Steam & Excursion > SLRG First of 3 Winter Photographer Trains

The SLRG is running a train almost every Saturday this winter from Alamosa to LaVeta and return, usually with their F unit (1100) and 3 cars. On Jan 26, Feb 9 and March 2 they run these with photostops. The Jan 26 trip featured a stop at Fir summit with 3 different views (train stopping to let photographers relocate) and one on the return trip near MP 194.5 just out of LaVeta.

Great way to spend a Saturday, try it if you can.

First three photos in Alamosa, getting the train ready to head east.

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Inspite of some work, and added ballast to replace the weight of a removed steam generator, the 1100 really struggles up the 3% grade. The first two photos showing it approaching Fir. The return trip slowed the 1100 even more,as the east side of LaVeta Pass is more severe. The last photo shows the crew consulting with the head end via radio to organize the runpasts at and just below the summit.

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Any photo speical over LaVeta has to feature the S curves from the top. This sequence is actually the backup move.

Not much snow at the 9000 foot + summit this year, at least compared to previous winters. Hope this does not mean a lot of fires in Colorado.

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I moved a bit to the south from the previous location to shoot the upgrade move shown in photos 1 and 2. For a few minutes the sun even tried to peek through some of the clouds. In a weird Colorado weather pattern, Alamosa was in the mid 20's while at 9000 feet the summit was at least 32 degrees.

The SLRG crew stopped the train just after the second photo to allow the photographers to move about 100 yards southward and relocate for the next sequence of photos.

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Lots of possible views from the top of Fir Summit looking over Mule Shoe Curve and the old Stock Pens.

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Around Mule Shoe and starting up the last curve before Fir.

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The photo group made one last relocation to get the train around the last curve before Fir. While some boarded at the curve, several hiked back to Fir station for a few last shots before getting back into some very warm cars.

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One from Fir Summit, then onward to LaVeta to turn the engine and give the "Daisypickers" 45 minutes to shop and look around.

Yes, the watertower at LaVeta looka a bit out of scale, you should see it when #18 is sitting next to it. The former LaVeta D&RGW station is now the vistors center and has been pushed back about 50 feet from the tracks.

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About 4 miles west of LaVeta, on the way back to Alamosa, is a curve that affords a great background view of the Spanish Peaks (Twin Peaks). By the time we arrived today the sun was well covered by clouds and the tops of both peaks slightly hidden from view, but a great location. If the sun had been out this would have been backlit this time of year. And yes, it was now starting to get cold, very cold, outside.

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The onboard staff, and of course Fred Hargove joined the return trip at Sierra to entertain with great western and railroad songs. The train arrived back in Alamosa about 45 minutes off the advertised, but everyone had a great time.

If you can make it on any of the remaining photo trains you will not be disappointed, especially with the price. Look at their website for a host of special theme trains and of course their fall 4 day photo speical.

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Very nice photos fntinplate. Can you tell us the history of the passenger cars, especially the observation car on the rear. Thanks.

Very nice photos; thanks for sharing them with us frntinplate. Can you tell us the history of the passenger cars, especially the observation car. Thanks.

I know others can give a much better history of each of the cars used on this train, and the SLRG has a host of other historic passenger cars. They tend to rotate them week to week, so next week you may get some different ones.

The flat end observation is ex IC "Calumet Club", which I know has been covered numerous times on this board. The open heavyweight car is ex Southern Rwy "Lookout Mountain", which served for many years on the SR's steam speicals. The particualr dome car on this train is in their 500 series, I think it was the 510 or 516. I believe this was one of the Ex ATSF domes that saw service in Alaska before coming down to Colorado. I will defer the dome issue to the experts. Sorry, I was not paying attention to car numbers that day.

Enjoyed the photos, Great looking train.

Really surprised though by the lack of snow on the ground, I thought they would have a bunch at that elevation.

Cheers,
Karl

If they have removed the steam generator how are they heating and lighting the coaches? There must be a generator in one of the cars for that purpose. If they put an HEP generator in the locomotive, that would compensate for the loss of the weight of the steam generator to some degree!

What is the heritage of the 1100?

jo-tower Wrote:
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> What is the heritage of the 1100?


* Built as GMO F3a #805a in December 1946
* Rebuilt into an FP10 at Paducah in the late 1970s for the MBTA
* Spent time on the Cape Cod Railroad in the mid 1990s
* Spent a short time working for the Historic St. Mary's Railway in the mid-2000s

What happened to the poling pockets that were cast on the anti-climber? All GM&O F-units had them on all 4 corners.

Great stuff!

Yes, but the SLRG sends a lot of it's special cars over the road and most of the good stuff has an on-car generator to begin with, so an HEP would just be another thing to fix. At least that is my guess.