Personal Projects, Photography, and Pointless Pontifications
D&S Winter Photographers’ Special 2007
For the third consecutive year, the Durango & Silverton has run a
Photographer’s Special in mid-February, allowing railfans and
non-railfan photographers the opportunity to shoot narrow gauge steam in
the snow on some of the more scenic – and remote – parts of the
Silverton Branch. The train leaves Durango in the early morning (0800h)
and immediately heads up beyond Rockwood to places accessible only by
foot or by train. For the rest of the day, it’s a regular photo
special, moving passengers between photo spots, doing run-bys, etc.
It’s a great, relatively inexpensive way to photograph places on the
D&S that would take a great deal of time and effort otherwise.
Saturday’s Regular Train – Feb 17, 2007
Since the photo special was on Sunday this year, I had most of the
day Saturday to chase the regular train. This, too, turned out to be a
unique opportunity. K-28 478 had been repainted for a private photo
charter the weekend before, and was still doing regular duty in full Rio
Grande paint when I got there. Saturday was absolutely gorgeous, with
crystal clear skies all day and reasonably temperate weather. It made
for a great chase of a K-28 in full Rio Grande lettering.
The power for Saturday’s regularly scheduled train will be… 478, still in Rio Grande paint from the previous weekend’s charter!
Right on time, 478 leads the regular train over the Animas River bridge in Durango. I really hate that ugly concrete sewer thing on the left – if it doesn’t ruin your shot, it’ll gas you to death first.
The sky on Saturday was that beautiful crystal blue we get here in Colorado this time of year. Unfortunately, when your subject is northbound, it makes for some harsh light (near Hermosa).
Coming through the Hermosa yard… I wanted to catch it under the water tower, but there were a number of hopper cars blocking the view.
Here’s 478 crossing the fill just south of the US 550 underpass.
Finally, as the train is about to go beyond my reach, we get some decent light on the front of the unit at Rockwood. From here, the regular winter train will run up to the Cascade wye, turn around, and will be back here in about 2 1/2 hours.
A little before 1430h, 478 appears through the Rockwood cut with the southbound train. As you can see, there are just a few fans set up waiting for its appearance.
Here’s a bit wider view at Rockwood, clearly showing the DRGW paint on 478.
I just barely missed catching him at the Shalona Lake crossing, so I moved on down the line and set up under the US 550 bridge.
The Silverton Branch is a line filled with S curves, but this is the last one coming down into Hermosa, just above the US 550 crossing.
Past Hermosa, the line has a long flat run across the valley floor back to Durango
Rolling along on the long straight stretch in the valley, with the famous power line in the background.
478 and train round a corner south of the Home Ranch siding.
This curve is actually in Durango, just off Bennett St. between 36th and 32nd Streets. I found it while scouting around for new shots, and figured I’d try it out. Not great, but not bad – at least it’s not one of the typical Durango angles.
And of course, a look at the train re-crossing the famous Animas bridge in Durango.
Saturday Night Shoot
Saturday night held a new event this year – a night photo class in
the roundhouse museum and shoot in the yard, led by Darel Crawford and
Dave Taylor. The night started off a little after 1830h with a short
Operation Livesaver presentation by the D&S’s own chief dispatcher
Dave Schranck, as well as a safety briefing specifically focused on
being out in the yard that night. Darel Crawford, a local photographer
from Durango, then gave a presentation about his photography on the
D&S, giving the audience both ideas and tips about shooting steam.
After that it was on to Dave Taylor, giving us the short version of
flash night photography tips, as well as the details we’d need for the
shoot just outside. The night’s desired shot was inspired by O Winston
Link’s famous photo “Shaffer’s Crossing”, where a Norfolk & Western
Y6b is posed on a turntable, and a smaller engine is visible off to the
rear left. In our case, it wouldn’t be a 2-8-8-2 Y6b, but rather Rio
Grande 478 on the table, with D&S K-36 #482 in the background. In
addition to coordinating the shoot, Dave provided a good number of large
flash units to illuminate the scene. The resulting shoot produced some
incredible images, and I can’t thank Dave and Dan enough for their
efforts, or the Durango & Silverton for letting us do this.
About 1800h, we all gathered at the D&S museum – in the roundhouse – in preparation for the night photography class and shoot. 478 would be doing the honors as the night’s subject, and as such was posed on the turntable when we got there.
I know it’s not really part of the night shoot, but I didn’t know that the home-built Railbus power car prototype was still around. However, here it is, sitting in the Durango yard, between the flanger and K-37 498.
While waiting on things to get started, I photographed a few of the things inside the museum, such as RGS 42, a Baldwin 2-8-0 that started off life as Denver & Rio Grande 420 before going to the RGS in 1916.
Behind 42, you can see K-28 476, stuffed and mounted in the museum. Only K-28s 473 and 478 still run on the D&S, though I’m told 476 could be returned to service. The presentations for the night will be held just behind 476, where the green chairs are stacked up.
