, and did a workmanlike job going east to west.
Of course, 463 has a pretty horrible whistle. When the blew it to call the passengers onboard after lunch, *everybody-except-me* standing around giggled.
Tom