In January and February 1952, the Grande fought one of the biggest blizzards in history on Cumbres Pass.
Here's one man's adventures.
Travels with Eldon – the Great Blizzard of 1951-52
12/28/51 - On duty Chama 8pm, eng 488, tied up Chama 1235am 12/29, engineer Stephens.
Cumbres turn with 491 and 498. 498 returns to Chama, 491 runs east and get stuck at MP 321 (Long Creek).
12/29/51 - 3’25” Penalty time. Not called at away terminal
12/29/51 - On duty 8pm eng 498. engineer Stephens. Flanger turn with 495 to find 491. Stuck in slide on Windy Point. Killed engs, hiked to Cumbres.
12/30/51 – 1/2/52 Stuck in snow at Cumbres Section House. Rescued and deadhead to Chama 1/2/52.
1/3/52 - On duty Chama615am Rotary OM tied up in Chama 500pm, engineer Hindelang.
1/4/52 - On duty Chama 600am, Rotary OM, tied up in Chama 855pm, engineer Stephens.
1/5/52 - On duty Chama 600am, Rotary OM, tied up in Chama 745pm, engineer Stephens.
1/6/52 - On duty Chama 600am, Rotary OM, tied up in Chama 740pm, engineer Stephens.
I took 5 days for OM to reach Cumbres and dig out 498 and 495. Each night they returned to Chama.
1/7/52 - On duty Chama 600am, Rotary OM, tied up at Cumbres 815pm, engineer Stephens.
1/8/52 - On duty Cumbres 800am, Rotary OM, tied up in Chama 850PM, engineer Stephens.
The rotary outfit, cleared Cumbres, turned and returned to Chama. The OM was using west (Durango) end crews and engines. With 498 and 495 back in action, the west end engs went back.
1/9/52 - On duty 600am eng 495, tied up at Los Pinos 955pm, engineer Hindelang.
Eldon gets a break from firing OM and goes to firing engines for a couple of days.
While all this excitement was going on, a flanger turn had been sent out from Alamosa to find 491. They got as far as Osier before getting stuck with derailed equipment and the front drawbar pulled out of 492. OY was sent out and took several days in reaching Osier, rerailing the mess there, then proceeding to Long Creek to dig out 491, and take it back to Osier,
1/10/52 - On duty at Los Pinos 630am, eng 495, tied up Osier 1115pm engineer Hindelang.
At Osier we have 2 rotaries, 6 engines (3 dead – 1 with a pulled drawbar) and lots of crew members.
1/11/52 - On duty at Osier 8am, eng 495, tied up at Osier 705pm, eng Hindelang.
Day was spent getting rotary trains around each other, getting dead engines ready for movement, etc.
1/12/52 - On duty Osier 430am, Rotary OY, tied up Alamosa 1230am 1/13/52, engineer Stephens.
The OM returned to Chama and OY went back to Alamosa with all the dead locomotives. This was first time Eldon was home since Dec. 27.
Eldon took a week off, while traffic tried to return to normal. A week later another storm came and undid all the work done previously. Again the OY is cal from Alamosa while the OM worked east from Chama.
1/20/52 - On duty Alamosa 220am, Rotary OY, tied up at Sublette 625pm, engineer Groshart.
1/21/52 - On duty Sublette 230am, Rotary OY tied up at Sublette 930am, engineer Groshart. Released until 830pm.
1/21/52 - On duty Sublette 830pm at Sublette, Rotary OY, tied up at Osier 630pm 1/22.
1/23/52 - On duty at Osier 230am, rotary OY, tied up at Osier 830pm, engineer Groshart.
1/24/52 - On duty Osier 230am, tied up MP 328 (today’s Apache Canyon Rd Crossing) 1000pm 1/25/52, engineer Groshart.
1/26/52 - On duty Mp 328 800am tied up MP 330 (Tanglefoot Curve) 430am, engineer Groshart.
OY was very low on coal they ran out at the Cumbres Yard Limit at the bottom of Tanglefoot Curve. A car of coal was on the long siding directly above but a couple of hundred feet away. A makeshift chute was made to transfer the coal from the gondola down the hill to OY. There is still a trail of coal on the hillside to mark the spot.
1/27/52 - On duty MP 330, Rotary OY, tied up at Cumbres 830pm, engineer Groshart.
1/28/52 - On duty at Cumbres 430am, Rotary OY, tied up at Cumbres 700pm, engineer Groshart.
1/29/52 - On duty 600am at Cumbres, Rotary OY, tied up at Chama 855pm, engineer Groshart.
1/30/52 - On duty at Chama 100pm, eng 495, tied up in Chama 500pm, engineer Stephens.
With the rotary outfit in Chama, the day was spent turning the equipment, flanging out the yard and getting read to head back over the hill
1/31/52 - On duty at Chama 300am, eng 495, tied up at Sublette 915pm, engineer Stephens.
2/1/52 - On duty at Sublette 515am, eng 495, tied up in Alamosa 215pm, engineer Stephens.
After another 13 days away from home, Eldon lays off for 4 days then gets called for the rotary train again. This time he fires a locomotive.
2/6/52 - On duty 300am in Alamosa, eng 490, tied up at Cumbres 700pm, engineer Stephens.
2/7/52 - On duty at Cumbres 500am, eng 490, tied up in Chama 235pm, engineer Stephens.
2/7&8/52 - On duty in Chama 1035pm tied up in Chama 235pm, engineer Stephens. Note in margin says “Wrecker MP 308”.
2/9/52 - On duty in Chama 145am, eng 490, tied up in Chama 600am engineer Stephens. One Cumbres Turn.
Things are starting to move again.
2/9/52 - On duty in Chama 450pm, eng 493, tied up in Chama 815pm, engineer Stephens. One Cumbres Turn.
2/9/52 - On duty 1130pm eng 493, tied up in Alamosa 730am, engineer Stephens.
Only 4 days away from home this time
….that’s enough for now.
