RGX 2011 - Trip Report
September 16 - September 26
Day 7 - Thursday, September 22
Chama - Cumbres - Osier
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Day 7 started just after dawn with a meeting in the yard about the all-day photo charter. It was cold. Very cold. And, rider-boxcars are more than a little drafty.
But looking back on it, I had fun. And, it was a pretty authentic experience.
Please let me know if you find mistakes - RioGrandeDude @ SmittysHouse.net
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Mercifully, the sun was over the horizon when we reached MP 337 between the 2nd Crossing and Cresco. |
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Hamilton's Point - MP 334.6 |
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Cumbres Loop (Tanglefoot Curve) |
Moo |
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Lake above Los Pinos |
Pile Trestle over the Rio de Los Pinos |
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Los Pinos Tank - MP 325.5 |
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Crossing the Rio de Los Pinos - MP 324.52 |
Gorgeous morning light |
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Toltec Gorge |
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Martinez Point - MP 319.4 |
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The railroad's ballast mining operation is located here at Martinez Point. |
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This is a major cost-saving project |
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Osier, CO - MP 318.4 |
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Conductor Alan Loomis |
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Re-enacting the loading of cattle from the Osier stock pens |
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Brakeman Zack Blea |
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As we ate a fantastic lunch prepared by Stephen Flowers and his Osier Kitchen crew, the train was run around the balloon loop on the east end of the yard. After lunch we made our way west, back towards Chama. |
Telegraph poles still standing over 40 years since they were last used by the Rio Grande - MP 319 |
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| Toltec Gorge - looking west |
Looking east from Cascade
Trestle. Note the K36 on the Osier balloon loop about
1.3 miles away. |
Cascade Trestle - MP 319.95 | |
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Long Creek - MP 321 |
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South end of Los Pinos Valley - MP 323 |
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Los Pinos Pile Trestle MP 324.52 |
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After two run-bys at the Rio de Los Pinos, the train was moved into Los Pinos siding so Train 215 could pass. |
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489 (Faux Eighty Five) storms past on her westward assault up the grade to Cumbres Pass. |
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Los Pinos Tank - MP 325.5 |
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Attempt at art |
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Heading up to Cumbres |
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East end of Cumbres Yard |
Bill & Bandit Guardians of Cumbres |
East end of Cresco Siding |
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Cresco, CO |
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Extra 487 West |
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The Ess Curve - MP 337 |
The Narrows - 342.5 |
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The Narrows - 342.5 |
1st Hwy 17 Crossing |
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With the sun dropping towards the horizon and the time for the night photo shoot rapidly approaching, we headed to Fosters for some chow as soon as we got back to town. Fosters has fantastic New Mexican cuisine and I highly recommend it if you're in the area. Green Chili. Red Chili. It's ALL good! |
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K36 #489 (Faux Eighty Five) & K36# 487 |
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Brakeman Zack Blea |
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I don't remember much about how this night ended. I must've been tired!
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