Steam & Excursion > Revenue freight behind steam....

...over La Veta Pass. When Farrails Tours and Lerro Productions chartered a San Luis and Rio Grande photo special over the former DRGW La Veta pass route, the freight train behind the 18 ended up being four very heavy outbound loads of scoria. The four cars and a caboose were about all the tonnage the 18 could handle up the 2 percent grade. The first picture is early morning in the flats west of Fort Garland. In the second, as the 18 labored around the loop on the final climb to Fir, it was enveloped in its own smoke. Visible in the picture is the former connector track with its eight percent grade that was used to turn both snow equipment and 2-8-8-2 helpers. Oh....when the 18 got the loads to La Veta, it turned around and hauled them back to Alamosa! The last picture is on the westbound climb just before the sun disappeared. The 18 put on a good show for the assembled fans.

JBWX



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/09/12 19:16 by jbwest.

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Beautiful, John!

Cheers,
Jack

One of the really really nice things about the trip was a little surprise birthday party for me that Bernd hosted in the full length former ATSF dome of our chase train, on the way home. It was about as nice a way to celebrate my 73rd birthday as one can hope for. The fact I got a few pix was....well....frosting on the cake. I should also add the San Luis and Rio Grande folks were first class hosts....probably the most luxurious railfan trip I have been on. Our chase train not only was made of a former City of New Orleans round end obs, full length dome, comfortable ex-SOU heavyweight chair car, and the former SOU "Lookout Mountain" obs car, but the on board service was first class including continental breakfast, hot and cold beverages, and freshly cooked hot sandwiches on the way home. No alcohol, but that was understandable since we were on and off the train. Despite the fact that rail fans are not exactly a gentile crowd, the on board staff maintained their good humor and first class service throughout the trip.

JBWX



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 11/09/12 19:31 by jbwest.

What's that little spur in the 2nd photo? It's seen heading downhill off the main...

Really great steam shots. Looks and sounds like you had a very memorable birthday trip.

C.C.Chas.

coach Wrote:
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> What's that little spur in the 2nd photo? It's
> seen heading downhill off the main...


Read the intro and you will have your answer, coach.

Isn't the 18's boiler jacket... green?

John, you get the same message Bob got, those are terrible pictures and an awful reminder that I
should quit working!

Nice shots, second shot is awesome! Thanks for sharing.

jbwest Wrote:
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> One of the really really nice things about the
> trip was a little surprise birthday party for me
> that Bernd hosted in the full length former ATSF
> dome of our chase train, on the way home. It was
> about as nice a way to celebrate my 73rd birthday
> as one can hope for. The fact I got a few pix
> was....well....frosting on the cake. I should
> also add the San Luis and Rio Grande folks were
> first class hosts....probably the most luxurious
> railfan trip I have been on. Our chase train not
> only was made of a former City of New Orleans
> round end obs, full length dome, comfortable
> ex-SOU heavyweight chair car, and the former SOU
> "Lookout Mountain" obs car, but the on board
> service was first class including continental
> breakfast, hot and cold beverages, and freshly
> cooked hot sandwiches on the way home. No
> alcohol, but that was understandable since we were
> on and off the train. Despite the fact that rail
> fans are not exactly a gentile crowd, the on board
> staff maintained their good humor and first class
> service throughout the trip.
>
> JBWX

Happy Birthday!

They turned around and took the loads back?? How is that revenue freight? Revenue freight imply s that it was actually delivered.

Was that shot on video? I bet the sounds was sweet.

HogheadMike Wrote:
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> They turned around and took the loads back?? How
> is that revenue freight? Revenue freight imply s
> that it was actually delivered.


Steam foamers have different definitions for things than normal foamers ;)

HogheadMike Wrote:
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> They turned around and took the loads back?? How
> is that revenue freight? Revenue freight imply s
> that it was actually delivered.

Well, they were revenue loads out of Antonito headed for UP interchange at Walsenburg. Perhaps they were mishandled at La Veta. Maybe they were no bills. Charter freights are the art of illusion, so it is hard to say. An equally interesting question might be the car accounting implications of the move. The important thing for our purposes is they gave 18 a nice work out.

JBWX



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/11/12 16:48 by jbwest.

Thanks for your usual great work, John, and happy birthday. I was just out there myself, the week after your trip.

John Bush
Omaha

HogheadMike Wrote:
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> They turned around and took the loads back?? How
> is that revenue freight? Revenue freight imply s
> that it was actually delivered.

Well in 1990 I did see Crab Orchard & Egyptian pulling revenue loads behind steam near Marion Illinois. I was eastbound (compass SB) on I-24 and their steamer enveloped me in smoke as I passed over them in a truck!..........8>)

Larry Dodgion
Wilsonville, OR