Here was the shot that Dave Taylor had in mind for the evening, inspired by O. Winston Link’s famous photograph entitled “Shaffer’s Crossing”. I have to extend a huge thanks to the D&S for allowing us to do this, and to Dave Taylor and Darel Crawford for coordinating the shoot (and providing a whole lot of flash power).
I decided to present most of the night work in black and white. Somehow I think it’s just very fitting with the Rio Grande paint, and evokes images of the Durango roundhouse from decades ago, as if somehow I’d stepped back to an era I can only dream about.
A different look at 478 on the table, with one of the passenger coaches in the background and a yard light in the background.
478 in the foreground and 482 in the back, with a couple of the crew posing on the unit.
482, all washed up for Sunday’s photo special, sits simmering just outside the roundhouse.
I know what I said about black and white, but this is shot 21 in color as well. There’s just something about the color and swirling steam that made me want to include it.
With the shoot done, the crew backs 478 off the table and dumps the fire, which can be seen glowing through the haze below the cab.
I just couldn’t resist – I wanted to end this rather boring section of miscellany with one more decent night shot, this time in color.
Sunday’s Winter Photo Special – Feb 18, 2007
This year’s photo special was powered by a K-36, much like last year,
except with 482 doing the honors rather than 481. The photo plan this
year, however, was completely different than in the past. The special
went straight up to Cascade, where the train was wyed and we started the
day shooting at the Tefft Bridge, a wrought-iron truss span over the
Animas installed in 1887, located just north of the Cascade wye. From
there, it five miles of backing to our northermost point for the trip, a
wide clearing on a curve near Needle Creek.
As we were all off the train and arranging ourselves into a photo
line at MP 483, the train began backing up in preparation for the
run-by. However, after just starting to move, we all heard a loud thud
from behind us, followed by the unmistakable sound of an emergency brake
application. As it turned out, a log had rolled down the hill and in
under the lead truck of 213. The log was removed, and the train crew
continued the shove back for the run-by. As the train made its first
pass, though, I noticed a broken brake rod on the caboose’s lead truck,
likely caused by the emergency application. The crew somehow fixed it
so it was no longer dragging, and after another run-by, we all loaded up
for a trip down to a static photo shoot at MP 480.1.
MP 480.1 is next to the “Pigeon and Turret Peaks” signpost, and has a
wonderful view back behind the train of the two peaks in questions. As
an added bonus, this was one of the few shots on the line with an
appreciable amount of snow on the ground. While we were all setting up
our shots, I noticed the crew all intently checking out something on the
right side of the engine – not usually a good sign. Sure enough, there
were a couple broken leaf springs on the third driver. Speculation was
that the sudden stop may have played a part in this as well.
So, we photographed, we talked, and we watched the crew try to get a
chain around the springs to keep them contained. After quite a delay,
they finally managed to do it with a little help from the two guys in
the speeder that had been running ahead of us. While the railfan
contingent mostly found the event interesting and an added bonus, I’m
not so sure the general photographers (or the crew!) were so interested
or amused. At least it gave some of us a break between setups to visit
the concessions car and snarf down some lunch. The downside is that the
delay cost us significant amounts of time and water. As a result, the
crew decided to eliminate the second passes on the Bitter Root Mine and
another nameless run-by. At least we got to do them, but there was no
margin for screw-ups – you either got the shot on the first pass, or you
didn’t get it. That said, by the second one the skies had gone white,
and the light was poor anyway. That said, the skipped second passes
put us nearly back on schedule.
After stopping again to fill up the tender at Tank Creek, it was on
to our final run-by of the day – the famous High Line curve shot. The
crew made a couple of passes, and we even got a little sun (but not a
lot) for the shot. After all was said and done, it was back on the
train for the trip down the hill to Durango. It was a little slower
than normal across the valley, with a speed restriction on the engine
due to the broken spring, but we still arrived back at the station at a
very respectable 1730h.
For those interested in seeing what’s been done on past years, you can check out the trip reports from 2006 and 2005.
They change the run-by locations every year, so that there’s some
reason to keep coming back, and to give those repeat customers a chance
to come home with something new each time.
About 0730h, D&S K-36 482 heads out from the roundhouse to couple on to the 2007 Winter Photo Special.
As you can see, even nearing departure time, the sun is still not hitting the yards. It’s cold, but fortunately nowhere near as bad as the last two years.
Back in the yards, one of the D&S’s latest two diesels sits around. This is 11, a 98 ton switcher purchased in March 2006.
And we’re off – well, okay, so we’ve actually been on the road for quite some time, as this was taken up past Hermosa. I’ll try not to bore you with too many shots down the side of the train, but I thought this one had some wonderful light and steam.
Since we didn’t stop at Hermosa, by the time we reached Tank Creek, it was time to top off the tank so we’d have plenty of water for the day’s operations.
