Western Railroad Discussion > Semaphores at Chapelle and Blanchard (New Mexico)

There have been some great reports on semaphores here on TO:

http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?4,3745739 (Drone video at Watrous)

http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?1,3800968 (Mad chase and rare approach indication)

Keywords "raton semaphores" will yield many other fascinating reports.

After the trip to Durango to ride the Photographer's Special, I gave myself plenty of time couple of days later to roam BNSF's Glorieta Sub before catching my flight at Albuquerque. I didn't know the territory well enough to do a mad chase, so I stuck with the semaphores at Chapelle and the intermediates between there and Blanchard, and patiently waited for both Amtrak #3 and #4 to show up.

First couple of sequences in the video show the westbound intermediate at Blanchard go to approach, then stop as the eastbound Amtrak #3 is approaching. The blade on the eastbound stays up to give Amtrak #3 the green, then slowly goes to red as the train passes. The Patrick Henry PVs were a nice surprise. Thanks to the hogger for highballing the foamer!

In the next clip, the eastbound intermediate "turns off" with the blade up, and the westbound goes to approach. I shot the same intermediates from the other side, facing railroad west.

I went to the east end of Chapelle next, to catch Amtrak #4. I'm facing railroad west here. I rushed to the other side, faced railroad east, and caught both the main and siding signals go from stop to approach to end the video.

- Intermediates between Chapelle and Blanchard.
- Closer look at the eastbound signal.
- Video as described above.

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- All the semaphores at the west end of Chapelle.
- East end of Chapelle through the weeds.
- The bulbs weren't lit, so I had to find some lighting.

That's all folks.

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Awseome photos,, many many thanks for getting these histoirc gems and treasures
on video and photos for the historic record.
 ----- Daniel



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/03/15 19:29 by daniel3197.

Charlie ---
Wow..... That is a GREAT video of a very rare
scene.  Semaphores -- ion the 21st century!
Thanks so much for taking tbhose nice photos
and that great video.  That past photo is
expecially beautiful.  And most of thsoe semaphores
even had finials!

What a treat it was to watch you video and view
your photos.  THANK you!!

Great videos, Charles!

James Nelson
Thornton, CO
www.flickr.com/mojaveflyer

Thanks for showing these pics.   I'm such a fan of semaphores, I have one of my own from the NP in Idaho.   Glad to see some of them with their proper finials.

hawkinsun, Vay, Idaho

Thanks for the great video. I wish we would have been outside on the platform to wave.  We saw you numerous times and you did a marvelous job on posting. Thanks for sharing.   Patrick Henry.

Your video of the SW Chief rolling past semaphores absolutely made my day !  THANKS !

NIIIIIIICE....!!

Outstanding in you field, HoHoHo. Thank you from a Santa Fe fan in Topeka, Ks ( the home of the AT&SF) wag216

Thank you for sharing!!! :)