|
Click On Any Photo To See Large Version
Use Your Back Button To Return |
|
 |
Ain't that the Most amazing Statue, I love
this Guy.... |
|
   |
Monday March 7th 2005...
Today after doing a complete test on its
Braking System, Car 504 was rolled out of the Shop in fresh Pullman
Green and Black.. Car 504 was switched over to the Mainline and is
ready for service. |
|
  |
Car 504 is the Last Car scheduled to be
painted in Pullman Green???
After the Switching was done, we rolled the Chama Based Open Car
into the shop, its B-side Trucks were inspected and adjusted and
work on a few needed repairs began. |
|
   |
Thursday March 10th 2005... Open
Car 9615 has been in the Shop for the week, we rebuilt both of its
Trucks and fully checked and inspected the Braking system.. We also
did some work to its A-side Draft Gear.. strengthening the supports
for the draft gear. We also added racks to hold the Fire fighting
equipment we are required to carry to get it out of the Car, the
tools will now be carried on the side of the car. Now a few of the
timbers or boards that make up the floor of the car are being
replaced, sorry to say, we can't paint it... we wanted to, but the
Bosses say not this year.. |
|
  |
Today we prepped 484 to receive its new valve's, they will come
over Monday to fit the new valve's and check the timing. We
re-installed the Cages and Valve Guides and Combination lever and
Union link. |
|
  |
We also pressure washed the Mechanical Lubricator and
re-installed it also. It was a beautiful day today in Antonito, we
actually worked outside in the warm sunshine. |
|
 |
Well the Last weekend of February was the
"Snowball Hot Air Balloon Rally" in Chama and yours truly and his
Sweety were there to have fun and crew for the Hot Air Balloon "Viento
Encantado". |
|
 |
In the Picture you can see my Sweety Erika
and the Pilot Clarke in the Basket and Fellow Hot Air Balloon Pilot
Lichelle Peete. We are done setting up the Basket, soon Clarke will
test the Burners and then we will lay the Basket on its side and set
up the Canopy. In the
Background is the "The Branding Iron Restaurant", all the Crew and
especially myself would like to Thank everybody at the Branding Iron
for the Two Pots of Hot Chocolate they brought out to us to keep us
warm.. Thanks very much to Bill Elbrock and his family, you have always been a
Great bunch of people to me and I will always cherish the bunch of
you, thanks for the Great Lunch and Hot Chocolate... we
loved it. The "Branding Iron" is another of My Favorite Spots to
eat, stop in for Lunch someday!!!!! Its Twinky Approved!!!!!!! |
|
 |
The Balloon "AJUUA DREAMER" Piloted by
Thomas E. Gardner floats in near perfect Balloon Weather Above Chama. |
|
 |
Starting from Left, there are the Balloons
"TABU TU" Piloted by Rick C. Portmore... "SUCKER HOLE" Piloted by
Murray A. Conrad... and "ITSA TOUCHIE SUBJECT" Piloted by Ralph Laho. |
|
 |
Viento Encantado lifts into the Cool Chama
air... |
|
 |
I have enjoyed crewing for this Balloon and
have met some amazing people. |
|
 |
The Balloons "TABU TU", "SUCKER HOLE", "ITSA
TOUCHIE SUBJECT" and "SUNRISE ANGEL" Piloted by William C. Dimmit
fly over Chama. |
|
 |
The Skies were Beautiful for flying
Balloons. |
|
 |
In calm wind, the Balloons drifted across
Chama. |
|
 |
It was a Beautiful Day. |
|
 |
We were able to fly Saturday, but it was
too windy on Sunday. |
|
 |
Another Balloon flies above Chama.
|
|
 |
It was a very successful day in Chama, with
close to 11 Balloons flying Saturday. |
|
 |
The Balloon "OH B.O.Y." Piloted by Mark
Allen Heideman comes close to the Wye in Chama. |
|
 |
"OH B.O.Y." and the Ballloon "BREEZE
LIGHTING" Piloted by Robert C. Lindig fly low above Chama. |
|
 |
Absolutely Beautiful.... |
|
 |
I love this Stuff, Balloons make the most
amazing and colorful Photography Subjects. |
|
 |
Well here are a few more shots of the Cylinders of 484 being
worked on in the Antonito Shop. You can see the Honing Device inside
the Valve Housing. |
|
 |
Marvin and Sam are working on the rear left valve.. Marvin is
applying the Gas to lubricate and clean the Honing device and Sam is
running it. |
|
 |
You are looking from the front as the Cylinder is worked on from
the rear. |
|
 |
This is one of the pieces of Equipment we acquired, it is a
scissor lift and works great. We had a little trouble with the
Electric door and had to go up to make repairs... well Marvin went
up, I had to take picture's. |
|
 |
It has the Ability to go up 3 stories.. |
|
 |
Well then yours truly came up with a Idea... I'm going on the
roof.. |
|
 |
I am on the roof and looking down on the Ash pit where the
Locomotives spend the night. |
|
 |
A view of the Antonito Depot. |
|
 |
Looking toward the Display Track and Tie Storage. |
|
 |
A look at Track One, Two and Three. |
|
 |
There's the Parlor Cars on the Main line. |
|
 |
There are Standard Gauge Cars and the Depot. |
|
 |
There's the Idler Car and the Passenger Cars on the Main and we
are looking North. |
|
 |
A view of the Lake of Water on the Roof and the Antonito Car
Repair Facility. |
|
 |
The Corner of the Shop above the Ash Pit Track and the Antonito
Depot. |
|
 |
The pictures were
taken in November of 2004 are of the Patagonian Express, or La
Trochita by Frank Stapleton.
