Three Foot Thursday

In January 2011, I started a weekly thread on TrainOrders.com called "Three Foot Thursday" to share

some of our better photographs and videos and to encourage others to do the same. There is often

a lack of narrow gauge content on TO and this seemed like a fun way to generate some interest.

This also gives me the opportunity and excuse to re-edit some favorite photos and videos.

 

This collection will grow over time and be comprised of the best media that

Michele and I have amassed in our explorations of "Narrow Gauge Country."

C18 #315 entering Chama Yard from the east on July 9, 2008. Photo was taken from the

Gramps Oil Rack.
Posted on Jan 13, 2011

C18 #315 and RGS Motor 5 in Chama Yard on July 7, 2008.

RGS 5 Motorman Larry Spencer and 315 Conductor John Parker are discussing the day's activities

 in this staged shot.

Posted on Jan 13, 2011

October 18, 2009 - Chama Yard - Coal Tipple and Water Tank as viewed from the Engine House.

Posted on Jan 20, 2011

Baldwin K36 #488 on a break-in run just east of Chama, bound for Lobato. Note that she is missing her spark arrester. May 24, 2009

Posted on Jan 20, 2011

K36's 489, 488, & 487 storm past Cresco Siding with a 27 car freight on the way to Cumbres Pass.

October 24, 2009
Posted on Jan 27, 2011

Looking west towards Durango in Chama Yard. Taken from inside DRGW Caboose 0579 on

October 23, 2009.
Posted on Jan 27, 2011

Chama Yard. July 9, 2008
Posted on Jan 27, 2011

Silver Plume Yard, C&S #9 backs into the Engine House for the night.
Photo from October 2009

Posted on Feb 3, 2011

Silver Plume Yard, south of

the Depot, heading west.

Photo from October 2009

Posted on Feb 3, 2011

 Heading west over the Devils Gate

High Bridge above Georgetown.

Photo from October 2009

Posted on Feb 3, 2011

Stock Extra 315 West - Near

MP 289 on the Cumbres & Toltec.

Photo from July 7, 2008

Posted on Feb 10, 2011

Stock Extra 315 West at Lava Tank on the Cumbres & Toltec.

Photo from July 7, 2008

Posted on Feb 10, 2011

EBT #15 rounding the

north leg of the Rockhill Wye.

Photo from September 2009

Posted on Feb 17, 2011

Mt. Union Yard, looking north.

I believe this is the spur that l

eads to the Engine House.

Photo from September 2009

Posted on Feb 17, 2011

Looking north in Mt. Union Yard.

Photo from September 2009

Posted on Feb 17, 2011

Eureka & Palisades #4 on the Durango & Silverton during RailFest - August 23, 1010

Posted on Feb 24, 2011

Baldwin C18 #315 heading west towards Chama at the "2nd Crossing" of Highway 17,

 east of Dalton and west of Cresco.

Photo from July 2009

Posted on March 3, 2011

#315 between Cresco and the "2nd Crossing" of Highway 17.. *Note that you can see the Cumbres Section House just above the pipe gondola.

It's 6-7 miles away!

Photo from July 2009

Posted on March 3, 2011

Extra 315 North at

Needleton Siding - MP484.

August 23, 2010

Posted on March 10, 2011

 

 

 

Extra 473 North at Needleton Siding - MP484. This could almost pass for the legendary San Juan!

August 23, 2010

Posted on March 10, 2011

 

Here are a few video clips of Baldwin (1895) C18 #315 pulling a stock extra westbound on the Cumbres & Toltec in July 2008. This is shortly after her return to service thanks to the heroic efforts of the Durango Railroad Historical Society.
This is Part I of what will probably be 3 parts. I'll post the other parts on future Thursdays.

Posted on March 17, 2011

Looking towards the Cumbres Pass

Section House as our triple header

takes on water... one at a time.
Photo from October 24, 2009

Posted on March 24, 2011

Passing the Section House at Cumbres Pass. Looking over the Conductor's Desk.

Photo from October 24, 2009

Posted on March 24, 2011

Heading west at the south east corner of Los Pinos Valley. Note the smoke coming from the stack on the Caboose. It was pretty chilly this day and the coal fired stove was a welcomed source of heat.

