The photo of snow-covered #471 is most likely February 1941 as there are several photos by E.J.Foley of snow-covered trains in Dorman's book on the Chili Line. Page 126 shows the Rotary turning on the wye at Tres Piedras with Engine #471 in February 1941, not 1944.
I searched the entire collection of 50 issues of Short & Narrow Rails and no other information is found about the Chili Line, nor date of closure.
Has anyone ever seen any photo of the dismantling of any of these 125.59 miles of line, plus the La Madera Branch miles?
This must be the most miles of narrow gauge railroad that was abandoned where no dismantling photos have ever been seen or published. Surely it was abandoned by use of steam locomotives.
Why have no photos of it ever come out of Alamosa or some other crew base? I gather Mr. Dorman or the CRRM would have published one if they had it in their collection.
That is a bigger mystery than the Secret NG RR, as it is more to today’s fact. Who was E. J. Foley?