10/10/16 Early movement in yard

[Sharon Evans]

They are repositioning locomotives at the house early today. The 487 moved from east to west side opening up the 463.

10.10.16 Early morning repositioning.jpg (106.06 KiB) Viewed 3543 times

[Sharon Evans]

Morning preparations for today's train 216: So after the earlier moves, 487 is today's locomotive anyway.

10.10.16 487 comes to the pit to begin prep.jpg (123.06 KiB) Viewed 3538 times

10.10.16 487 is now at the tank taking water.jpg (121.08 KiB) Viewed 3534 times

10.10.16 487 is backing toward the coal dock lead.jpg (114.01 KiB) Viewed 3530 times

10.10.16 487 pulls forward toward the coal dock.jpg (127.77 KiB) Viewed 3530 times

10.10.16 463 has come out to the pit.jpg (115.98 KiB) Viewed 3530 times

10.10.16 487 takes on coal for today's run.jpg (104.44 KiB) Viewed 3530 times

10.10.16 Hostlers done, the 487 awaits its road crew.jpg (121.19 KiB) Viewed 3530 times

10.10.16 487 has now coupled onto train 216.jpg (78.93 KiB) Viewed 3526 times

10.10.16 463 has gone down to the tank for water.jpg (123.38 KiB) Viewed 3526 times

There is not going to be a double header today, so what is with 463 getting ready?

10.10.16 463 now is backing down the main.jpg (109.56 KiB) Viewed 3521 times

[Sharon Evans]

Departure of train 216: 487 and 8 cars Also the prep of 463 for something

10.10.16 Train 216 is now in loading position.jpg (87.63 KiB) Viewed 3526 times

10.10.16 463 pulls ahead to the coal dock.jpg (117.72 KiB) Viewed 3517 times

10.10.16 463 gets its bunker topped off.jpg (115.54 KiB) Viewed 3517 times

Is it just me, or do these gentleman in bibs not look like regular C&TS employees? Wonder how much it would cost to charter your own train to get an experience as locomotive crew?

10.10.16 463 is getting oiled around by a road crew.jpg (107.45 KiB) Viewed 3515 times

10.10.16 463 is having something under the engineers side worked on.jpg (110.48 KiB) Viewed 3511 times

Well looks like at the last minute they decided they needed 4 coaches today. That is adaptability on the grand scale to meet the needs of your customers.

10.10.16 487 has gone to south yard for an extra coach today.jpg (127.88 KiB) Viewed 3507 times

10.10.16 215 gets the hi ball from the conductor.jpg (96.71 KiB) Viewed 3499 times

10.10.16 487 puts out a nice smoke plume as it gets the train moving.jpg (121.96 KiB) Viewed 3499 times

As the train passes the tipple the engineer blows for the running brake test.

10.10.16 The train is clearing Chama with New Mexico on the markers.jpg (114 KiB) Viewed 3499 times

[Ian Kelly]

I believe it is a special chartered by previous graduates of the fireman/engineers school.

[Sharon Evans]

The regular or advanced schools or both?

[Sharon Evans]

Departure of 463 and the special. If Ian is correct, this is one way to get added experience and exposure to steam operations.

10.10.16 463 has coupled onto its train.jpg (94.6 KiB) Viewed 3497 times

10.10.16 463 pulls its consist forward.jpg (95.68 KiB) Viewed 3493 times

10.10.16 The consist for the special includes a coach.jpg (93.23 KiB) Viewed 3493 times

10.10.16 The special pulls out of the yard.jpg (97.15 KiB) Viewed 3493 times

10.10.16 Then stops just past the depot.jpg (100.17 KiB) Viewed 3493 times

10.10.16 The special gets underway.jpg (121.98 KiB) Viewed 3489 times

10.10.16 Some participants are in the open gon.jpg (112.77 KiB) Viewed 3489 times

10.10.16 As the special leaves Chama, 484 takes water.jpg (111.08 KiB) Viewed 3489 times

[Ian Kelly]

I believe all the participants on the special have done the fireman and engineers schools as well as the advanced class. So they have already spent $10,000 apiece. Not sure how much the special is costing them - depends on how many days they've booked.

