12-18-16 Santa Sunday

[Larry Gibson]

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

[Larry Gibson]

6:10 AM the plume is getting stronger.

[Mike Maguire]

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

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[Larry Gibson]

On the move down the main.

[Sharon Evans]

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.

[Mike Maguire]

Coaling with the loader ...

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[Mike Maguire]

Christmas card picture ...

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[Larry Gibson]

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

[Sharon Evans]

Stopped on the third trip out for water.

12.18.16 489 is thirsty.jpg (80.82 KiB) Viewed 3650 times

12.18.16 Cistren full off they go for a ride with Santa.jpg (98.01 KiB) Viewed 3649 times

[Mike Maguire]

I got this capture of it pulling away ...

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[Mike Maguire]

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

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[Jonathan Cordova]

is it me or is 489 running out of coal

[Sharon Evans]

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

12.18.16 Cumbres Pass.jpg (87.74 KiB) Viewed 3622 times

[Pete Stagg]

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?

[Sharon Evans]

You are correct, no heat in those cars.

[Tom Casper]

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.

[Sharon Evans]

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.

[Tom Casper]

Thanks Sharon for the extra scoops!

Tom C.