Return to Narrow Gauge Country

Durango & Chama

May 14-19, 2018

May 17 - Durango / May 18 -  Chama

936 days, 5 hours, and 30 minutes after I left Chama in October 2015, I returned. Since my discovery of this remarkable place in 2006, this was, by FAR, my longest absence. I work on the Friends Forum, check the Friends WebCams, read railroad websites, and trade emails with other fans/locals every day, but I didn't actually set foot in the Promised Land for 2 and a half years, nearly 31 months! This was a self-imposed exile to allow time and financial resources to be focused where they should be... my young son.

This Return-to-the-Promised-Land came about because of a work trip to Farmington. I was given a next-to-impossible task which I  accomplished in two and a half days with copious amounts of help from two of the techs at that location and a senior Engineer for the product we were working on.

I'll spare you the techno-babble details. In short, this gave me a free evening to run up to Durango and catch Trains 462 and 464 coming back from Silverton. My first view of narrow gauge rails and first whiff of coal smoke in a very long time. It was GOOD to be  back! I was also able to make a pit-stop in Chama on the return trip to Spring the following day to give the web-cams some much-needed love.

The trip started at 0400 Monday morning. I arrived in Farmington about 1930. That's a long day. Tuesday, Wednesday, and most of Thursday were spent working on my project. We had a major breakthrough Thursday morning and immediately did field testing, which was successful. At this point it was Mission: Accomplished... and I was free to relax after four very long days. So, I ran back to hotel to get my cameras, then got some fuel and chow on the way out of Farmington. 90 minutes later I was in Durango.

First view of Narrow Gauge rails in nearly 31 months

These photos aren't anything special. I was just so jazzed to be back that I took photos of everything... like a first-time tourist.

The old main line to Chama, Farmington and Alamosa

With an hour to kill before the arrival of Train 462, I poked around the D&S Museum

This has grown quite a bit since my last visit.

HOORAH!

Art?

The last time I saw 478, she was pulling the Fall Photographers Special (2011)

I hope her retirement doesn't last too long...

This was a in room adjacent to the Roundhouse that is new. Not sure what it's used for.

The "back yard"

462 arriving with my first taste of coal smoke in 2 and a half years.

After 462 arrived, I went up the Animas crossing near 12th street to wait for 464.

Before 464 arrived, my buddy (Jon) that works for the D&S responded to my text messages and we agreed to meet up.

So, I caught 464 at the College Street crossing.

Here are some short video clips of D&S #1 doing some switching and the arrival of Trains 462 and 464.

This isn't anything special, but I was pretty happy to see anything running!

The following morning I got early and made  my way to Chama. I'd forgotten just how pretty that drive is between

Farmington and Dulce. It starts off a bit slow, but by the halfway point it gets REALLY interesting. I spent a good portion

of the drive video chatting with my 4 year old as he commuted to school with Momma. Not a bad way to spend the morning.

I had about an hour to kill while I waited for John Engs to arrive from over the hill with the parts I need to repair the camera.

With nothing fired up, all I could do was roam the yard. Sure was nice!

488 - 487 - 463 - 484

(left to right)

When John arrived, I got to work. A bit later Steve Forney arrived to lend a hand. It took about an hour to isolate and bypass the problem device that knocked the South Camera offline. With that done, Steve helped me install the external microphone on the Depot Camera. It only took 4 years to get this mic installed and I'm glad it's finally done.

After a mere 6 hours in Chama, I bid farewell to John and Steve and hit the road for home. Being so late in the day, it was impossible to go all the way, so it was a race to see how far I could get. Turns out Amarillo was it.

The trip there was uneventful except for a brief road-side meeting with a New Mexico Trooper would felt that 87 was too fast for a 75 MPH zone.

The next day I finished the trip home and gave my family a big hug. This was my longest trip/time away from my son since he was old enough to miss me. He hugged me for quite a while. Poor little dude missed me as much as I missed him.