Steam & Excursion > With All This Talk Of A Locomotive Trade Will We See This Again?

Just a few weeks ago the narrow gauge boards lit up with talk of a potential trade between the Durango & Silverton and the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic of D&RGW locomotives #478 and #483 respectively.  Such discussions are certainly interesting to follow given the new photographic opportunities they may offer for those of us interested in such things.  Or will these photos actually be that new?

Pictured here is the very first Westbound D&RGW narrow gauge freight of 1968.  The date is May 28 and D&RGW #478 and #476 have both been shopped over the winter in Alamosa.  We see them heading south near Estrella, Colorado on the dual gauge track headed for Antonito.  The both put on a fine show for the photographer in the early morning light as they rush their consist South.

Perhaps, if the locomotive trade does in fact go through, we may see #478 once again in a similar scene as she races Westbound out of Antonito on the C&TS.

Martin



Edited 5 time(s). Last edit at 07/31/15 05:33 by LoggerHogger.

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It's 483, the D&S is trading for.  They already own 486.

My good friend Eldon Morgan was running 478 that morning.  It turned out to be his last day on a 470 and it was the last time 478 and 476 were ever on Cumbres.  478 got used as a helper for a couple of runs from Gato to Durango the following weeks as well as running to Farmington.  476 went directly into passenger service to Silverton and was never used in frieght service again.  The last time 478 got east of Durango was in filming "Butch Cassidy & The Sundace Kid" in Oct, 1968. 

Sure like the smoke "layin low" over the train.  Gives the look of speed to a train that might have been doing 25 MPH or so.

Nice shot. Will we ever see triple track back to Alamosa?

Posted from iPhone

Never say never, but I'd hope for Chama to Durango trackage first. Neither of which I expect to see in my life time.

While I think 3rd rail from Antonito to Alamosa is feasible, it's kind of a boring run. But anything behind steam isn't all that boring.

Thanks for sharing the pic. Exciting times for steam in Colorado for sure.  

Mike ONeill
Parker, CO

I also noticed the engines from Georgetown Loop are for sale at Ozark Mountain Railcar, #40 & 44.
Would a couple of 2-8-0's be of interest to either operation?

Just curious, that's all...

 

Jim Montague
IRVINE, CA
Train and Nature photo Art

Not at the price being asked.

Out

mcdeo Wrote:
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> While I think 3rd rail from Antonito to Alamosa is
> feasible, it's kind of a boring run. But anything
> behind steam isn't all that boring.
>
The ride between Chama and Antonito is already a FULL day, extending it to Alamosa adds at least another hour (presuming 25 MPH operation, 90 minutes or more is more likely), making arrival and departure times in Alamosa NOT tourist-friendly.

San Luis & Rio Grande has tried running a connecting standard-gauge train from Alamosa and IIRC the response has been, well, underwhelming.

If the shops were still extant in Alamosa and available for tours, that would be different. But they're not.

NZ

Is it mandatory that a K28 have a fake diamond stack? I hope not....