Hi Jason,
You have likely not read all my past posts on this subject as I have never attempted to make a case on one side or the other. I only was looking for proof of when the line was torn up through each town and what engines were used to do the work. I was in a sense looking for that photo that you have finally clamed to have. It has never been put in the Otto Perry Index of photos but if it is in the Denver Public Library web collection, could you post the link to it?
"As I write this I am looking at an original Otto Perry postcard photo dated 1942. It shows the Santa Fe branch track ending in a pile of dirt a little ways outside of Antonito. The grade, now devoid of ties and rails, is visible running off into the distance. On the back, in Otto's handwriting it says "D&RGW end of track, Santa Fe branch. Recently torn up, last run 9-1-41. The general manager's dream came true now we can truck, I mean didge 'em." What is a more exact date on this photo or post mark, please? You may have succeeded in ending the search of the past year.
My last post was only stressing the fact that no proof had yet been presented in this subject and interview with the original participants was not proof, when at one point each had changing ideas in the matter. I was in contact with both and they know I was searching for the photo you speak of above. The article by Mr. Getz included no such proof or firm evidence.
Why do you bitch about me rattling the cage of someone who has not learned that there is only one "R" in Perin's Peak and that there is no 4% grades on the south end ML of the RGS since you think it is okay to insult me with your final comment? If you consider it an insult, so do I. I just expect better accuracy from that publication, the bible of NG modeling.
I am not going to argue either side for any extended operation of the Chili Line, but just relate what people might have felt on December 7, 1941, while the crews were tearing up the line from Santa Fe. We do know that the streets were vacated in Santa Fe in September 1941, so the scrapping started northward right after the abandonment date.
We also know that shortly afterward, the government moved every Anglo speaking person out of the area of Los Alamos, only hiring Indian labor to built the place and they did not let anyone see that anything was going on or was being built. Extensive work was done changing the roads and blocking off many. They needed a lot of cement and reform bars and what was the best way to ship all that in so no one would get wise as to something happening? If it was transferred into NG box cars at Alamosa and moved down the Chili Line, it would seem to me to be a very stealth way to sneak the material near to the job. That was down through 100 miles of nearly all empty desert which had nearly no communications. Who would know it was not Chili in those cars? Trucking that material out of Santa Fe sure would not have been a very stealth method, as no truck had ever traveled that direction before. It would really be interesting to read how all the work was done without any knowledge to any one at the time. The Historical Museum at Espanola has some information on this subject and at one point the curator said his dad worked in the section crew on the Chili line and insists that he was employed long after the Pear Harbor attack. Don't read this that I take his or that position as this curator has not followed up with any proof or added data.
As I said in the past, I think this case is closed and Al Pealman got his wish of tearing-up this line without the AT&SF gaining access to the rich and valuable food shipments out of that Rio Grande stronghold. Just read the Branch Line Studies that the CRRM sells and you will see how Mr. Pealman violated anti-trust laws to get the Chili line abandoned and ripped up, without selling it. He knew the Santa Fe RR would have loved to get into the San Luis Valley so he made inside deals to prevent it.