Upon reaching Cascade, the crew wyed the train and we started backing towards Needleton. The first run-by of the day was only a little above the Cascade wye, at the Tefft bridge.
A little different angle for the second of the two run-bys.
Once we were done at the Tefft bridge, we backed up an additional five miles to a clearing near Needle Creek.
As we were all on the ground and the train started backing up, there was an thud followed by an unmistakable emergency brake application. Turns out this log had apparently rolled down under the train while we were stopped.
Here’s the first run-by near Needle Creek.
A little different look at 482. As the train passed us, I heard the clatter of something dragging under the caboose. A closer look revealed the emergency application had broken a brake rod, so I let one of the D&S people know, and they radioed the train crew to have them check it out.
After some delay (out of sight) to address the brake issues, 482 once again appeared for the second run-by at that spot.
Stopped after passing the photo line, the conductor is ready to protect the shove back to pick us all up. After we’re all back on board, the train will head on down to a static shot near the Pigeon and Turret Peaks signpost.
Just a shot down the side of 482 at the Needle Creek run-by.
On our way down to the next shot from Needle Creek.
Here we are at the next spot, a static shot with the Needle Mountains in the background. If I’m reading the topo maps right, that’s Pigeon Peak you see in the background.
As we’re all busily photographing the engine, the crew seems to start taking an interest in the running gear on the right side of 482. Turns out that we’ve broken the leaf springs on the #3 driver, likely as a result of going into emergency back up at Needle Creek.
What, did you think we were going somewhere? If I’ve got the names right, that’s Conductor Jeff Norton letting us all know that we’d be there for a little bit.
A look at the crew, busily trying to get a chain around the spring to hold it together for the trip home.
Pretty soon, help arrives in the form of the two guys from the pilot speeder.
There it is, a broken spring indeed but now all held together with chain and a switch lock.
As soon as they’d done some testing to make sure the fix would hold, we headed down to the next run-by at the Bitter Root Mine site. To try to recover some time and get us back on schedule, we only did one run-by here. The light was starting to fail anyway, with clouds starting to fill the sky.
Back down near Tefft, we did one more run-by in a spot where there was a large outcropping of solid earth into the Animas. That gave us all a good “down the river” shot as the train approached without the cold effects of actually standing in the Animas this time of year.
After the last run-by, we really needed to head back to take on more water. So back to Tank Creek, and then on down the line towards Tacoma and the High Line.
Concluding the day’s run-bys was one more at the High Line.
Just railfans popping up everywhere! Actually I was a bit surprised. This year it seemed that there were less railfans and more general photographers than in years past.
A little different perspective on our 1887 caboose, as seen from above looking down on the High Line.
After a rather eventful day, we’re now headed back into Durango and travelling under a speed restriction due to the busted spring. I believe I heard that even across the valley, we were limited to 14 mph. Regardless, we were still back in the depot by 1730h, which was better than I was expecting.
Misc from There and Back Again
On my trip down to Durango, I went via Antonito and Chama to have a look at what was happening on the C&TS. Here’s their diesel, 19, undergoing a long-needed rebuilding. Both engines and generators are apparently away being rebuilt.
As you may have noticed, one of the trucks was missing from under 19. Here it is, over by the shops with the motor, gearbox, and axles removed.
A different view of 19’s separated truck.
19’s hoods are sitting on D&RGW standard gauge flat 010793 over next to the shops.
Also outside the shops is the frame from 489’s tender. The tender body itself is inside the shops, being rebuilt over the winter. The locomotive itself is in Chama, also being rebuilt this winter.
I love K-37s. They are, hands down, my favorite narrow gauge steamers. Too bad 494 is looking more than a little worn as it sits on static display in Antonito.
Contrary to an earlier erroneous report, the former St. Marys FP10 is still on the San Luis & Rio Grande.
They also have a pair of leased RLCX B39-8Es, 8524 and 8527.
RPCX 5067 was damaged in a fire caused by a grade crossing collision last year. As you can see, they’ve got the car all fixed up and freshly painted, ready for the 2007 season.
The only actual moving SLRG train that I found was this returning Antonito job, as seen at La Jara on Monday afternoon.
Then there’s this odd creation, sitting in the Alamosa yard. It’s a standard flat with some custom ends and a whole lot of hay or straw strapped to the top of it. I swear I remember somewhere reading about an SLRG plan to develop a custom hay car and start trying to ship the stuff out of the valley, but I can’t find it now.
All photographs in this trip report were taken with a Canon EOS 20D using either a Canon 24-105mm F4 L IS/USM or a Canon 75-300mm f4-5.6 IS/USM.
This work is copyright 2024 by Nathan D. Holmes, but all text and images are licensed and reusable under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license. Basically you’re welcome to use any of this as long as it’s not for commercial purposes, you credit me as the source, and you share any derivative works under the same license. I’d encourage others to consider similar licenses for their works.
