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Now Thanks to D&S Employee
Jarrette Ireland, we have another collection of Winter Steam Special
Photographs.. Thanks
Jarrette, look forward to more. |
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Monday April 18th 2005, Tuesday April 19th 2005...
The track crew is making progress on the new track
in the Antonito yard and after finishing the Switch, they can be
seen here putting in ballast to Tamp and Level the switch.. |
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In the second picture, the Guys are using hand
tamper machines to level the track thru the switch.
On a Good Note 484 was fired up Monday and
moved around a little, the FRA Inspector was here and gave a Passing
grade for 484, we will make a few adjustments and she will be
ready.. As of Monday night we had shut her down and dropped the
fire.
Tuesday morning we began repairs on 484 and we
Lapped both of the Blowdown valves and also made repairs on two
steam lines out of the Steam Turret. We replaced the Air Gauges that
came from Chama because they were inaccurate and also re-tapped the
Drain plugs on the Firebox and re-installed them.. we actually went
late today and finished at about 6:00 this evening.. 484 is now full
of water again and will be fired up Wednesday morning.
From Chama, the news is 488 was fired up today
and although she did have a few air and steam leaks, she looked
good... Also Mr Russom from Chama, New Mexico has been plowing the
line of snow with a Bulldozer and as I have heard, he has cleared
the line from Cumbres down to the Coxo Road Crossing.
I would like to apologize, I wish I could have
been in chama to get picture's of 488 being fired up, but I can't be
in two places at once and I was working on 484 in Antonito.. I am
looking for help to take picture's when I can't, but no one as of
yet has been able to help.. I will continue to do my best, but I do
apologize for missing some Picture opportunities. |
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Wednesday April 20th 2005...
Well today we fired up 484, she's nice and tight,
no leaks in the air system or the boiler.. We ran her around a
little and in the picture's you can see we are loading her up with
coal for Thursdays run up the line.. right now she is in Track one
being watched by Sam for the evening.
Tomorrow we will run up the line to pick up
rail for the addition in the Antonito Yard.. the Pettibone Machine
will lead the way to load the rail.. the next update will be in the
2nd week of April update which I am working on right now, have a
great one... Carlos |
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Well here is the "Enchanted Duckie"
Balloon, be patient with me and I will introduce you to one of its
Pilots next week. |
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Another view of the Wells Fargo
Balloon "Cent'r Stage" and we will meet Three Young Ladies
who are part of its crew. |
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Monday April 11th, 2005...
In this Picture Toby Vigil and Joseph Sisneros are
working on drilling new Angle Bar bolt holes thru the rail.
The rail you see is the outside rail for the
new Switch being installed in Antonito. |
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I am in the Backhoe pushing Locomotive 484 back
into the shop, 484 is ready to roll. It has been attached to its
tender and all Brake stands and plumbing is back in place, tomorrow
we will fill the Tender and check for any leaks.
And listen to this, next week we will fire up
484 and take her on a day or two of Work trains, we plan to go to
Milepost 290 to pick up rail and a few miles higher up to distribute
ties. |
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Tuesday April 12th, 2005...
This
morning we moved some equipment out of the Display
spur and pulled the Flatcar that came from Durango out and switched
it over to Track 4.
You can see the Ballast Regulator and Spud
Liner coming to me at the switch.
And last here comes the Flatcar, this is the
one that has been chosen to be Restored. We will do the work when
the project is approved.. we plan on sand-blasting and redoing
everything back to Rio Grande era standards. |
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The installation of the first switch continues...
The guys are spiking the first Frog into place and
the outside rail has already been spiked into place. |
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End of the day, you can see the progress so far..
the outside rail is installed as is part of the inside rail, the
frog has also been installed. |
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Wednesday April 13th 2005...
Joseph and Rudy are using the Railsaw to cut rail
to fit for the switch..
They had to cut rail to fit between the Points
and Frogs. |
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This is the progress so far at the end of
wednesday. |
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Thursday April 14th 2005...
This is the view from the top of the Water Tank in
Antonito, Marvin Valdez and I were inside the tank to do rountine
maintenance on it. That required us to climb to the top and down
inside for the whole day.
Have you ever been inside a Water Tank?????