It runs from
Jacobaci to Esquel in Argentina. It is 75cm gauge (29-1/2"). The
locomotives are oil fired Baldwin and Henschel. The Baldwins are
outside frame and the Henschels are inside frame. Both are vintage
1922. The railroad runs with a broad gauge (5'6") line for about 9
miles from Jacobaci then turns south for about 200+ miles to Esquel.
The railroad runs primarily from El Maiten to Esquel both of which
are located in Chubut Province as a tourist railroad. The trackage
from Jacobaci to El Maiten runs only for special tours and is
primarily in Rio Negro Province. |
|
 |
Repair shops are
located in El Maiten where there is a very large collection of
locomotives ranging from just not running to scrap. The trip was
put on by Trains Unlimited Tours.
Next year I plan to
stowaway in Franks luggage.... |
|
 |
Well last Friday 488 was being painted in the shop in Chama,
Marvin and Ronnie over from Antonito did the Job. |
|
 |
Basically everything that is black gets painted, then we will
clean up the rods and stuff later... listen to this, today we bought
the Silver coating for the Locomotive Trim and Smokebox and
stuff.... 83 dollars a Gallon, Marvin was able to get them down to
34 Dollars a Gallon or something for buying a little extra for 487
and 484. |
|
 |
The Boiler Jacket is done, that is the Air Pump Bracket.... |
|
 |
I tweaked this Picture a little to make it easier for you to see,
the Cab is on the first coat. |
|
 |
Working on the interior of the Cab......the windows are masked! |
|
 |
Working on the Backhead Jacket. |
|
 |
The right cylinders... |
|
 |
The right side of the Pilot Truck... mind you, it does look a
little rough now, but soon it will look great with its silver trim
and such... |
|
 |
A view of the front end. |
|
 |
Painting the Counterweights..... |
|
 |
Another look at the Cab. |
|
 |
Painting the Headlight, now just to let you know, we paint
everything black, then the silver trim goes over the black. |
|
 |
Another look at the Jacket and smokebox. |
|
 |
A far view of the left side.. |
|
 |
Another view of the Left side running gear, I wanted to show the
steps of the painting process, now they are putting on more plumbing
and then they will start the silver trim. |
|
 |
Well, here I am Sunday the 27th 0f
February, I spent the entire weekend in Chama for the Snowball
Balloon Rally and I very pleased and welcome to stay in one of
Chama's Beautiful Bed & Breakfast Inn's. |
|
 |
Wendy & Bonsall Johnson were the Official
Sponsors of the Balloon I crew for "Viento Encantado". So thanks to
their amazing kindness and generosity we stayed at the their "Parlor
Car Bed & Breakfast" for the weekend. And Wendy makes the Best
Cookies..... |
|
 |
The House was built in a period of time
between 1924-1928 by Chama's first banker W. O. Evans. It is built
in a Lovely Tudor Style with Bay Windows and pressed Tin Ceilings... |
|
 |
The house sits just opposite of the Main
entrance to the Railroad yards and overlooks the servicing
facilities of the Cumbres & Toltec.
Did I tell you about Wendy's Cookies!!!! |
|
 |
The Parlor car B&B sits right on Main
Street and is just a few short footsteps from the Village Bean,
yeah... a Beautiful Place to stay and my Favorite Place to get
Coffee just down the way. |
|
 |
Now if you cross the street, you have some
amazing views of the Chama Yard, |
|
 |
You could actually wake up in the Morning
to the Amazing Smells of Wendy's Breakfast and watch the Locomotives
being serviced in the morning. And Wendy has the best cookies for
Coffee. |
|
 |
More of the views from just across the
street from the Parlor Car. |
|
 |
The Coal Tower looms over the street and
railroad yard entrance in front of the Parlor Car. |
|
 |
There are three private rooms in the Parlor
Car and with private baths, there is the Frederick Henry Harvey Room
and the William Jackson Palmer room upstairs and the George Mortimer
Pullman room down on the first floor. Me and my Sweety Erika stayed
in the Pullman Room and its was so comfortable and restful and has a
Whirlpool bath big enough for two.... Next week, I will take you
inside this amazing Historic House and also introduce you to the
Owners..... sorry I would show you Wendys amazing cookies, but I ate
them all. Oh and Wendy does have a cookbook with her amazing
recipe's, visit www.parlorcar.com
for more info and I will continue to visit more Historic places
around Chama and there is a beautiful B&B in Antonito I would like
to photograph for you. |
|
|
Now let me tell you about this Guy in the
window, a fellow Crew Member and Hot Air Balloon Pilot Lichelle
Peete happened to notice this Guy in the Window and for the rest of
the Weekend he made googly eyes anytime she passed by or came out of
the House... I think he Fancied Her....
Anyway, see you next weekend.... Bye Carlos
More of the balloons in chama and I hope to
get more of 488 for you next week... |
