Passing Jukes' Tree. D&RGW #463 hauls a special move of MOW equipment eastbound past the lone pine known as "Jukes' Tree." The move seen here was made to reposition equipment for a Maintenance of Way Photo Charter organized by the Friends of the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad. The key piece in this morning's train is Derrick OP, a sort of narrow gauge wrecking crane that was fashioned by the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad back in 1911 out of a high-side gondola. Although she is steam-powered, Derrick OP does not have her own boiler and must rely on a steam feed from the locomotive used to move her into position for operation.
The infamous "Jukes' Tree" is named for noted railroad photographer Mark "Fred" Jukes, whose early 20th century photos of D&RG Cumbres Turns from this location are legendary. The tree was missing a lot of branches in Fred's photos and looks much the worse for wear over 100 years later. I have a couple of coffee table books in my living room containing images shot by Mr. Jukes, and there is even one very cool image taken by someone else, depicting Fred with his camera shooting a 3-engine freight at this location. When he was a very old man in the 1960s, I wonder if he could have ever envisioned that steam-powered trains would still be passing "his" tree, more than 100 years after he took the photos that made him famous.
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.
