Barreling west toward Cumbres Pass. D&RGW Locomotive 315 charges upgrade, passing Los Pinos Tank on the westbound run to Cumbres Pass. Los Pinos Tank is operational and often used by smaller locomotives, particularly on photo charters like the one seen here. I expected that a water stop here would produce a plethora of tanking shots with fall foliage in the background, but it was not to be this day. The 315 crew surprised me by barreling right past the tank at track speed, never breaking stride on her run to the top of the pass.
The Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad and the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad are all that remains of the legendary Denver & Rio Grande Western narrow gauge system. Here you'll find some of my favorites from these two beautiful railways.