Well this looks familiar - at least, now after a recent charter. Similar, yet so different. Great shot, John!
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The caption adds so much more to an already stellar and fascinating photo!
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Great stuff per usual.
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Thanks for sharing the history of the history with us, John!
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Yawn, another charter...Ooops no this is real! Just kidding! Nice shot John, but you know I'm a big fan. When's the book coming out? Hint Hint...:-)
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It is almost unfathomable to me that someone was still running an all-steam freight line in the US when I was in elementary school. The place was more of a time-warp then than it is even today. Other than a few sections of shed which are no longer there, Cumbres has changed little in a half century. Tell me again why we need a 300-seat amphitheater here. Very cool shot, John! Thanks so much for posting. So.....what else have you been hiding from us?
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| Posted by Sport! on December 1, 2011 | |
What is the deal with that "snow-shed"? I would expect that in mountain/canyon pass but not in this particular area (looks sort of flat). Help?
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Let me answer Sport's question, and add a bit to an already too long caption.
The snowshed is at the top of 10,000 foot Cumbres pass. During many winters it gets ten to 20 foot snow drifts. The snowshed covers one leg and the tail of the wye so that snow clearing equipment like rotaries and engines could BACK through that leg (since the plows would be on the trailing end).
Adding to the caption, what makes my picture for me is the big smile on George's face. Here is a guy who is number one on the Alamosa trainman's seniority list. He could hold any job in the district that he wanted. Most of the senior guys at Alamosa worked the standard gauge where they didn't have to deal with the cranky old narrow gauge equipment, long hours over slow track, damn steam engines, and so on. But interestingly George apparently must have liked the narrow gauge and its old fashioned ways. I'm sure George never would have thought of himself as a railfan, but...........
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Unbelievable image...what a time warp. The caption information is very much appreciated John. I always love to know "the story behind the scenery" Thanks again!
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