Photo from October 24, 2009

Posted on March 24, 2011

This is DRGW #487 starting up a 19 car freight in Chama Yard. The temperature that morning was 25 degrees,

so there's copious amounts of steam and smoke!! Long-time C&T Engineer Jeff Stebbins has the throttle.

The date was October 24, 2009, the morning of Chama Steam VIII.
Posted on March 31, 2011

Here are a few photos of C&T #19 (AKA "The Pineapple") in Antonito on a cold October afternoon in 2009.

Posted on April 7, 2011

Brakeman Mark Smelser guards the rear as the train takes on water at Needleton Tank, MP484.4 on the former Silverton Branch of the old Denver & Rio Grande Western.

(August 23, 2010)

Posted on April 14, 2011

 Senior D&S Engineer Bill Colley waters the Eureka & Palisades #4 at Needleton Tank. Taken at the same time as Photo 1.

(August 23, 2010)

Posted on April 14, 2011

Conductor Alan Loomis releases the brakes on the water car for Rotary OY so it can be moved to the north end of Chama Yard for a night photo shoot. (August 31, 2010)

Posted on April 14, 2011

Heading up the grade, railroad

east, at Tunnel Gulch Tank.

Elevation 10,850 ft.

Photo from August 26, 2010

 Posted on April 21, 2011

The restored track at Sherrod Loop. Elevation 10,925 ft.

Photo from August 26, 2010

 Posted on April 21, 2011

Nearing the Palisades, still

heading up to Alpine Tunnel.

Photo from August 26, 2010

 Posted on April 21, 2011

 

The restored Depot & Western

Union office at Alpine Pass.

Photo from August 26, 2010

 Posted on April 21, 2011

Looking east towards the tunnel

from the Alpine Pass Depot.

Photo from August 26, 2010

 Posted on April 21, 2011

Looking west towards the yard,

Engine House, and Depot.

Photo from August 26, 2010

 Posted on April 21, 2011

Looking east towards the tunnel

from the turntable pit.

Photo from August 26, 2010

 Posted on April 21, 2011

Yours truly at the buried west

 portal of Alpine Pass.

Elevation 11,500 ft.

Photo from August 26, 2010

 Posted on April 21, 2011

Heading back down, railroad west, towards the Palisades.

Photo from August 26, 2010

 Posted on April 21, 2011

Here are a few more video clips of Baldwin (1895) C18 #315 pulling a stock extra westbound on the

Cumbres & Toltec in July 2008. This is shortly after her return to service thanks to the heroic efforts of the

Durango Railroad Historical Society.
This is Part II of III. I'll post the final segment on a future Thursday.

Posted on April 28, 2011

Lava Tank on the Cumbres & Toltec. July 2007

Posted on May 5, 2011

Silver Plume Tank on the Georgetown Loop. October 2006

Posted on May 5, 2011

Tres Piedras Tank on the abandoned Santa Fe Branch (AKA "The Chili Line") of the D&RGW. October 2009

Posted on May 5, 2011

Orbisonia Water Plug and

Sand House on the East Broad Top.

September 2009

Posted on May 5, 2011

Cresco Tank on the Cumbres & Toltec. October 2009

Posted on May 5, 2011

Los Pinos Tank on the Cumbres & Toltec. October 2009

Posted on May 5, 2011

Looking west from Antonito, CO

Posted on May 12, 2011

Looking west towards the Section House at Cumbres Pass

Posted on May 12, 2011

Looking north into the wye at Cumbres Pass

Posted on May 12, 2011

These were taken on October 21, 2009, a few days after the last regular run of the season. In a few more days Chama Steam VIII would run between Chama and Osier, but most of the snow was gone by then.

I was impressed with the loneliness of the high country in the winter. Driving from Antonito to Chama I didn't see any other vehicles or people. Cumbres Pass was cold, quiet, and very isolated.

Train 462 and Hot Shot 1

at Elk Park Siding

(Oct 2006) - (Full Story HERE)

Posted on May 19, 2011

Looking south (railroad east) from Elk Park Siding

(Oct 2006)

Posted on May 19, 2011

Taking water from a boxcar

pulled by Hot Shot 1

(Oct 2006)

Posted on May 19, 2011

Damage to the running board and piston assembly cover on the Engineer's side that

 was sustained in the collision with the rock slide above Needleton Tank.

