Friends of the Cumbres & Toltec - FriendsOfCumbresToltec.org

Predawn darkness with 489 smoke drifting over yard. A big day ahead!
Many more "tracks" than usual at the depot too.

6:10 AM the plume is getting stronger.

#489 puts in an appearance and calls at the ash-pit ...

.

On the move down the main.

Loading coal at the access road just south of the Friend's woodshop. Looked like they spent some time seeing if they could get the lead switch to work and then gave up.

Coaling with the loader ...

.

Christmas card picture ...

.

Clear, Cold, & Quiet while crew huddles by 489 an hour before first departure.

Stopped on the third trip out for water.

I got this capture of it pulling away ...

.

Santa brings his train back as more folk wait eagerly ...

.

is it me or is 489 running out of coal

Looking at the Cumbres CDoT cam pointed toward 4th crossing, the snow pack looks good up there this early in the season.

I gather from the snow on the cars roof plus the lack of steam from under the cars, that the cars are not heated! Considering how cold it is there, those cars must be a tad chilly.Anybody know if they have some other way of heating them?

You are correct, no heat in those cars.

Jonathan Cordova wrote:is it me or is 489 running out of coal

could be as the switch to the coal track was froze shut so she was loaded by the loader by the roundhouse earlier

Tom C.

Tom Casper wrote:

Jonathan Cordova wrote:is it me or is 489 running out of coal

could be as the switch to the coal track was froze shut so she was loaded by the loader by the roundhouse earlier

Tom C.

She was given 3 or 4 scoops as it sat on the main before backing onto the train. It looked to me like it still had about half a bunker load when it finished.

Thanks Sharon for the extra scoops!

Tom C.