Re: Chama Steam engine placement

Doubleheading with a 470 and larger engine was allowed on Lobato and Cascade bridges until about 1960, then the rule became no doubleheading period.
Concerning the mid-train helpers on Cumbres vs. the timetable special instructions: I bet somewhere there was a bulletin put out allowing mid-train placement about 1950 or so, when the pipe started moving big time and the rr had created all the flimsy idler flats. I imagine is took folding a few of them up to change the operating plan.
I recalled in looking at the footage Greg used from his dad's film there was a shot of the rear of a train with a pusher leaning against a wood idler flat that had a very noticable hump in its frame.