10/11/16 Busier morning in Chama

[Sharon Evans]

Today the advanced student charter will head to Antonito as well as the regular 216. Have no advanced knowledge if the charter will go ahead or after 216.

[Sharon Evans]

Preparations for today's train 216: 489 also for the charter freight with advanced students: 463

10.11.16 489 has come to the pit to begin the day's prep.jpg (96.85 KiB) Viewed 2237 times

489 has moved down to the tank to take water as the 463 comes out to the pit to get ready for the charter.

Just after grabbing the above, the cams went down. Hope that this is a short term outage.

10.11.16 489 is pulling into the lead to the coal dock.jpg (93.22 KiB) Viewed 2231 times

10.11.16 Coal is added to the bunker of 489 as Tracy oils around.jpg (86.34 KiB) Viewed 2231 times

10.11.16 463 has moved down to the tank as Tracy washes down the 489.jpg (95.33 KiB) Viewed 2230 times

10.11.16 489 is now waiting on the rest of the road crew to board.jpg (99.27 KiB) Viewed 2229 times

The road crew must have been waiting because there was hardly any time until...

10.11.16 489 has now coupled onto the train.jpg (77.85 KiB) Viewed 2228 times

10.11.16 463 backs down the main toward the coal dock.jpg (101.69 KiB) Viewed 2226 times

10.11.16 463 pulls toward the coal dock by the wood shop.jpg (126.05 KiB) Viewed 2226 times

As 463 gets coal added to its bunker, 484 comes out to the pit for its morning cleaning.

[Sharon Evans]

Departure of train 216: 489 and 7 cars as well as the charter with 463

10.11.16 463 is backing into south yard to pick up its train.jpg (111.46 KiB) Viewed 2225 times

10.11.16 Train 216 is in loading position as 463 waits.jpg (84.91 KiB) Viewed 2224 times

463 switched out the 4 stock cars brought back from Cumbres yesterday so will go out with the same consist of yesterday morning: gons, flat roof passenger car, rider gon and caboose.

10.11.16 489 gets train 216 underway.jpg (97.51 KiB) Viewed 2203 times

As 216 passes the tipple the engineer blows for the running brake test.

10.11.16 Colorado is by the tipple_.jpg (79.03 KiB) Viewed 2203 times

10.11.16 216 clears Chama under a cloud of coal smoke.jpg (88.29 KiB) Viewed 2203 times

10.11.16 463 gets the charter moving out of south yard.jpg (83.38 KiB) Viewed 2195 times

10.11.16 463 has the charter on the main and Antonito here we come.jpg (105.78 KiB) Viewed 2195 times

As the charter comes by the tipple we see the whole train.

10.11.16 Charter's caboose is by the tipple as the conductor looks over the train.jpg (109.05 KiB) Viewed 2195 times

[Sharon Evans]

10.11.16 The charter is leaving Chama on a 15 minute headway behind 216.jpg (103.56 KiB) Viewed 2195 times

[Larry Gibson]

X463 is out on the line.

[Larry Gibson]

Cumbres at 3:00 local time.

[Larry Sullivan]

Here's today's video -

216 Departs today behind #489 - today we have a 7 car train.



The student train charter departs shortly after 216



215 Arrives behind 487, with an 8 car consist. One car was pulled off after turning the wye, so tomorrow train should be normal 7 car train.



Finally the student train returned behind 463, 487 heads to the ash pit as the student train passes on the main.

[Sharon Evans]

Interesting, I thought the charter was going to Antonito today and return tomorrow. Change of plans or we have no clue as to the plans. They must have carried family members as passengers because that was no student riding in the open gon.

[Larry Sullivan]

We're used to the normal schedule of the student trains, I think this class being more of a private charter is on it's own agenda. I had a gut feeling with them leaving after 216 they wouldn't go all the way to Antonito, but you never know for sure!!!