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Well lets start the week off
with a Beautiful F-Scale model of Locomotive 495, ain't she a
Beauty... Thanks to William Reed for this amazing model..
Thank you William. |
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I would like once again to
thank my friends.... I am honored to be friends with these guys I
should say... They gave me a copy of one of their CD's named Round
Mountain... I have listened to this CD many times and am just blown
away by the Beauty and Joy of the Music. I highly recommend it to
all who read this, visit their website on the front page. This CD is
magical and I would like to thank them again for their friendship
and their gift of this Music... Thanks to Robby & Char Rothschild |
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Welcome to Hooters on San Mateo in
Alburquerque... This wonderful young lady helped me with the
photographs and also served us our Hot wings... |
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Well looky here, this is a beautiful
"Live Steam" model of Rio Grande 278. This picture and the Model are
courtesy of our Buddy John Kelly. |
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Thanks to John Kelly, we have these
Beautiful pictures... you know, if I were to shrink down to this
size, could I run that locomotive and would I need a Fireman???? |
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Now like if he was reading my mind,
Our Friend John Kelly shrunk himself down to G-scale and is standing
in front of his live steam 278.. that's pretty cool. |
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Now a Visit to a C&T Train that hauled
regular passenger coaches and Historic Cook Car 053 to Antonito. |
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Monday the 17th of October, Locomotive 487 and its
train has arrived in Osier, Cook Car 053 is at the rear.
We are continuing to haul passenger cars to
Antonito for Winter maintenance. Cook Car 053 is being moved to
Antonito for long term restoration in the new car shop. |
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I love this car, its a beauty. |
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I am on 487 as a Fireman and that allows a little
more freedom to take picture's for the website, looking back to the
rear of the train... Cook car 053 rolls thru Calico Cut. |
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And here is another shot as we roll car 053 thru
Phantom curve, I wonder how long it has been since 053 last rolled
thru here. |
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Looking back to the rear, 487 passes the west
switch of Toltec siding and 053 is rolling along. |
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I thought this was great picture, from the center
of the cab looking back over the coal to the blue skies and fall
colors. |
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Making the curve by Milepost 310. |
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Do you like a Cold-Icey
Micro-Brewed Cold One after chasing trains, well leave your car at
the Hotel and walk on over to Alamosa Main Streets first
Micro-brewery.
Here in Alamosa is the San Luis
Valley Brewing Company, the first of its kind to start up in the
Alamosa.
It will be located
right on Main Street and San Juan. Check down below for more
info???? |
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Continued from above......
Another view over the coal bunker. |
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And we arrive at Sublette, New Mexico. 26 miles
and we will be in Antonito, Colorado. |
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Cook Car 053 in Antonito. |
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These are Gorgeous and ride very well, I would
like to see the Post Office cars put back into service, we used to
carry a post master onboard the trains on opening days... |
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Well Car 053 will be in Antonito for
restoration... it will be the first car into the Car Repair
Facility. |
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Alburquerque Hooters Waitress Leticia
and my Jacket.... I was impressed, these young were very friendly
and fun. |
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Blowing for a road crossing, Number 6
puts on a Beautiful show for the Passengers. |
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Number 6 gets a well earned drink of
cool water. |
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Number 6 strikes a Classic Pose. |
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I love this Picture, look at the
machinery spin on Number 6, that is just Beautiful... |
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I love this, someday I am gonna see
number 6 in person... someday! |
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Now I love this shot, the Engineer is
looking down, concentrating on the machinery, the red frame of his
window stands out and gets your attention, the green grass and white
steam and black smoke rushing out of the stack, now that my friends
is just Beautiful... |
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Now I would like to thank my
"Wonderful Friend in Ohio" for these great shots, I actually have a
few more also... thank you. |
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Another wonderful young lady from
Alburquerque.... She reminds me of somebody and I can't put my
finger on it... |
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Welcome back to White Sands, I wanted
to show you a few more of my picture's from the Balloon Rally there. |
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This place is amazing, the area to
fly in was a little small though. |
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I loved the skies here, they were
gorgeous. |
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It looked like we were flying over
fresh snow. |
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It was a great rally, some balloons
flew at White Sands and some flew in Alamogordo. |
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The balloon were very peaceful,
quietly floating against very beautiful skies. |
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A balloon lifts off over "Viento
Encantado". |
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The balloons lift into a blue sky,
yet just 60 miles north of this place is Trinity Site... where the
first atom bombs were tested. |
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Its amazing the history that resides
in this beautiful place. |
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"Viento Encantado" at White Sands... |
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On Tuesday we ran a Special Light Engine
move to Chama from Antonito to take Locomotive 487 back to Chama for
winter servicing. |
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On Tuesday the 18th of October, Ronnie and I took
487 back to Chama for winter servicing.
We are stopped at Sublette and taking water, this
shot
is almost identical to the shots of 484 I had on here a few updates
back. |
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We have arrived at Cumbres on 487 running light. |
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Ronnie takes a few seconds and drains condensation
out of 487's reservoirs before heading downgrade to Chama. |
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Sometimes I just like to take a second a look at
487, she is one of my all time favorites. |
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With 487 oiled up and steamed up, we will begin
our final descent down Cumbres for 2005. |
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Yet another nice and friendly
young lady from the Hooters Restaurant.
I wanted to say thanks to these
young ladies, they were helpful in getting these shots and a few of
them have actually been on the C&T. |
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Now how about a visit to a lost
Colorado Railroad, welcome to what was known, at least I think it
was known as the Southern San Luis Valley Railroad. Located just
southwest of Blanca, Colorado on the dirt road to Smith Reservoir.
