Historic Civil Engineering Landmark by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). It
has been a central part of the lives and the economy of this area since the Denver and Rio Grande
Western Railway first punched its narrow-gauge line in to link itself to the outside world in 1881.
The C&TSRR was a part of the spider web of steel rails that spread over the mountains of northern
New Mexico and southern Colorado in response to the mining boom of the late 19th century.
Running over the Continental Divide on the longest and highest narrow-gauge steam line still in
operation, the C&TSRR traverses 64 miles of some of the most breathtaking scenery to be found
anywhere in the San Juan Mountains of this border region.
The Lobato Trestle is one of two large steel trestles on the railroad, both designed by
C. Shaler Smith. It is located west of Cumbres Pass, where the C&TSRR crosses the deep gorge
of Wolf Creek and meets the Rio Chama. Although the crossing was originally made with a
rapidly constructed conventional timber trestle, the iron Lobato Trestle was fabricated in 1881 and
installed in 1883. It is 310 feet in length and 100 feet high1. The historic Lobato Trestle was damaged
by fire on June 24, 2010, and, with input from ASCE members, was reconstructed in 2011.
The Cascade Trestle crosses Cascade Creek on the north side of the canyon of the Los Piños
River. In 1880, a huge, temporary timber trestle 432 feet long and 116 feet high was built across
Cascade Creek. During 1881, the iron trestle was designed by C. Shaler Smith and parts were fabricated
at the Keystone Bridge Company of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Cascade Trestle was
not installed until 1889 because some of its intended deck girder spans were used elsewhere on
the rapidly evolving Denver & Rio Grande Railroad system1.
Date: Saturday, August 24, 2013
Departure: 10:00 a.m. from the Chama Station at
500 Terrace Avenue, Chama, NM 87520
Return: 4:05 p.m. to Chama Station
Price: $79 per adult ticket/ $39 per child
Included: Special engineering lectures at two trestle
stops and a mid-day lunch at the Osier Station with an
engineering presentation. Presenters include Vernon
Glover, Fred Rutz and Todd Riley. More information: 1-888-286-2737 or
http://www.cumbrestoltec.com/events/civ ... neer-train
Fans of superb historic engineering are invited to ride the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad
(C&TSRR) on Saturday, August 24, to celebrate the role of engineering in development of the railroad
and the West. The ride will begin in Chama, New Mexico, with special lecture stops at two
spectacular iron trestles of unusual design, the Lobato and Cascade Trestles.
1Glover, Vernon J. Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad Lobato
and Cascade Trestles Designed by Famous Engineer C. Shaler
Smith. In Southwest Railroad Heritage. No 37, April.
Background
- Lobato Trestle
- 2013 CTS AD SPECIAL.jpg (171.45 KiB) Viewed 1243 times
