Looks like some of those steamers are used as parts sources for other locomotives to keep 'em running. Great shots, Darren!! And your missus is quite the photographer herself.
http://www.cumbrestoltec.org/rs.php?num=OM Aug 1, 2004. Photo: Curt Bianchi. Number: OM Type: Rotary Snow Plow Class: Leslie Category: MOW Last Inventoried: Aug 1, 2004 (Chama) How Acquired: Purchased from D&RGW, 1970. Rotary snowplow OM was the first of four narrow gauge rotaries purchased by the Rio Grande. Rotary OM, delivered as no. 1 but later renumbered, was completed by the Cooke Locomotive & Machine Works in February 1889. It was stationed in Chama from the 1920s on, and the Rio Grande last used it in late January 1957 during one of the most memorable snow fighting operations on Cumbres Pass. OM was used on the C&TS three times in the 1970s. The first time was January 12, 1974, after it was returned to service with only minor repairs. Pushed by locomotive 487, it cleared the track of about three feet of snow for a distance of about two miles north from Chama. On the first and second of February, another "winter special" was run, this time to Lobato. Two weeks later OM was used to clear the tracks to Cresco, nine miles from Chama, in order to operate a train for the filming of a television commercial. Rotary OM's last operation took place in February 1976, when it was pushed by locomotives 487 and 483 as far as Lobato. 1988 Work Session A. New coat of chromium gray paint. No lettering. The tender left unpainted. [Dispatch 1-3] 1990 Work Session B. FOCTS volunteers prepared to replace the roof, which had deteriorated so badly that volunteer Roger Silverson remarked that "the roof existed in name only." Work was done so that the roof beams could be replaced the following year. This included loosening and removing bolts on the beams, loosening nuts on the vertical tie rods into the roof beams, and removing bolt sets used to fasten interior purlins. Temporary tarpaper was also installed on the roof to shield the interior and halt further deterioration of the roof and the interior. In addition, volunteers recording the location of the lettering on OM for future reference. [Dispatch 3-4] 1998 FOCTS volunteers painted, lettered, and completed cosmetic restoration. [Dispatch 11-3] 2002 Work Session C. Lettered by FOCTS volunteers. [Dispatch 15-3] 2003 Volunteers retouched the paint. [Dispatch 16-3] [ March 23, 2006, 11:42 PM: Message edited by: Stourbridge Lion ]
http://www.cumbrestoltec.org/rs.php?num=OY Aug 1, 2004. Photo: Curt Bianchi. Number: OY Type: Rotary Snow Plow Class: ALCO Category: MOW Last Inventoried: Aug 1, 2004 (Chama) How Acquired: Purchased from D&RGW, 1970. Description: Painted by FOCTS in 2001. 1995 After being used to clear the line of snow in May 1995, rotary OY wound up with a broken cylinder head and broken axle. [Dispatch 8-3] Winter 1995-1996 Rotary OY suffered a major mechanical failure during the 1995 pre-season snow clearing operation. The shaft that connects the crank flywheel disk to the pinion gear on the left side off the plow sheared off (this would be somewhat the same effect if you broke an axle on a locomotive). With nothing to hold the piston back, the piston hit the front cylinder head, breaking it and bending the main rod and the valve gear eccentric rod. When the crosshead went forward with the piston, the crosshead struck the rear cylinder head, breaking the back cylinder head. Along with all this, the left rear valve head and guide yoke broke. The rear cylinder head and valve head were repairable, but the front head required replacing. A new casting had to be made. The remainder of the power shafts were magnafluxed for cracks, and the same shaft on the right side was diagnosed with internal cracks, so it was also replaced. [Dispatch 9-1] In addition, OY and the tender were resided, and both were painted gray. The cost of the OY repairs was estimated to be $32,000. [Dispatch 9-2] 2001 Painted and lettered by FOCTS volunteers. [Dispatch 14-3, 14-4] 2002 Work Session C. Lettered by FOCTS volunteers. [Dispatch 15-3] 2003 Volunteers retouched the paint. [Dispatch 16-3] [ March 23, 2006, 11:44 PM: Message edited by: Stourbridge Lion ]
