Chama Yard

July 6-9, 2008

Here are several photos of activity, yard tracks, structures, and rolling stock in the historic Chama Yard.

This is my favorite place on Earth.

 

Structures

The only surviving Rio Grande Coal Tipple

Raised Coaling Track

for the Tipple

West End of Engine House, Looking East

Fire Hose Shed, Looking West

Another of my many attempts to be artistic. I'm not sure if I was successful or not...

Coal Tipple, Looking East

The Tallest Structure in Chama

Water Tank

I could hear the Sunday Morning Worship Service underway. Being a Deacon in my church, I felt somewhat guilty for missing church. But, trust me... I was thanking God all day for the chance to be back in Narrow Gauge Country!

Sand Tower

Sand House

Sand Tower

Chama Depot

Chama Depot

Chama Depot

Chama Depot, Freight House

Chama Depot

Night Watchman's House, Looking West

Night Watchman's House, Looking East

Stock Pens, West End

Looking East

Scale House, Looking East

Scale House, Looking East

Scale House, Looking West

 

Yard Trackage

Looking West, Towards Durango. West End Yard Throat

West End, Looking East

West End, Looking East

(315 heading west)

West End, Looking West

West End, Wild Flowers

West End, Looking West

Original Main Line on the Right

Raised Track for the Coal Tipple. Sand House of the Left

Original Roundhouse Remnants (Left) New Engine Shop (Right)

Mid Yard, Looking West

Mid Yard, Looking West

Top of Gramps Oil Dock

East End, Looking West

Top of Gramps Oil Dock

East End, Looking East

 

Running a Railroad

DRGW K36 484

484 is my favorite K36. She wasn't the first K class locomotive I ever saw (the 8th in fact) and she wasn't the first I ever saw under steam (she was the 4th). But, our first trip on the C&T in Oct 2006 was behind her and that makes her my favorite.

East End, Looking West

484 Blowing Down

DRGW K36 484

DRGW K36 488

DRGW K36 488

484 Getting Coal Near the Chama Section House. Red Building is the Fire Hose Shed

DRGW K36 488

Cleaning the fire,

dumping the ash.

488 & the Coal Tipple

Time for a drink

Backing into the Yard

488 ready to Depart

to Points East

Jordan Spreader OU

Mid Yard from Coal Tipple Raised Track

DRGW K36 488

DRGW C18 315

Chama at Dusk

Crewman Discuss the

Next Day's Ops

Exchanging Scuttlebutt

DRGW 315 & RGS 5

Simmering After a

Hard Day's Work

Timeless...

DRGW 484 & RGS 5

484 Departs for Points East

484 Viewed from

Under the Sand Tower

315 Backing into the Yard

 

315 Backing to Her Train

315 Heading Towards Durango

(She won't get much farther though)

315 Navigating the Wye

 

 

Rio Grande Equipment

"The Swamp"

MOW Equipment

489 Nears Competition

497 Awaits Better Days

Another Attempt at Art

Staged Equipment for

a Photo-Freight

Rotary OM

Rotary OY

View From OY

Cab of OY

Water Tank for OY

Death & Life

0306

DRGW K37 492

Awaiting Better Days

Awaiting Better Days

A Sad Sight

DRGW K36 483

Smokebox on 483

483 was the first operational locomotive on the C&T and one of the last serviceable narrow gauge locomotives the Rio Grande operated over this line. Several efforts are underway to save and restore this precious piece of railroad history.

DRGW483.net

DRGW483.com

Cab & Firebox on 483

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I really like this shot

 

 

 

 

 

Flanger OJ

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MOW Equipment

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Early one morning this little guy walked up behind me near the water tower.

He didn't seem the least bit scared of me.