(Oct 2006)

Posted on May 19, 2011

Navajo Tank, just west of Dulce, NM

(August 2010)

Posted on May 26, 2011

Gato / Pagosa Junction Tank. The tank collapsed about 5 years ago. Gato was renamed Pagosa Junction when the Rio Grande, Pagosa, & Northern railroad built a 30 mile logging branch from there to Pagosa Springs in 1899. When the branch was removed in 1936 the name reverted back to Gato.
(August 2010)

Posted on May 26, 2011

Arboles Tank, just east of Arboles, NM on the Navajo Reservoir. This tank was built from the tender of DRGW #1603, a standard gauge 3-cylinder 4-8-2.

(August 2010)

Posted on May 26, 2011

 

 

 

Lava Loop - Cumbres & Toltec

(May 23, 2009)

Posted on June 2, 2011

 

Lobato Trestle (October 2009)

Posted on June 9, 2011

Lobato Trestle (July 2008)

Posted on June 9, 2011

East Broad Top Round House (Sep 2009)

Posted on June 16, 2011

East Broad Top Orbisonia Yard (Sep 2009)

Posted on June 16, 2011

 

Cumbres Pass to Chama in 2 Minutes... without wings (July 2008)

Posted on June 23, 2011

Chama to Cumbres Pass in 2 Minutes (July 2008)

Posted on June 30, 2011

Trout Lake Tank on the Rio Grande Southern

August 2010

Posted on July 7, 2011

Sargent Tank on the D&RGW 3rd Division

August 2010

Posted on July 7, 2011

Chama Yard on the COLD morning of Chama Steam VIII - October 24, 2009

Posted on July 21, 2011

 

 

487 starts a ~23 car train by herself putting on quite a show in the process.

Posted on July 21, 2011

"From the Caboose"

Heading east near Dalton, NM

Posted on July 28, 2011

"From the Caboose"

Cresco Tank

Posted on July 28, 2011

"From the Caboose"

Rio de Los Pinos Trestle

Posted on July 28, 2011

Steel through-truss bridge near the ghost town of Juanita, CO about 40 miles west of Chama, NM. MP 386

 

Posted on August 4, 2011

Multi-span steel through-truss & deck plate bridge east of Pagosa Junction (Gato). MP 387.6

 

Posted on August 4, 2011

Steel through-truss bridge just west of Pagosa Junction yard. This bridge, unlike the others, still has three foot rails on it. MP 390.4

Posted on August 4, 2011

Chase Day on the East Broad Top (September 6, 2009)

This made "Video of the Day" on the TrainOrders.com main page. Woo Hoo!!

Posted on August 11, 2011

Unidentified Boxcar "Left Behind"

near Monero Canyon

Posted on September 1, 2011

Stock Cars 5792 & 5794

"Left Behind" in Dulce, NM

Posted on September 1, 2011

Gondola 1536 "Left Behind" in

Pagosa Jct / Gato Yard

Posted on September 1, 2011

Unknown Boxcar "Left Behind" north of Arboles

Posted on September 1, 2011

Drop-bottom Gondolas 725 & 836 "Left Behind"

near the water tank in Arboles, NM

Posted on September 1, 2011

Chama Yard - Sep 17, 2011

Posted on September 29, 2011

Chama Yard - Sep 17, 2011

Posted on September 29, 2011

Osier, CO - Sep 22, 2011
Posted on September 29, 2011

Extra 487 West is in the hole at Los Pinos Siding while Train 215 approaches from the south on it's westward assault of Cumbres Pass.
Posted on November 10, 2011

Looking between two Gons

somewhere east of Cumbres.

Posted on November 10, 2011

Durango Roundhouse - September 24, 2011

Posted on December 8, 2011

Extra 485 East at Dalton.

September 21, 2011

Caboose 0503 brings up the rear of Extra 485 East at Coxo.

September 21, 2011

Posted on December 29, 2011

Extra 485 West at Cumbres Loop (Tanglefoot Curve).

September 21, 2011

Staging for a night shoot

at Cumbres Pass.

September 21, 2011

Posted on January 5, 2012

The crew grabs some chow at the Cumbres Section House.

September 21, 2011

Posted on January 5, 2012

Looking west at the

Cumbres Pass standpipe.

September 21, 2011
Posted on January 5, 2012

 

 

 

Staging for a night shoot

at Cumbres Pass.

September 21, 2011

Posted on January 5, 2012

 

485 Goin' up the Hill - September 21, 2011

Posted on January 26, 2012