Slowly this track is being taken back
by Mother Nature. A switch which may have been part of the San Luis
Southern Railway... |
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Welcome to Blanca, Colorado and what
was once the San Luis Southern Railway and more recently the
Southern San Luis Valley Railroad. |
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Looking south, the tracks from here
continued to New San Acacio, Mesita and Jaroso Colorado. The Old
Depot is still standing in New San Acacio and I will gets some shot
it one of these days, it is now a Bed & Breakfast. |
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But again, slowly the track is being lost
to time and nature. |
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The Track still goes all over the
place, apparently this was a loading ramp of sorts. Its about 15
feet high, possibly to dump into a hopper. |
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The track comes north along the road
and turns into the yard on the east side of the county road. |
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I have seen a book on this railroad,
but have been unable to locate it again. |
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Now ain't this pretty cool, it rides
on regular freight car trucks with friction bearings. |
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The cab interior is actually quite
roomy, considering the Motor is up front under the Engineer's seat
and controls. |
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The Motor is to the left and it has a
geared wheel that runs a chain down to the trucks. It had a
Automatic and what appears to be a Number six brake stand and a
independent brake stand. |
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Just in front of the other locomotive
is this locomotive, I know I found U.S. Army on it somewhere. |
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Too bad the motor and front engine
cover were stripped off and are no where to be seen. |
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The Road Crossing signs still guard
the road. |
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Another switch stands still attached
to the points and below Mount Blanca just behind in the distance. |
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Looking east, you can see that unique
locomotive standing just where they left it on a stretch of intact
track. |
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Another view of that Army Locomotive.
I will have more views of this railroad, plus interior shots of the
locomotive's. I will also take you down the line to Rattlesnake
Trestle over Trinchera Creek. |
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You know the Hot Wings are really
good in this restaurant.... |
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The Santa Fe Southern has become a
new favorite of mine and the crews are wonderful people, I have
really come to love this Railroad...
Welcome to Santa Fe and the Santa Fe
Southern, here is a new addition to their locomotive roster... 701. |
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She's a good looking Locomotive,
would like to see her out on the line. |
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701 is actually on loan to Santa Fe
Southern, hopefully she will work out for my friends at the SFS,
they are a great bunch of Railroaders. |
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Locomotive 701 carries the
Operation Lifesaver logo, that is always a great idea to remind
people of the dangers of road crossings. |
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The back end of 701. |
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There is Locomotive 93, she kept the
railroad rolling after her sister locomotive 92 blew a main bearing. |
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Locomotive 92 in the yard at Santa
Fe, she is undergoing repairs. |
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There is one of my Favorite
Caboose's, Santa Fe Southern 562. |
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I will bring you back to Santa Fe in
a future update, have a few shots of the SFS along the line. |
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And now to say Goodbye to these
wonderful young ladies... Thanks for everything. |
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Another look at the work that took place in
October of 2005, work that resulted in new track being laid from the
Original Antonito turning loop to the new CRF in Antonito.
October 27th 2005... A Historic moment in Cumbres
& Toltec History..
New track is
almost complete into the Car Repair Facility in Antonito. |
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As of this day the track was complete into the
shop, if I am correct a slab of cement will be laid next to this
track. |
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Ray Martinez is applying upward force to the tie
as Rudy sets the spike... |
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And now.... Drumroll please!!! Joseph Cisneros
drives the last spike into the completed track.. we wanted to put a
gold spike, but all we could find was florescent red paint...
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Now with Orlando on the backhoe, and Ray and Rudy
spotting, minor alignment adjustments are made on the track. |
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A view of the Completed track into the Antonito
Car repair facility. |
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Looking west out of the Car Repair facility, we
rolled the Motorcar into the shop and we found that... I hope Bill
Kepner is reading this, you may have to trim the cement on the
interior of the rails where the Flanges of the wheels ride, its a
bit tight. |
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Here comes the Motor-car into the shop and that's
where we found the problem. When the Motor car came into the shop,
one of its flanges actually rode up onto the cement and lifted the
motor-car a little. |
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Well the first piece of railroad equipment rolls
into the shop, the guys stored their equipment here overnight. |
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This is a photo of a friend of mine
David Fenner at work (taken a few years ago) He now drive's
passenger trains for South East Train Company. In his spare time he
makes small steam engines table top size and has a G gauge in his
back garden which is in the early building stage, I was glad to meet
him this summer when both the Goose and the Private Train were
visiting Antonito and he lives 30 miles south of London, thank you
David for the great shot. |
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Let me introduce you to part-owners
Angie and Scott Graber, I would like to thank them for being so
friendly and thanks for giving me a tour of the place. |
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Welcome again to the San Luis Valley
Brewing Company, you are looking at the place while it is still
under construction. |
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The place is going to be Beautiful...
I got a glimpse at the Blueprints and its gonna be cool. |
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While you sit the Brewery, you will
be able to see all the behind the scene areas where the beer is
actually brewed... |
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At this point they were still setting
up, but the first batch of beer is on its way. |
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If you in Alamosa, stop in at the San
Luis Valley Brewing Company, its "Twinky Approved" |
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Well this is the I-25 overpass of
the Santa Fe Southern, I will have a few shots of the train passing
thru here in coming updates..
I would again like to thank everybody
for all their support and wonderful photographs, next month is
Christmas and if anybody would like join in and send me a Christmas
Greetings Photograph of themselves or with Family, send them along
and I will put them on the site for the Christmas Holiday. |
