Steam & Excursion > When A Helper Engine's Work Is Done She Get's To Enjoy The View!

One of the best photographers to capture steam across the Country in the 1950's was John Krause.  A native of New York State Krause made his way all over the U.S. from coast to coast to capture steam at it's finest.  He had a particular love for the Colorado Narrow gauge lines.

In may 1955 Krause was high up on Cumbres Pass to watch the action on the D&RGW.  Here he has captured helper engine K-37 #496 as she pauses to watch the train she has just helped over the pass proceed downgrade to Antonito and on to Alamosa.  From the length of the eastbound narrow gauge train we can sure see why it needed a helper engine.

As the helper crew enjoys the view they get ready to head back to Chama to start the process all over for the next train that needs help climbing over Cumbres Pass.

Martin



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 11/29/15 04:16 by LoggerHogger.

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You think the 496 has enough coal?

Great picture!

What you are looking at on that long train is this:   Cumbres turns would be made from Chama to Cumbres and the cars would be set out.  The engines would go back to Chama and another Cumbres turn would bring more.  Many times 3 turns would be made.  All the cars, not to exceed 70 would be tied together and then go to Alamosa.  The spare engine could go back to Chama or go on by itself to Alamosa depending on the need for engines.  Sometimes the eastward trains would pick up more cars in Antonito swelling the consist .

BUT, the engine is facing the wrong way.  It is a good photo to compare track conditions.  By the 60s, most of the track appeared to have more dirt than ballast.  Today the track looks picture-perfect with ballast.

Ed



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/29/15 08:09 by Auburn_Ed.

Throughout D&RGW history, the railroad was dirt ballast with some gravel thrown in at a few places.  A typical operational scenerio at Cumbres when the last turn made it to the top was, the helper (ahead of the caboose) was cut out at the east leg of the wye.  The helper would back the caboose clear of the wye on the main, then turn, coming back on the caboose from the rear, and couple back to the train they just brought up.  Meanwhile, the road engine would cut off from the train an go over to the siding (next to 496) and pick up the rest of the train and drag it out on to the main toward the Loop (aka Tanglefoot Curve).  As the cut the road engine pulled outs was too heavy to shove back up the 1.42% grade to make the joint on the cut they just brought up the hill, the helper would ease the the the last cut down to the rest of the train, cut off and head for Chama. 

This only worked if the helper was being sent back to Chama.  If it was running light to Alamosa, the drill was quite different. 

Auburn_Ed Wrote:
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> BUT, the engine is facing the wrong way.  It
> is a good photo to compare track conditions.  By
> the 60s, most of the track appeared to have more
> dirt than ballast.  Today the track looks
> picture-perfect with ballast.
>
> Ed

#496 is on the main. The siding in the foreground is now out of service with the switches removed.
Indeed many freight shortlines would love to have the new ties and ballast that the Cumbres has. While the old track conditions may have been okay for freight, the rocking and rolling and bumping of the line made it rough for early tourists - one of the nicknames was the Crumbling and Tottering.

Agree but, it was fun to ride rocking back and forth.  However, drinking your favorite toddy is better with the smooth track now.

The Grande did a quite good job of maintaining the RR as a "dirt track" railroad.  When the San Juan was running, they regularly ran 20-25 mph around 15-20 degree curves.  The portion between Osier and Sublette, through the Toltec Gorge (13 miles) was carded at 45 minutes.  I had to hustle to get over the road in our carded time of 60 minuets.  They accomplished this with lots of manpower.  There were are least 4 section gangs between Antonito and Chama. It was only in the recent years the the track began to suffer.  Another issue concerning ride quality is the fact that all the current passenger equipment rides on freight trucks.  The springs have been changed to give a better ride, but they will always be freight trucks.