Durango & Silverton and Cumbres & Toltec Narrow Gauge

Coal smoke and cinder fans on the Cubres & Toltec.

 

And then back to the motel for a shower and change of clothes.....

 

I went back and scanned a bunch of slides from my June of 1998 trip on the C&T.

 

Been a while since I posted anything in this thread. So here goes with some more Cumbres & Toltec.

 

I rode D&S in 2005, and C&TS in 2016. Both great rides, but the C&TS was the best. My ride was doubleheaded D&RGW 315 and 463.
Near Mud Tunnel:

 

Chama.

 

A K-36, C-18 and K-27 all meet at Osier:



Around Needleton on D&S in Sep 2005:

 

K-27 "Mud Hen" 463 was sold to cowboy actor and singer Gene Autry in May 1955. Autry never used the engine and donated it to the City of Antonito, Colorado. It was restored by and entered into service on the Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad in 1994.

 

Switching cars in Chama.

 

What was their reasoning for two different colors of "cattle" cars? I might guess one was used for cows, their other for sheep?

 

I really don't know. Most of the narrow gauge stock cars were usually used for sheep. They were either convertible from double level with movable middle floor to accommodate large animals or sheep when the movable floor was mid level. They were typically mineral brown. All my models of standard gauge Rio Grande stock cars are black. Maybe it only had to do with what era the cars were painted. Any other folks out there have any information?

 

Very cool article! Thanks for sharing!

 

First run of the newly restored Galloping Goose on June 3, 1998.
Departing Chama.
Stop at Osier.
The commemorative Post Mark.