|
Click On Any Photo To See Large Version
Use Your Back Button To Return |
|
 |
Your looking at the "Spike
Guy" made by the "Lazy Ass Forge Shop". The Spike Guy is holding the
first addition of the Cumbres & Toltec Shops Collector card. I gave
up on business cards to pass the name of the website around, I think
these are more eye-catching and appealing.
They are going fast as I pass
these around everywhere I go to help with the railroad publicity.
Once these are gone, I will order another one with different info
and a different picture... if you would like one, send a
self-addressed stamp envelope and one dollar and I will send you
one... I will use the money to buy the next card... or if you just
happen to bump into me, ask me for one!!!
Carlos Llamas, P.O. Box 323, Antonito,
Colorado, 81120.... and thanks
to
www.KustomKards.com
for making these for me!!! |
|
 |
Now we have a small
collection for this week from my Buddy David Ketchum. This is the
Yankee Girl Mine Head House near the top of Red Mountain Pass. |
|
 |
You are onboard the roof of a Antonito based
passenger coach. Since 99.9 percent of the required and extra
maintenance is done on the coaches and they are ready to roll for
the season, the Antonito guys are taking the time to work on a new
way to replace the roofs. |
|
 |
You can see how the plywood is cut to make the
curve's on the roof, The roof consists of two layers of plywood,
then a roofing material, canvas and then more of the roofing
material with tin flashing. Since our last repair, the roofing
material we used to use has been deemed illegal, so we are working on
a new tar substance. |
|
 |
All the plywood is being removed for new material,
Ronnie has just removed a old piece and will drop it to the floor. |
|
 |
The roof is actually pretty high and the guys are
working pretty high up. Now here something you find interesting, do
you see that scaffolding in front of the passenger car... well, that
was made by the Antonito Crews in the Antonito Shop, we needed
scaffolding, so rather than buy it.... we made it ourselves
according to the Antonito Shops needs and wants... pretty neat,
Huh!!! |
|
 |
I am on Diesel 19 and just left the West Antonito
Yard limits. I am taking one carload of ties out to the track crew,
we will dump downhill from milepost 283 until we run out of ties..
Now why do we dump ties down hill????
It is easier to just let the car and locomotive roll down hill and
use the brakes on the Diesel 19 than to try to keep the slack
stretched out on a uphill climb. Why???? |
|
 |
Well, the track crews actually have to the ride the
flatcar in motion to throw the ties where they need them, that means
as a Engineer I have to give them the smoothest ride possible at
about a half-a-mile an hour speed. Riding the brakes downhill allows
the slack to stay in against the locomotive and allows me to travel
at a really slow speed and give the track crew a smooth ride. |
|
Click here for short video |
Would you like to see my view from the cab of
Diesel 19 as I am hauling ties up the line... well here you go!!! |
|
 |
Diesel 19 poses with a carload of ties. |
|
 |
Now a closer look at the ties, these are ties that
have been cut from the used ones the railroad purchased. You can see
the fresh wood on the cut ends. |
|
 |
We have arrived at milepost 283, earlier I was given
instructions by the track crew not to proceed any further west than
milepost 283... After arriving at milepost 283 I stopped and waited
for the track crew to meet me... The key to safe railroading is
trust... the track crew knows they can trust me to follow their
instructions to the letter! |
|
 |
We have completed our task, Diesel 19 and I will
return to Antonito and begin the process of cutting more ties and
the track crew will begin the installation of the ties I just took
to them. They have all climb onboard the Motor car and are on their
way. |
|
Click Here For Short Video |
Rolling down the track, I am headed to Lava Tank with
2 loads of Ties.. |
|
 |
Motor-car 104 arrives in Antonito via Trailer pulled
behind the Track Crews truck. |
|
 |
Motor car 104 had a mechanical problem and it has
been brought to the Antonito Shop for repair. The guys in the
Antonito shop will make the repairs needed to put 104 back into
service. |
|
 |
The track crew is on the way out of town, Joseph
actually came back to Antonito for supply's and loaded about 300 tie
plates for the new ties being installed. |
|
 |
The Antonito Based Fire Patrol motor car is pulling
extra duty before the season starts. |
|
 |
Making the curve just past Milepost 288 and nearing
the State Line, I am on Diesel 19 running ties to Lava Tank, once