Well I took pictures and will show you on next weeks update, what
the inside of the Antonito Water Tank looks like!!!! |
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Engineer Ronnie Lopez poses on 463, in what would
be her final run from Chama to Antonito. |
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Locomotive
463 as the Helper and 497 as
the road Locomotive.. The snow was beautiful, made for some amazing
picture's on 463's final run. |
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Engineer Ronnie Lopez and I in the cab of 463 on
her final run... Now she sits in the Antonito Car Shop awaiting
Repair and restoration to active service. |
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A picture of 497 from the Cab of 463, this was
October and it was snowing pretty heavy, made for some beautiful
picture's. |
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Doing a little Switching, me and 463 tie the
Caboose's on to the rear of the Train so 497 can run the train back
to Chama. |
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463 Switching Cumbres. |
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After Leaving Cumbres, we ran light to Los Pinos,
then picked up a load of Passenger Cars in the siding and then took
the cars and 463 home to Antonito. |
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463 and its empty passenger cars wait in the
siding for the Fire Patrol motor-car to pass with Sam providing
Track Patrol for 463. |
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The Motor car disappeared in the snow and we
didn't see him again until Osier. |
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We will wait in the siding for a few minute's,
then 463 will be on its way to Antonito... |
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The Classic Pose... |
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463 arrives in Osier. |
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463 takes water from osier.... we left the snow
behind just past Cascade Trestle. |
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These were the last pictures of 463, just past
Toltec Siding the sun went down. |
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I thought you would like to see the Picture's of
463's final run.... that night we came into Antonito in a Blizzard
at about 8:30 P.M. that Evening. |
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Diesel 19 poses on Ferguson Trestle, after dumping
ash to fill the edges of the bridge... I thought you may like to see
a few shots from my Photo Archive... |
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A little Locomotive Posing.. |
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Diesel 19 sits upon the Bridge... |
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A straight on view of Diesel 19. |
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The Pettibone and Diesel 19 pose together on top
of "Gravity Hill". |
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Diesel 19 at Sublette, New Mexico. |
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Diesel 19 under the Overhanging rock at Milepost
309. |
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We are hauling dirt for the Retaining Wall at
Milepost 308.95. |
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There are actually Measuring devices above this
rock to check for any movement, but it is completely solid, no
movement in years... |
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Another view of Diesel 19 at Milepost 307.25.
Thought you would like a few shots from the Archive's. |
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Well I am at the St Patrick's Hot
Air Balloon Rally in Los Lunas, New Mexico. On the ground and
to the left and ready for liftoff is "Sucker Hole" Piloted by Murray
A. Conrad, next in the air is a beautiful balloon.. its made with a
newer material and sparkles in the sunlight. |
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On the Ground and to the left is "Sleepthief"
piloted by James L. Cassell.. Next is "Yellow Jacket" piloted by
Gregg Lee Hardman.. |
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We are behind the Basket of
"Enchanted Dream" Owned by Paul Shirkey and Piloted by Hank Humiston.... |
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You are looking right into the
Envelope of the Balloon, ain't that a Beautiful view.. |
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The crew has cold inflated the
Balloon using the fan you can see in the foreground |
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A beautiful line of
Balloons....Nicely stacked!!!!! |
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"Yellow Jacket" takes to the
Air... |
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The Sky was a little ugly, but I
still got some great shots. |
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"Sucker Hole" is ready for lift
off.... |
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Looking up into the sky... |
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Some Balloons are up and ready to
fly, other are still inflating.. |
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Just standing up is "Aeolos"
piloted by Rolinda Anita Tzamaloukas... The Balloon in the middle is
ready to fly and the next balloon is still being inflated. |
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"Miwa's Waynebow" lift's off
piloted by Randell Wayne Shelton. |
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The Balloons continue to inflate
and stand up. |
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"GreenPeace" is ready to go... |
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"Koshare" the Balloon with the
face peeks out from behind the balloons.. |
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The afternoon Train from Cascade
Canyon Wye comes in the Durango Station with 473 on the point. |
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The Alamosa Parlor Car brings up
the rear of the train... I would ride in that Car on the next days
train. |
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Locomotive 478 in the Durango
under steam... |
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This is Charlie Moore. he is a
mechanic and primarily does the locomotive tender annuals, and he
also works as a watchman. Charlie is standing next to a removed
Locomotive Tender Truck in the Durango Roundhouse.
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The Cab of 486 in the Durango
Roundhouse. |
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Locomotive 473...
