Steam & Excursion > Shooting the DRGW with John West

Fond memories shooting the Denver, Rio Grande and Western with John West and friends...
Hard to believe it was only last week!

Two from Pete's Cumbres and Toltec photo charter on September 22nd and 23rd, 2011.

- more to come!

First photo: Hamilton's Point featuring DRG&W #487

Second photo: DRG&W #489 subs as infamous DRG&W #485, back from the scrap yards after
falling into the turntable pit in Salida in 1955. The engine returned to 2011, alas
only for about 24 hours.

/Mitch

---

---

How about another from back in the day, err.. week.

DRG&W #487 preparing for another day on the line as if still
working on the Rio Grande - in fact, it was in fact working
just as it always has. Little has changed with the exception
of running a bit light when hauling freight cars up the line.

Cumbres shops with the "newer" 41 year old shop building in the
background. Correct me if I'm mistaken.

/Mitch

---

Shooting under the stars at Cumbres Pass...

Color and B&W

/Mitch

---

---

The 4th photo is just incredible. Get way from city lights and it is amazing the # for stars you can see in the sky.

A few more - in COLOR!

A) Climbing the pass - anyone know the location?

B) At the Cumbres wye snow shed (only the entrance
now stands, leaving the rest of the wye open.
Recall, this is DRGW #489 standing in as #485).

/Mitch

---

---

Mitch, the starry trestle photos remind me of a shoot I did on a railroad I operate at and help maintain...

Mike Massee
Tehachapi, CA
Photography, Railroading and more..



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/30/11 17:00 by Harlock.

---

The secret is this railroad is 1/4 scale! 9" gauge.

The engine in the previous post is a model of the #268 (from early in its life) and this one is a freelanced Mogul but same boiler size.

Mike Massee
Tehachapi, CA
Photography, Railroading and more..

---

Great time warp Mitch! I think you captured the 'era' quite well!

Excellent coverage as always, Mitch.
SV

The color shot with the stars is awesome. Good work as always Mitch.

Wonderful examples Mitch!

The starry night photos are almost unbelievable. They look like they were taken on another planet, not good old Earth.

Thanks,
Steve Mitchell
http://www.yardgoatimages.com

Going back to the title of the thread, John West is one of the best rail photographers I have had the pleasure to view his products, and Mitch, you are just a younger version of him. A great combination of talent.

Photos 3 and 4 are amazing!!! Thanks for sharing. I wish more photo shoots happened when I could get off work.

Photo 6 is near Cresco, CO. I think just "below" (west).

489 as 485 at the Chama chute is something of a giveaway with her non-DRGW 6-chime whistle, but that's just fine!

Thanks SO much for these WONDERFUL images. What a charter. Wish I could have made it.

John Bush
Omaha