Steam & Excursion > A Hobo ride on a Cumbres Turn out of Chama.

This begins the story in the middle of my adventure as my brother and I left Durango the morning of June 22, 1962 after the crew of Extra East 487 and 497 doubled on their train and headed for Chama.  First photo is at US 550 where one of the rare automatic crossing flashers existed on the narrow gauge.  The roads were a challenge but I got the following two photos as we paced the train into the Southern Ute Reservation, with lot of waiting.  We had a long drive to return home so we cut off and went through PS and back to Dulce and Lumberton.  I explored some logging grades and knew there would be action at Chama the next day so we did not see the train enter Chama.

Chama Saturday morning June 23, 1962 seemed like a bee hive of engine movements as two trains were making moves to depart.  Extra West was called for 8:30 AM with #488 Engineer Shock, and Fireman Neff, plus engine #494 Engineer Holt and Fireman Cooper.   We were interested in Extra East called at 9:30 AM with #497 Engineer Lira and Fireman A. Shawcroft plus #487 as the Engineer Faucette, Fireman Weirick as helper on the Cumbres Turn. 
An amazing thing happened as we were standing around the crew just as they had their air and were ready to leave eastbound.  The conductor walked up to me and asked “are you going up with us?”   I immediately answered “would that be allowed?”  Conductor replied “I can’t give you permission”.  I replied I will be in the 4th head gondola as my brother okayed that he would follow with the car.  The Conductor said nothing as I climbed up the side ladder and settled in for a 14 mile of 4% maximums grade being a Hobo. [Serious model builder must note that there is a block of wood step on the inside wall of those gondolas.]

I took 70 Kodachrome slides and will present 21 here to try to display what the trip was like while this was a working narrow gauge railroad.  Sadly, I left the 1A filter on my camera lens which increased contrast but above Lobato, the air is so thin that shadows are nearly black and the filter just made it worst. Both engines deadheaded back to Chama for a second Cumbres Turn and then ended their day in Alamosa.  We had to depart for the 2000 mile trip home which safely happened Sunday night.  The 1949 station wagon rolled off 85 MPH on Kansas Tkp. with no trouble.  A wonderful adventure.
 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/23/20 14:40 by PlyWoody.

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Entering Lobato

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 More to follow

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 More to follow 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/23/20 14:27 by PlyWoody.

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 Top photo show my brother with tan Woody taking a photo with another fan parked ahead of him.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/23/20 14:58 by PlyWoody.

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 South of Coxo

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 Three more to the Cumbres

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 That is a Cumbres turn and they do it again in a few hours and leave for Alamosa.
Last photo near Allison day before ride.  Extra 487 & 497 East



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/23/20 14:52 by PlyWoody.

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That's just outstanding.  Thank you for posting these!  What a blast from the past.  Glad you were in the right place.

Jim

Holy cow that's cool!!  You lucky dog!  Thanks for sharing.

Excellent stuff, such a different contrast from today. Saw ir in 1957 and the road wasn't quite that good but looked 
much the same.

Out 

One of the best series ever to come down the track at TO!

What a great post !
Just AMAZING !!!

An historic treasure. First-class photos.
Bob

TERRIFIC STUFF! Please keep them coming and thanks for sharing!!!

WOW!!  Just Wow.  Don't you ever complain about your luck, young man.  Amazing series.

AA

Stanford White
Carmel Valley, CA

As one who has been there in the 50's and 60's I really enjoyed your images. I recognized every location.  Any movies???
Greg Scholl

What a wonderful series! Thanks!
Bill in Ft Worth

I'd bet $5 he'd do it again in a heart beat !.

Thanks for sharing.  I first saw it in 1950, never get enough.

Ed