there we will begin dumping ties downhill back to Ferguson Trestle. |
|
 |
Diesel 19 pauses at Lava Tank, while the guys remove
the tie down straps and chains on the loaded ties. |
|
 |
The guys are on the flat cars.. |
|
 |
On longer trips we strap or chain down the ties... |
|
 |
Now we are a mile or so from Lava Tank and the guys
are removing chains from the next bundle of ties. |
|
 |
Diesel 19 poses just below the Loop at Lava Tank. |
|
 |
And, here is a shot of Ouray
from the turnout above the town on Red Mountain Pass. This is a
great shot, thanks David. |
|
 |
Now what is this, the
ribcage of some fire-breathing dragon... you bet it is. Welcome to
Alburquerque, New Mexico and the Home of Santa Fe 2926. |
|
 |
The 2926 was one of the last batch of
Steam Locomotives purchased by the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe
Railway. Delivered by Baldwin in 1944, it ranks as one of the
largest 4-8-4's ever built. |
|
 |
A look at the syphon's in the firebox
of 2926. This is so beautiful, it looks like the inside of some
cathedral. A mechanical sculpture of form and function. |
|
 |
The base of the Firebox... now when
fully loaded with 24,500 gallons of water and 7,000 gallons of fuel
oil, the 2926 weighed in at over one million pounds. |
|
 |
The cab of 2926, Nearly 121 feet
long, with 80 inch drivers and operating with a boiler pressure of
300 pounds. Easily the pinnacle of steam locomotive design on the
Santa Fe, 2926 was capable of a high speed well above 110 mph. |
|
 |
Now I tell you, this is a Beautiful
locomotive and in the next update I will share more photo's with
you, but, the volunteers here are doing a great job on 2926, I must
say to ride the Engineer's seat of this locomotive at 60 to 70 miles
would be just about Heaven... just like the Country song about
whiskey, "if they don't have Steam Locomotives in Heaven, who the
heck wants to go'!!!! |
|
 |
The day I visited 2926 which was on
April the 22nd, there was a group of volunteer's working on the
locomotive, I would to thank each one of them... so here it
goes!!!!! Lawrence
Harman, Marlin Allison, Ed Strebe, Bob Scott, John Taylor, Jonathan
Spargo, Doyle Caton, President Mike Hartshorne, Al Leffler,
Treasurer Pete Adair, Secretary Steve Bradford and Ernie Robart...
Thanks guys and I will be back.... |
|
 |
And, another of David's
great shots, looking back up Red Moutain Pass from the Ouray main
Street. I like this one, I have a few more from David and I
will get those in a future update.. Thanks to my Friend!!! |
|
 |
April 21st 2006 and the SL&RG
is running a Shippers appreciation trip over La Veta Pass. They also
took the opportunity to test run the passenger cars. |
|
 |
Two of the Canadian-American
Locomotives did the honors. While the passenger train was set up the
freight train took the time to switch in the east yard. |
|
 |
Now we are in the cab of ILSX 1390
and are holding the mainline just across State Street in Alamosa
from the Passenger Extra. The freight train is bound for Antonito
and the passenger train will back down towards Monte Vista to clear
the main so the freight can head south. |
|
 |
Another view of the Passenger train
from the Cab of 1390. |
|
 |
Another view of the Passenger Extra
in Alamosa. |
|
 |
The Private Car Caritas brings up the
rear of the train. |
|
 |
With Caritas on the main and facing
west, the Passenger cars are switched back to the front of the train
behind the locomotive's. We put the passenger cars into the siding
and turned Caritas on the wye in La Veta. |
|
 |
The Passenger cars are sitting on the
siding, soon they will be moved over and coupled to the Caritas. |
|
 |
The train is now re-assembled and
facing west, in a few minutes it will be on its way back to Alamosa. |
|
 |
Locomotives 453 and 459 do the
honors. |
|
 |
Another view of the train parked in
La Veta, this is far west of the Depot in La Veta. |
|
 |
With a wave, the Caritas and the Rio
Grande and San Luis passenger cars are on their way to Alamosa. |
|
 |
The Passenger train comes across the
Rio Grande River bridge in east Alamosa. |
|
 |
Thought you might like these shots. |
|
 |
The passenger cars come across the
bridge.... |
|
 |
And the Caritas brings up the rear of
the train. |
|
 |
Well there it goes, in about a
quarter mile it will be next to the depot in Alamosa.
I hope you enjoy these visits to the
SL&RG, I should be able to show you picture's of opening weekend and
the very first passenger trains out of Alamosa. |
|
 |
A shot from the Friends and
Lovers Balloon Rally in Alburquerque... I will have another update
coming up soon.. Thanks, Carlos |
