Hammerin' up to Windy Point. A Rio Grande Freight slowly claws its way up the last few hundred yards toward the prominent rock formation known as Windy Point, which overlooks Cumbres Pass. Locomotives on this stretch of track are working pretty hard. Anyone within a couple of miles can hear the stack-talk echoing across the valley below. It sounds cliche, but the rythym of the Walschaerts Valve Gear on the K-36s really does mimic the "I think I can, I think I can" from "The Little Engine That Could". When the trains pass Windy Point, the heavy lifting is pretty much done and the crew (especially the Fireman) are very much looking forward to the upcoming water stop at the top of the hill.
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.