Photo's thanks to Jarrette
Ireland. |
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Running past the Photo Line, Steam
exhaust and a Blow-down. |
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Locomotive 473 looks like a champ
in that snow. |
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What a Beautiful Shot.... |
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Looks like a Telegraph Booth, I
hope I am right in saying that. |
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Here comes 473 once again, thanks
to Jarrette Ireland for his Photographs. And thanks to the Durango &
Silverton and its Professional, Experienced and very Friendly Crews,
thanks to you all. |
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Locomotive 478 steaming the
Durango Roundhouse. |
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A Durango Roundhouse Employee
works on the Blower line "Steam Assisted draft" into the Smokebox.
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Locomotive 478 and a K-36
Locomotive in the background with a "New Smokebox". |
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The side Cab doors on 486 are open
for access to the Staybolts along side the Backhead. |
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Look at the Connections for the
Steam pipes from the Super Heater Header to the Valve's due to the
application of the new Smokebox. Locomotives 480 & 482 received the
smokeboxes. |
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A look at the New Smokebox
interior, I would have loved to have see the Locomotives without their Smokeboxes. |
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You can see the Hinges and the
Bolts used to secure the Hinges for the Smokebox door. The guys in
Durango did some great work, the smokeboxes look great. |
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Another view of the new Smokebox,
that is some amazing work.. the Durango Roundhouse guys got the job
done, great work guys. |
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Now here is a look at the Air Pump
on the front of 478's nose, now when you are in the firemans seat
like I was in Locomotive 463 and being a short guys like me and you
can't see over the Air pump on the left side to the tracks ahead, I
am pretty sure why they moved the Air Pumps to the front... |
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The nose of 482, the next day she
would pull the train I rode on to Cascade Canyon and back.... and
she ran beautifully... |
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Locomotive 481's open Smokebox,
you can see the Super Heater units in place, everything else has
been removed. |
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473 adds cars to the next days
train... |
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The added weight required a
heavier Locomotive and 482 was called into service for the next day. |
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Pulling forward to back up and
pick up extra cars. |
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Love that 473, those are good
looking Locomotives. |
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Its cool enough for 473 to leave a
beautiful vapor trail into the Durango Sky. |
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Durango & Silverton.. |
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Locomotive 473.. |
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Switches the.. |
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Durango Yards, I love my Job.. |
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Locomotive 473 backs done to the
Train. |
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Locomotive 473 is done for the day
and switches over to back done to the Shop for servicing. |
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Locomotive 473 is done, another
great day on the Durango & Silverton... I love it here! |
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Well here we are, its the Durango
& Silverton Diesel Locomotive Fleet.. and there is Locomotive 486's
tender while 486 is in the roundhouse. |
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A view of the Turntable.. |
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Big Al and the PB Number 2 sit in
Durango awaiting their next run on the Narrow Gauge. Now I must tell
you, these are really beautiful Locomotives.. |
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A head on view of Big Al.
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#7 is Big Al. Big Al number 7 is a
87 Ton Center Cab Diesel originally in service in 1957. |
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#2 is the PB. The PB-2 is a 55 ton
Center Cab Diesel in service originally in 1951. |
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A view of the Roundhouse from the
Car-shop area. |
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Here is Number 2. |
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Another view of Number 2. |
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A view into one of the Cabs of the
Diesel fleet in Durango. |
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A flanger sits on one of the
Roundhouse tracks outside the Durango Museum. |
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I am between Alamosa and Monte
Vista and here comes the Monte Vista Local on the San Luis & Rio
Grande Railroad... they hauled up a bunch of cars, but are only
bringing one back to Alamosa.. |
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4301 comes across the road
crossing..... |
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And leaves me behind heading for
Alamosa, off in the background and to the left is the 5 highest peak
in Colorado, Mount Blanca at 14, 345 above sea level. |
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And now we are in Monte Vista,
Welcome to the San Luis Central.. |
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The San Luis Central is a small
Railroad between the Station of Sugar Junction on the San Luis & Rio
Grande Line and the small farming community of Center, Colorado. |
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Here is Locomotive 71, a 1955
General Electric 70 ton Switcher.... |
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Although a Small railroad, the San
Luis Central makes a great business, they average 80 loads a week
out, consisting of Grain and Potatoes.. and bring in about 200 cars
a year of fertilizer. |
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I will return to Monte Vista and
the San Luis Central to bring you more Picture's of this Amazing
little railroad. I
would like to thank J.D. Gray the Superintendent for his help in
getting these picture's to you... Have a great one everybody and
we'll see you again soon.. C. J. Llamas |
