|
Click On Any Photo To See Large Version
Use Your Back Button To Return |
|
 |
This is a bit of a Holiday
Update...
Well happy holidays and all,
what a time to be grateful for friends and family.. here is my
Friend, who I am honored to know, its Bill Chapel, the Pilot of the
Smokey Bear Balloon and my Erika Toots.... |
|
 |
Well as the Christmas
Tradition goes... My Family and I help serve Christmas Dinner at the
VFW Hall in Alamosa, we have been doing this for about 5 or 6 years
now.
Santa Claus gets a Smooch from his favorite Elf..... |
|
 |
Welcome to the Albuquerque
Botanical Gardens and their Christmas Light Show. |
|
 |
Quite a few years ago, A TV
crew from Denver came and rode the railroad and that day I met one
of my most Cherished Friends... on the left is Trini Dominguez, she
is a Photo Journalist with Fox-TV and has become one of my most
amazing and trusting friends. she has become and will always be a
source of inspiration to me... I am so proud of her and all she has
done, bless you Trini, you are truly one of my Best Friends, Merry
Christmas to you and your Daughter who is in the picture with Trini... |
|
 |
Here are Durango & Silverton
Engineers Travis Wheeler and Joe Dailey. |
|
 |
I had to stop in at Garcia's
Restaurant in Albuquerque... I love the Red Chile Chicken
Enchilada's... Merry Christmas from Garcia's and Brittnee... |
|
 |
And another shot of Durango
& Silverton Engineers Travis Wheeler and Scott Shewmake, Thanks to
Joe Dailey For these Shots. Merry Christmas from Durango... |
|
 |
This was a amazing light
show, how about some Elephants. |
|
 |
Another look at the last train of the
season... a train which brought the last of the passenger cars to
Antonito for winter servicing.
Locomotive 488 turns off its headlight and backs into
the wye at Cumbres... |
|
 |
Once 488 is clear, I will roll forward and take
control of the passenger train. |
|
 |
Ronnie and Sam compare notes and soon we will be
on the way home. |
|
 |
Looking back at the Passenger train... |
|
 |
Over Cascade trestle heading east for Antonito. |
|
 |
Approaching Rock Tunnel... |
|
 |
This kind of running is kinda hard, Diesel 19 is
running in reverse... rough on the neck! |
|
 |
And into Rock Tunnel we go... |
|
 |
The train comes around the curve below Milepost
302. |
|
 |
Looking out over the San Luis Valley from the top
of Whiplash Curve right at Milepost 297. |
|
 |
We are making the Curve at Lava, directly above
the caboose is San Antonio Mountain, that is actually a dormant
Volcano and the Largest Round Mountain in the World. |
|
 |
I love the way this shot came out, this is what I
like to share, the view from the Cab. |
|
 |
40 minutes and we will be home. |
|
 |
There is a Lake in the
middle of the Botanical Gardens and the lights reflected on the water Beautifully.. |
|
 |
Now another look at the work being done this
winter in the Chama Shop. You
are now looking at a Trailing truck axle being cleaned on the lathe.
|
|
 |
The edges have to cleaned with the machine in
order to double check the accuracy of the edges and curve of the
wheel. |
|
 |
I wanted to get a few close-ups for your to see
the details in the work. |
|
 |
This wheel has already been cleaned and is done. |
|
 |
Say hello to "and they would like to wish you a
Merry Christmas" Jose R. Torrez and Michael C. Montano. |
|
 |
Now a look at a Driver axle on the quartering
machine. |
|
 |
You can see the parts our own shop crew made to
hold the axle... |
|
 |
The parts are designed to hold the axle from
moving... basically to lock it in place. |
|
 |
The Counterweight to the left, the journal or
bearing surface in the middle and the wheel to the right.... |
|
 |
Another view of the axle, that's alot of weight up
in the air there. |
|
 |
This axle will actually receive a new ..... well
it will get a new axle..... |
|
 |
Tommy and Julie look over the work being done in
Chama. |
|
 |
I think I got Steve Montano, the Shop Foreman in that
scared Deer in the headlights look!!!!! |
|
 |
Donald "Ducky" and Julie...... |
|
 |
Orlando hard at work and welding.... |
|
 |
Part of the device that allowed the guys to bore
out the Pocket for the Bissell post on 488. |
|
 |
Hey who says railroaders can't run computers, Ed
does the necessary paperwork in the shop office... |
|
 |
The Chama Depot, December snows and another day in
the history of this railroad.. |
|
 |
MW-02 in the Snow.... another beautiful machine
preserved for the future.. |
|
 |
Tender 488, blue skies and white clouds.... |
|
 |
I just really liked the way these photos came
out... |
|
 |
Cumbres & Toltec tenders sit waiting to ride the
rails again.. |
|
 |
How about a tree full of
Birds..... |
|
 |
Now a quick visit to Durango
during Railfest.
Locomotive's 486 and 472. |
|
 |
Durango & Silverton 472 sits ready
for morning service to Silverton. |
|
 |
472 backing to its train, it will
pull the presidential special to Silverton. Our friend D&S Engineer
Joe Dailey is at the throttle of 472. |
|
 |
Locomotive 472 is also wearing
special paint for the Railfest. |
|
 |
The Presidential Special leaving
Durango. |
|
 |
Locomotive 472 is in the lead with
Joe Dailey at the throttle. |
|
 |
A track patrolman stops at the
Hermosa road crossing.. this is a State Highway and he has to stop
and trip the Road Crossing gates before crossing. |
|
 |
Locomotive 472 passes thru Hermosa. |
|
 |
472 about to cross Colorado Highway
550. |
|
 |
The Train pulls into Rockwood,
Colorado. |
|
 |
Well that is all I have from Railfest,
hope you enjoyed the Photos. |
|
 |
I thought this Sea Horse was
pretty cool. |
|
 |
Welcome to Las Cruces, New
Mexico.... |
|
 |
A beautiful Southwestern style depot
in this far Southern City of New Mexico. |
|
 |
At a elevation of 3896 feet above sea
level, this depot sits in a low valley that also holds the Rio
Grande River and a great many Pecan Plantations. |
|
 |
Low to the ground and the tracks that
lead directly north... |
|
 |
I thought you might like to see this
Beautiful station so far away from our Cumbres & Toltec. The Depot
now houses a Museum and so has survived and is as beautiful as it
ever was. |
|
 |
And a Dove...... |
|
 |
Here is Santa's Favorite
Elf.. Zantia Archuleta!!!! |
|
 |
There's Mom working on Santa
Claus.... |
|
 |
Merry Christmas from Annie.... she
was another of the very many volunteers. |
|
 |
And here is a Great Sister and
Brother team... Maggie and Ben Hanson!!!! I really enjoyed Maggie,
she was a big bundle of Sunshine.. |
|
 |
I think these shots came out
pretty cool considering I had to hand hold the camera.... |
|
 |
Here is Brenda McGinnis and her
Daughter Sheena... I met Brenda and her family quite a few years
ago, I actually coached a Women's Softball Team and Brenda was one
of the star players on the team... What a Amazing Baseball Player,
She was!!! I have a shot of the whole family and will try to get
that shot on in the next update.. |
|
|
And now a Froggy, hope you
enjoyed the shots from the Botanical Gardens in Albuquerque, New
Mexico...
A very Merry Christmas from me to all of you.. I wish I could
have sent you all a personal note, but i ran out of time.. I am so
sorry.. please be safe and Best Wishes...
Carlos J. Llamas |
