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Welcome to Downtown La Veta,
Colorado. This picture is just to the left of the Depot. |
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Welcome to Alburquerque, New Mexico
and the Home of Santa Fe Locomotive 2926.
A group of dedicated Volunteers are
working on restoring this amazing locomotive. This Group is known as
the New Mexico Steam Locomotive and Railroad Historical Society. |
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Welcome to the Antonito
Yard and one of the newly painted Antonito based Cars... This is the
wheel chair accessible car and it was the first to receive the new
paint scheme. |
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Now the company bought 13,000 used railroad ties,
they are in great shape and cost 4 dollars a piece... but, they are
standard gauge. Before we can use them we have to trim one side off
to make them 6 feet, 6 inches long. The San
Luis & Rio Grande Railroad in Alamosa also purchased a bunch of ties
from this same place and have been installing them also. |
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Here is Max and Ray working on bundling up a bunch of
ties, they are being bundled in lots of 20 and then are loaded unto
the flat car for transport out to the MOW crews. |
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We normally use the Backhoe to load them, but today
we had to press the Pettibone into service. |
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Ronnie and Diesel 19 return from a trip from Antonito
to Ferguson Trestle, the track crew is working on replacing ties
from the trestle east to Antonito. |
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Once we have cut 16 bundles of ties, Diesel 19 is
called into service and moves the ties out to be used where the
track crew wants to replace them, the track crew is shooting for a
goal of 1000 replaced ties this year. |
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The ties are used but they are still pretty solid,
now to let you know these ties are coming from Rifle, Colorado and
they were pulled out of service because they were being replaced
with cement ties, so these are still in great shape and man are they
heavy... |
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Diesel 19 can only handle two car loads of ties at
one time and that is the reason for the size of train. |
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Once again the track crews are on the move, the Antonito
Based Fire Patrol motor car has been put into MOW service for the
pre-season rush. |
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Now, I am sure everybody is worried, well don't be...
the Antonito crews have all of the passenger cars ready for service,
a few may receive new paint in the new scheme and the Chama Based
Snack Car will get new wheels, but other than that everything is ready.
The guys are switching the second metal framed open car out of the
shop. We wish we could paint the open cars, but that will have to
wait. |
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Diesel 19 is will soon move the third open car into
the shop for inspection and repair. |
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Diesel 19 is a little smokey at the stacks, but she
keeps going... What a great little locomotive... after running
GP-40's and F-units this winter, 19 will feel just right!!! |
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A look at the track crew... the guys are working out
of Antonito for a while... |
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Max Pacheco and Joseph Sisneros walked the track from
Ferguson Trestle to Antonito and marked ties that need replacement. |
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You are looking at some of the Cut ties that were
made from Standard Gauge Ties... They carry a few extra and the rest
have been distributed along the right-of-way. |
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Now I am sure everybody is wondering, well here is
the info... All the passenger cars are ready to roll.. the only car
that needs some work is the Chama Based snack car.. it is waiting
for new wheels. Right now all 21 regular service passenger cars in
Antonito are ready for service, in the picture is one of the old
wooden framed open cars.. it is used on Freight Special trains and
is now in the shop going thru repair and maintenance. We wish we
could paint more cars, but that will have to wait. oh and the
Caboose in Antonito also received maintenance and repair on its
trucks and undercarriage. |
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I was lucky and honored to be invited
to tour the site and home of 2926... I talked with the group of
volunteers and witnessed the amazing work being done.
Next week, I will show you a big
collection of Photographs I took of 2926.. keep your eyes open and I
will let you know how you can help this great project. |
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On the descent on the east side of La
Veta Pass.. we are nearing the Elephant rock to the right. |
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On Saturday the 1st of April, the SL&RG
ran another passenger train to La Veta. |
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Click Here For Short Video |
Beginning to make the curve around
Muleshoe. I am riding the Walsenburg Turn as a second Conductor with
Conductor Tyson Bagwell and Engineer's Ken Reece and Larry Brown. |
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We hauled the Caritas over La Veta
Pass with invited guests. |
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Caritas has become a regular guest in
Alamosa. |
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Now here is Caritas, to the right in
the distance is Maestas Mountain and also to the right is the siding
and wye... |
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Click Here For Short Video |
Climbing out of the top of Muleshoe
curve above the connecting track on Muleshoe Curve. |
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The Ole' Rio Grande Depot in La Veta. |
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ILSX 1389 did the honors today, here
it is in La Veta with the Caritas. |
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1389 and the Caritas facing west at
the Depot in La Veta. |
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Here is the restored depot in La Veta,
it was actually moved south away from the mainline. |
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Now for a look at La Veta pass, we
are climbing up the east side of La Veta and the valley down below
is where Occidental Siding is... in the background are the Spanish
Peaks. |
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Click Here For Short Video |
Passing the Summit of Fir and I take
a look at the Fir Bunkcar on the Summit. |
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We have just passed the Rabbit
Rock... and are continuing our climb up La Veta.. I will continue to
share me photos of La Veta Pass with you.. soon anybody will be able
to buy a ticket and ride this hidden railroad.. |
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What is this??? The hollow axle of
Driver number 4 of Santa Fe locomotive 2926..
Come back for more photos of 2926,
I will give you all the info to help this great project and also all
the info you will need to contact them... Thanks for continuing to
visit the site and I hope you continue to enjoy the picture's.
See ya later... Carlos
Llamas |
