Cumbres & Toltec


JazzDad

JazzDad

Gandy Dancer
The moderators may not feel this is the place to post this, but this topic has so few threads that I thought, hey, why not?
 
OK, if you are in the area you need to go here. If you aren’t in the area, go here. I’m talking about the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Train. I can’t guarantee you’ll get the same experience, but I think you will like this ride.

We were there last week, and it wasn’t very busy considering school is still out. (Maybe it was the economy, but let’s not think of that for a while.)

We arrived in Chama, NM early enough to get some pix. . I asked if it was alright to wonder around the yard. Not only was it allowed, they encouraged us to go and discover. Just stay out of the shops. Fair enough!
 
Leaving Chama is all uphill until Cumbres Pass, elevation 10,015 feet; I think they said a 4% ruling grade. We could look ahead at the track in front of us and the gradient was easily perceived.

Then the rain started to fall. It wasn’t heavy, but enough to make the rails slick. The locomotive’s drivers slipped, and the train stalled. We backed down to a less steep segment of track and waited for the steam pressure to build again. For a while it was like 2 steps forward, 1 step back. There were some awful jerks as the slack would come out of the train. The engineer tried to keep it smooth, but I can only imagine how hard it was to release the brakes, throttle up, apply the sand, only to find the drivers slipping again. The sound of the rapid rush of the cylinders echoed off the next mountain on the other side of the river. The draft gear throughout the train got a workout that day.
 
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We finally crested the track’s summit, and it was on to Osier where lunch was being held for us. We were 45 minutes late, and we all attacked the food as if we’d been on the road for days. It gave us some taste of what early railroading must have been like. The rest of the trip was uneventful, but still displayed great scenery as we snaked around the terrain.

The speeders follow the train to put out any fires they might start.
 
When we made it to Antonito the bus was in a hurry to get us back to Chama, so I had time only to snap of few quick pix. It was a long day, but well worth the time and money.

Sorry that some of the photos are out of chronological order.
 
Great pics, JazzDad. I've ridden the Durango and Silverton but never had the chance to make it down the the C&T. Some interesting shots of the remnants of the old three rail trackage still in the yard. It must have been quite a busy place back in the uranium mining boom of the 50's.
 
The in-laws (who were also on this ride) have ridden other steam trains. They said this was the best, by far. I wonder why it is not as well known. The route we traveled was 64 miles, I believe, and winds back and forth over the New Mexico-Colorado state line.

The C&T gave me a whole bunch of ideas for the On30 layout I am now planning. I had originally thought of hand laying my track, because the ties on HO scale track were much too short. Looking at this rolling stock sitting on the rails makes me think the manufactured HO track & turnouts won't really be that bad. This will save a lot of time!
 
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I'll however-many that! JazzDad, thanks for the the pics and info, almost felt like I had been there. Like the others, I have only ridden the Durango & Silverton. Another to visit if the "Chama" tripped your trigger.

Thanks for sharing!

Johnny
 
its a great ride, was there just the week after you jazzdad. i took 2GB worth of photos on my digital camera. between listening to the engine work and the spectacular scenery i wish i could ride this more than the once ill ever get to ride!
 
The problem with the C&T is it's WAY off the beaten track compared to the Durango and Silverton. It's also a long and sometimes pretty boring ride unless you're a real railfan. The Durango and Silverton has done a better job of attracting the casual tourist.
 
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