Golden hour switching moves. Having spent the day assisting 2 Cumbres Turns out of Chama, D&RGW Locomotive #489 now begins the task of assembling a 35-car freight that will make the trip to Antonito after dark. A fresh crew has arrived from Chama to make that night run, led by Conductor Ed Beaudette, who may be seen here in the navy jacket, protecting the rear of the locomotive as she crosses Highway 17. The crew is headed to the snow shed here on Cumbres Pass, where the first cut of cars was stashed earlier in the day. They'll pull those cars out onto the main, and then back into the station area to tie on the cars which arrived just 30 minutes ago. After charging and testing the brakes, they'll depart Cumbres under a full moon, doing something that hasn't been done in a very long time....running a big, long freight eastbound at night, through the wilderness of Colorado and New Mexico.
The Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad and the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad are all that remains of the legendary Denver & Rio Grande Western narrow gauge system. Here you'll find some of my favorites from these two beautiful railways.