[Sharon Evans]

These classes are not for the average working bloke! That $10,000 is an at least. One gentleman who has posted here has done the basic class 3 or 4 times and the advanced twice and plans to be back next year for another advanced. Cost also depends on how many are doing it, though I bet they have limited it so they all can have a good experience.

[Jason Rose]

I'm saving my pennies and waiting for the day I can take those classes.

[Pete Dahlberg]

These classes are not for the average working bloke! That $10,000 is an at least. One gentleman who has posted here has done the basic class 3 or 4 times and the advanced twice and plans to be back next year for another advanced. Cost also depends on how many are doing it, though I bet they have limited it so they all can have a good experience.

A minor correction, you will pay the posted price for each class if you only request one seat. If you want more time in the cab then you can buy another seat (if available) at the posted price. The Fireman's school is limited to six seats for each session as is the Engineer's school (total of 12 students per session). The Advanced class is limited to 6 total students. Using the current school rates, a charter would run about $7500 per day.

[Pete Dahlberg]

I'm saving my pennies and waiting for the day I can take those classes.

In my Fireman school we had a father / son team. You've got about 18 years to save up.

[Jason Rose]

I'm saving my pennies and waiting for the day I can take those classes.

In my Fireman school we had a father / son team. You've got about 18 years to save up.

Now that's a cool idea, Pete. Would make a helluva cool graduation present (assuming he's into the railroad thing). Then, he goes off to college and Daddy goes to work for the C&T.

But, it's only 16 years... or about 5,900 days.

[Sharon Evans]

These classes are not for the average working bloke! That $10,000 is an at least. One gentleman who has posted here has done the basic class 3 or 4 times and the advanced twice and plans to be back next year for another advanced. Cost also depends on how many are doing it, though I bet they have limited it so they all can have a good experience.

A minor correction, you will pay the posted price for each class if you only request one seat. If you want more time in the cab then you can buy another seat (if available) at the posted price. The Fireman's school is limited to six seats for each session as is the Engineer's school (total of 12 students per session). The Advanced class is limited to 6 total students. Using the current school rates, a charter would run about $7500 per day.

Pete, my comment about cost was referring to today's charter not the school trains which have the fixed cost per place. There was a comment made on here of a person buying all 6 seats for one session so he had the throttle the entire week. The other way to get extra time is if they don't sell all 6 seats which happened on one session this year.

[Pete Dahlberg]

I'm saving my pennies and waiting for the day I can take those classes.

In my Fireman school we had a father / son team. You've got about 18 years to save up.

Now that's a cool idea, Pete. Would make a helluva cool graduation present (assuming he's into the railroad thing). Then, he goes off to college and Daddy goes to work for the C&T.

But, it's only 16 years... or about 5,900 days.

In our class the son was in his early 20s. What I found interesting was that at the start of the class the son really didn't care to be there, but at the end of the class the son was the first to sign up for Engineer school.

[Sharon Evans]

Arrival of train 215: 489 and standard 7 cars

10.10.16 489 brings a standard 7 car 215 into Chama.jpg (108.42 KiB) Viewed 3425 times

The open gon seems almost full this afternoon.

10.10.16 Colorado is by the tipple.jpg (135.38 KiB) Viewed 3425 times

10.10.16 489 has stopped shorter than normal.jpg (103.08 KiB) Viewed 3425 times

[Sharon Evans]

Return of the charter freight:

10.10.16 A deer checks out the food supply as the headlight of 463 comes into sight.jpg (78.75 KiB) Viewed 3392 times

10.10.16 463 brings the charter into Chama.jpg (81.34 KiB) Viewed 3392 times

They picked up the 4 stock cars that had been left at Cumbres.

10.10.16 463 comes by the passenger cars.jpg (64.56 KiB) Viewed 3392 times

[Larry Sullivan]

Here's today's video --

Train 216, only an 8 car train today so no double-header. Have to wonder if we may have seen the last one of the year, as loads tend to drop off during the final couple weeks of the season.



As noted above this is a special charter that students from the prior schools have setup. Looks like a great time!!!



Train 215 Arrival back in Chama



A deer crosses the tracks just before 463 rounds the bend bringing back the student charter