Personal Projects, Photography, and Pointless Pontifications
San Luis & Rio Grande Steam Photo Special
Originally published on DRGW.Net on Jan 30, 2011, from a trip on August 26, 2010
And my other favorite shot from the trip, storming up grade with Mt. Mestas in the background at milepost 201
Last summer, between the Durango & Silverton’s Railfest and the Cumbres & Toltec’s 40th Anniversary Celebration, there were two open days with nothing to do. Thankfully, the San Luis & Rio Grande (aka the Rio Grande Scenic Railroad) came forward with an all day photo special that Thursday, 26 Aug 2010. Powered by ex-Lake Superior & Ishpeming 2-8-0 #18, the consist would be all brown heavyweight cars and the trip would be expressly a railfan photo special. The best part? $58, same as regular dome fare. For that price, who could pass it up?
Given what we got from it, the trip has more than earned the title
“bargain trip of the decade”. It was a downright beautiful day, the
passengers did pretty well with photo lines, and we managed to stay out
on the line for 14 hours, using two sets of crews to pull off 15 run-bys
on some of the least photographed parts of the former Rio Grande – the La Veta Pass line.
In addition to just being a great trip, the SLRG omitted the full-length domes from this one. While very comfortable to ride in and nice to look out of, they look darn strange in photos being pulled by a small 2-8-0 made to haul iron ore. This one, as promised, consisted of just good old fashioned heavyweight cars. The train, from front to back going east, was SLRG 18, SLRG 3378 “Calumet Club”, RPCX 1068, another unnumbered coach (possibly RPCX 5060), SLRG 1067 “Gila Valley”, and SLRG 1056 “Lookout Mountain”, the open air tail car.
Dawn clear and cool in Alamosa, producing nice atmospheric effects around 18 as they bring her up to the depot.
Just a morning glint shot in the station.
Heading out across the valley, our first runby was in the straightaway between Alamosa and Blanca at approximately. milepost 245. Unfortunately, this was the only shot I pulled off due to a focus malfunction.
The regular train hadn’t yet made it back from Walsenburg, so they doubled it over to fit in the sidings at Blanca. Either that or they’re out using the SD9043MACs to knock the weeds down.
When I think of the San Luis Valley, sunflowers aren’t the first cash crop that comes to mind, but here they are…
After picking up a few stragglers in Fort Garland, it was on up the hill to start the day’s runbys.
Our first run-by on the hill was at milepost 216, a couple miles down from Sierra, in a wide bend filled with blooming sagebrush. (Otherwise known as ugh, my allergies…)
Run-by 3, at milepost 213.9, just east of Sierra.
Another wider angle at run-by 3.
Coming around the corner into run-by 4 between Sierra and the summit at milepost 211.8.
My favorite shot of the trip, again from run-by 4. The peak just above the tree is Mount Lindsay, the one to the right is Huerfano Peak, and the one to the left is Blanca Peak.
Our fifth run-by was in the wide meadow at the lower curve of the famed S-curve just below Fir. (Did you follow that?) While everybody was trying to get organized, I grabbed this musk thistle shot.
Charging through the lower S-curve below Fir
Having completed the run-by in the lower curve, we rode to the top off the pass at Fir. Here we are approaching the western Fir yard board.
Once we were all unloaded at the top, the crew took the engine back down past the S-curve. Here they are charging the summit again. The shots 12 and 13 were inside the rear curve.
Coming up the draw formed by the headwaters of Wagon Creek into the famous Fir balloon loop.
Off and around the loop, with the old connecting track on the left and stock pens on the right. The barely-noticable flat spot on the distant hill behind the loop is the grade of the former Trinchera Estate RR, a short lived narrow gauge logging line.
And on the upper level, approaching the summit.
Just another shot from the top that I didn’t like as well, but showed off the balloon loop track arrangement better.
To support the summer events that the SLRG puts on at the top of the pass, they’ve constructed a number of structures at Fir. The first is this station building, right next to the track.
The stage built by the SLRG for the summer concerts. No idea why it sits on freight trucks.
The original Fir station (moved here from the NG route in 1899, and torched by the Grande in 1981) sat on the grey area about halfway from my position to the boarding area on the right side of the track. The boarding area sits atop the former bunkhouse site.
Now on our way down the hill, we pause at milepost 198.6, Lower Tunnel, for a run-by. This is about 1.5 miles above Occidental.
One of the most interesting oddities on the east side of La Veta is the Bald Mountain Narrow Gauge (2 foot) grade. Built in 1903, it hauled coal two miles to the La Veta line at Occidental.
Seen on the other side of Middle Creek, the line ran downhill to the left, looped over the creek, and then paralleled the Grande on our side until it joined at Occidental.
We highballed right through La Veta in an effort to get a run-by east of town on the flats. My understanding is that SLRG steam had never ventured this far east under its own power before.
Aaaaaiieeee! Foamers! Wait, I’m one of them…
Our conductor for the day, Mr. Jody Moore, protecting the shove after the run-by.
After a short stop in La Veta to wye and water up, our next run-by was up at 195.5, from a curve where you could see East Spanish Peak in the background.
Just below Lower Tunnel, we stopped to get a shot of the train coming around the big fill. At one time, this was a 320 ft wooden trestle known as Bridge 198-B.
A man who needs no introduction to Colorado steam fans – Earl Knoob – stands atop the tender as we’re loading. The fireman on the engine looks to be Steven Torrico.
A view of the east portal of Lower Tunnel, from inside (taken through the tail car door)
The west portal of Lower Tunnel is a more conventional D&RGW concrete design, similar to those used on the mainline
The line climbs to the summit from La Veta high on the southern hillsides of Middle Creek canyon.
The thing about these deep side canyons is that they lose light early. It’s only a hair after 1700h, and the shadows are already taking over at milepost 199.
And my other favorite shot from the trip, storming up grade with Mt. Mestas in the background at milepost 201
Climbing out the west portal of the Middle Tunnel in the last minutes of light here.
And arriving at Fir, which would be our last run-by of the day. This was the very last light, while the train was backing up. By the time he came forward again, the sun was gone.
With the sun having dipped below clouds near the horizon, it was time to load up, sit back, and enjoy the two hour ride back to Alamosa.
