Nostalgia & History > Thirty Thursday, on Soldier Summit, with a caboose

A chilly day in early 1985 finds me following a westbound Utah Ry coal train over Soldier Summit when, much to my surprise, a DRGW ballast train shows up going the other way.  Its one of those grab shots that you forget about for a decade or two.  But hey. its a pair of dirty thirties for Thirty Thursday.

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Thumbs up!  And a D&RGW steel caboose with windows not plated over in 1985?  Bonus!

Cheers, Jim Fitch

Great pics of a great railroad at a GREATER time!  I love those cabooses with all windows not yet plated over, either cars in D&RG black, amber, or silver.  Looking at the ladder grabs and grabs atop the caboose brings visions of brakemen possibly having to climb over  the top of the cupola in earlier years.  It would have been all hands tightly grabbing!  

I notice the difference here and the design of Rock Island cabooses of this type.  Those of the RI had, in addition to the grabs on top the cupola, a narrow foot walkway along the sides of the cupola allowing for not having to crawl over the cupola.  Both designs no doubt were governed by the FRA, but today a definate NO NO.  

Ain't nothin' wrong with that!

Jason Rose
Spring, TX
Rio Grande Explorations

Wonderful look back at the Grande and just can't beat a photo that shows a caboose.
Brian Stevens

Sweet !...One of my fav. roads...Steve