Photo 18
With 1744 turned on the wye and back on the train, the crew is preparing it for the return trip. Water is coming via firehose from a hydrant several hundred feet off, and Steve Butler is wandering around with that orange 5 gallon bucket, topping off the journal boxes and other bearings with lube oil.
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Photo 19
I'm pretty sure she's full, guys. The man in the bowler hat is Earl Knoob, 1744's engineer for that day. I believe the other gentleman is Charlie Shawcroft. (I understand they're now watering on the wye tail, not in front of the depot as they did on the first day.)
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Photo 20
A pile of angle bars sitting around La Veta, near the west wye switch. There's still some light rail down here - love that 115 to 85 pound connector!
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Photo 21
Leaving La Veta for the return run to Alamosa. The time is about 1430h.
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Photo 22
Charging back up the 3% grade to the summit at a crossing about three miles west of town.
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Photo 23
Nearly two hours after leaving La Veta, the train finally appears around a curve between Sierra and Russell
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Photo 24
This is from a hillside near Russell, taken from the opposite side of the tracks as photo #13 but in the same general area.
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Photo 25
And headed on west towards Fort Garland...
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Photo 26
Once again, looking down at 1744 as it winds along Sangre de Cristo Creek, just east of Mortimer (between Russell and Fort Garland, as seen from US Hwy 160)
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Photo 27
The next look at 1744 is as it pops out from behind the Conoco oil facility at Fort Garland.
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Photo 28
Despite being 80 in the valley, the Sangres still have snow on them in the background.
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Photo 29
Heading east through the agricultural area just west of Fort Garland
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Photo 30
And finally, back at the Alamosa depot right around 1800h.
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Photo 31
1744's crew poses in front of the engine after a successful first revenue trip. From left to right, Earl Knoob, Steve Butler, and Charlie Shawcroft.
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Photo 32
One of the new features this year is a dedicated parlor-class car with an observation end. It was constructed out of SLRG 1, a car recently purchased from the Indiana Rail Road. The vestubule has been opened up and new railings installed, as well as a glass wall between the seating area and the platform.
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Photo 33
Just kind of an artsy shot of 1744 sitting at the Alamosa station, showing off its new Rio Grande-inspired logo on that enormous tender.
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Photo 34
After unloading the passengers from both 1744's La Veta train and 8577's Antonito train, both went off to wye at the east end of town. Here's 1744 reversing into the Alamosa yard, with 8577 following shortly behind.
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This work is copyright 2007 by Nathan D. Holmes
(maverick@drgw.net), but licensed under a
Creative Commons License. This allows and encourages others to copy, modify, use, and distribute my work for non-commercial purposes (only), without the hassle of asking me for explicit permission or fear of copyright violation.
I encourage others to consider CC or other Open Content-style licensing of their original works.
