Friends of the Cumbres & Toltec - FriendsOfCumbresToltec.org

Video clips from September 2011

Special thanks to D&S Fireman and C&T Friends Member Jon Walden.

About half of this video is the crew switching out Coach 327 (The "Durango") at Rockwood after it developed a hotbox on the way up from Durango. Also included are clips of 478 with green "San Juan" coaches, a view from Ft Lewis College as Train 463 departs Durango, and Trains 461 and 463 arriving in Silverton.

Jason,
Excellent - did you chase the special back to Durango? Would like to get a better look at the consist on that one -and I see you posted footage of it as well - watching it next. Thanks for posting this - even if it took me almost three years to come across it!
John

Thanks, John. No, we didnt chase back to Durango that day. We went back early and got sme dinner before the night photo shoot in Durango Yard.

Here is the full report from that day: http://www.riograndeexplorations.net/2011-rgx-day9.html


Night shots from Durango:

I don't remember seeing this video before, it is excellent! I also enjoy your trip reports, have read through many on your site. Glad John made a comment and bumped this thread, now I have to wonder what else I haven't seen! (Good night pics as well!).

Thanks, Larry. Those reports started out as a way to share photos with family and friends, but they've morphed into a journal (of sorts) to share our adventures with our son when he's older. Bob Richardson's Narrow Gauge News served as one of my inspirations.

Jason,
As the old broadcaster used to say, now I now the "rest of the story." Great pictures from Silverton as well as the excellent facilities in Durango. Thanks so much - I am definitely getting the bug to head out to the mountains soon!
John

Excellent Jason--I had not seen this video before and now it's in my favorites folder. I was lucky to meet most of the D&S folks in this video so it was cool seeing people I know. Seems the NG is never short on excitement! Thanks.

William
aka drgwk37

Thanks, William. D&S is certainly a class act. Good people.

Coincidentally, when Ann and I were chasing the the D&S this past summer (2015) we too came across an episode like in Jason's video where one of the quality service cars had to be switched out on the wye at Rockwood. We did not have video capability, but I did get a pretty good pic of the car they had to leave behind because of an overheating journal box (we were told this by the very friendly attendant that had to stay behind with his car). It was clear many of the passengers were unhappy but the D&S folks put quite a show for the rail fans. While we were there I also got a pretty good pic of the stub switch :had never seen one (in person in use) before.
John