I remember this stock movement

I remember this stock movement! In October of 1966, my family was visiting my Grandmother in Alamosa, when we heard a steam whistle in the night. As I would always do, I bugged my dad to drive me down to the railyard. When he finally gave in and drove me down to the yard, we found the 498 simmering away in front of the freight house, where the engines always seemed to stop after coming in from Cumbres and having dropped off their trains. Usually, I would just stand there and watch them till they shuffled off toward the roundhouse. However, this time, when the fireman saw me standing there, he invited me up into the cab. Talk about a thrill! He asked if I wanted to throw some coal in the firebox. What twelve year old could refuse that. He gave me a scoop of coal--maybe two lumps and told me to throw it in the fire box which I did. I thought he had opened the "gates of hell" when the firebox door was opened. I asked him what they had brought in over Cumbres and he said they had loaded some sheep in stock cars in Chama and brought them into Alamosa. My glorious time in the cab of 498 was broken up when the engineer climbed up into the cab and gave a very non-approving look at both me and the fireman, whereupon the fireman told me it was time to get down from the cab. Nevertheless, that anonymous fireman made a young boy's day and made me a confirmed narrow gauge fan. It was one of those memories I shall always treasure.