NG Circle Tour - 2010
August 21 - September 1
Trip Report
Day 2 - Sunday, August 22
Exploration Day
Chama, New Mexico to Silverton, Colorado
The San Juan Extension of the Denver & Rio Grande Western
Time to get down to business. After 4 failed attempts to drive out to Pagosa Jct / Gato, I was on a mission to finally get it done. I made this my first objective on this trip so that I could work in a second opportunity the following week if something went wrong... again.
We got some breakfast at the new Boxcar Cafe, formally known as Carlatte's. The menu is similar and the food is still good, but the wait staff is a bit inexperienced.
After chow we headed north to get a picture of us at the Chama sign outside of town. I've wanted that shot for a long time. Then we went west. Monero, Lumberton, Dulce, Navajo Tank... all places I've visited before. Then we left the paved road and in just a few minutes were past the spot where I had to turn back last October because of the road conditions. We easily cruised along the old grade and made very good time. The terrain out there is quite pretty, a blend of the high dessert and the pine forests east of Chama.
Before leaving Texas, my buddy Everett Lueck gave me his old laptop preloaded with TopoZone USA and his custom-made railroad maps. So, what might have required some guesswork in the back-country was now remarkably easy. I could clearly see my position in relation to the old grade on the topographical map. This is truly a new era for railfans! It couldn't be easier!
Thanks Everett!! |
Michele and me at the sign |
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End of track west of Chama (Looking east) |
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Looking west at the end of track |
Following the grade west of Chama |
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Here's a nice cut near Hwy 64 |
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Piles just east of Monero Canyon |
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Monero Canyon |
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Monero Canyon |
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Abandoned stock cars in Dulce |
Navajo Tank and Truss Bridge |
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Heading west on the old grade. This is further than I got in October 2009 because of the deep mud. |
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We passed 3-4 other vehicles. I didn't expect to see any at all. |
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Sure is pretty out there. |
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Rain clouds started to move in south of Juanita. Fortunately for us it didn't rain. |
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A ghost town southeast of Juanita |
Truss bridge west of Juanita |
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Giant Squirrels! |
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The ghost town of Juanita |
Navajo River? |
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Michele taking a photo of the multi-span truss bridge east of Pagosa Jct |
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This is a very cool structure. I'm grateful it has survived. |
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Michele waited for me at the top of the hill as I hiked down for the previous shots of the bridge. |
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This marker was near the spot where I took the photos of the bridge (above). |
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Livestock along the grade east of Pagosa Jct. |
You can clearly see the ROW along the river here. |
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At long last... Mission Accomplished. We arrived at the ghost town and rail yard of Pagosa Jct |
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Collapsed Water Tank |
Section House? |
Before making this trip I contacted the Ute's and Navajo's to get permission to drive through their lands. Permission was granted, but I was asked not to leave my vehicle. Michele and I honored this request and all of these photos were taken from the truck. |
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Looks like old car bodies |
Pump House |
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Attempt at Art |
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Another Attempt at Art |
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High side gondola #1536. It was left here when the rails were pulled up in 1970. |
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It's simply amazing to me that all of this still exists. |
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Truss Bridge west of the yard. |
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Continuing west to Arboles |
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The town and yard as viewed from the road west of town. The grade follows the river below the road. |
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Girder plate bridge east of Arboles |
My truck has been to some pretty cool places over the years. |
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This is part of the line relocation in 1960 when the Navajo Reservoir was created. You can clearly see the grade on the right. |
Navajo Reservoir |
I don't know the story on this old boxcar. Does anyone else? |
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On my 2nd attempt to get out to Gato in July 2008, I lost my wallet when my father and I stopped for a picture north of Arboles. The ensuing rush to cancel credit cards ruined that day. However, about 3 weeks later my wallet (sans cash) arrived in the mail with a note from the Postmaster in Arboles stating that she had found it on the floor of the Post Office. So, here's a picture of that Post Office. |
Navajo Reservoir
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Check out that fill! |
Arboles Tank |
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This tank was built from the tender of DRGW #1603, a standard gauge 3-cylinder 4-8-2. |
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Drop bottom gondolas #725 & #836 |
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The gons are maintained by a local Boy Scout Troop. |
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"Watering" my truck |
Continuing west to Durango, more storm clouds |
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WOO HOO! More NG rails! |
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Rio de los Animas Perdidas |
15th Street Bridge |
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We ate lunch here at the park and waited for the afternoon train to arrive |
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This neat little park was a ideal setting to spend a late afternoon. |
Train 462 crossing the 15th Street bridge |
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Rolling stock stored on siding near glider-port, north of Durango on the Home Ranch Siding. This siding is rarely used now. It was built for trains 263 (evening Cascade train) and 462 to meet back when the D&S had 4 daily trains to Silverton plus the Cascade trip. |
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Hermosa, CO |
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Turnout for Rockwood |
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Silverton in Baker's Park |
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Tail of the Silverton Wye |
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End of the Silverton Northern track |
RGS Motor 5 - The Goose |
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Silverton Depot |
E&P #4 |
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We checked in at the Grand Imperial before heading to the yard to see what was going on. Moving my wife's stuff up 3 flights of stairs when well above 9,000 feet is a heck of a lot of work!!! The Grand Imperial is... well... let's just say that it's "historic." I'm glad we stayed there, but we won't be doing it again.
After a quick stop at an ice cream parlor, we wandered over to the yard and found E&P #4 and RGS #5 resting quietly just after dusk. The cool mountain air was intoxicating and refreshing! Being up in the remote mountains is so different from our regular lives in the big city. Sure wish we could go up there more often.
Thus ended another awesome day in Narrow Gauge Country! |