What’s in a car? - On the Cumbres and Toltec

I am picking-up some long Facebook entries and re-posting them here.  They will be in context and be much easier to find and reference in this format.
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In the most recent post I talked a bit about what a historical landmark is, or is not. In that instance I was talking about a structure, a trestle, or a physical place which most of us think of when we talk about “landmarks.” But, landmarks don’t have to be fixed in one place even though they must be in one place. The definition of “place”, in the context of historical landmarks, becomes important.
Historic Districts are pretty familiar places to folks from towns that are a bit older. They are areas in which homes, or buildings, of a certain age or style have a notable presence or importance. In this context the Cumbres and Toltec is a historic place, one that happens to be 64 miles long. That place has a fixed physical infrastructure consisting of railroad road beds, trestles, buildings and it has movable equipment freight cars and maintenance of way (“MOW”) equipment. This moveable equipment is every bit a historic landmark when, and only when, it is within the confines of the area designated as a historic landmark. Outside that designated landmark such moveable equipment may have historic interest but would not be a designated historic landmark.

You will notice in the description of moveable equipment there is no mention of passenger cars. There are Denver and Rio Grande passenger cars that are historic landmarks however, none at on the Cumbres and Toltec, yet. Those passenger cars, built in the 1880’s were all marshalled in Durango prior to the removal of the rails connecting Durango to Chama in 1971. When the track was removed the passenger cars remained in Durango to service the Silverton Extension which was then operated as a tourist attraction by the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad. In the early 1980’s the D&RGW sold that profitable enterprise to a private party which continues operation to this day as a tourist railroad operated as a private for-profit corporation which is also a National Historic Landmark.

Prior to this final break-up of the D&RG narrow gauge system the freight equipment was marshalled in Alamosa and Chama. The Cumbres and Toltec, which is owned by the States of Colorado and New Mexico, are operated in the public interest as a historic preservation site. The core demands of the two owners are very different and likewise the administrative and preservation practices are significantly different.

One railroad has an abundance of passenger cars and a dearth of freight and MOW equipment while the Cumbres and Toltec have an abundance of freight/MOW equipment and a dearth of passenger equipment. Both are in the business of transporting passengers but only one seemingly has the equipment to do so.

So, how does the Cumbres and Toltec transport passengers? In the early years just after the States acquired the railroad the then operating company remodeled a series of box cars to open the sides and install seating. These cars served for a number of years and can still be seen in the Chama yard. Regularly one or two will be part of a long freight consist operated for rail fans but, regularly scheduled passenger trains now use passenger cars purpose built for that purpose. The Cumbres and Toltec passenger cars are not historic landmarks as they are fully copies that mimic the landmark cars in Durango.

Cinco Animas

The first Picture is the Cinco Animas, historic, built in 1887 and still in service out of Durango. The picture next to it is a Parlor Car, not historic, is one of several which were purpose built, over a freight flat car, by the Cumbres and Toltec for use on its daily trains between Antonito and Chama. Both are painted Tuscan Red which emulates the colors of the cherished, but long gone, San Juan Express.

C&TS Parlor Car "New Mexico"

But the story isn’t quite finished. Currently two D&RG passenger cars are being restored to place into service on the Cumbres and Toltec. The restorations are handled by The Friends of the Cumbres and Toltec, the volunteer group that has the responsibility for the restoration and maintenance of the historic rolling stock and buildings on the Railroad. Both cars were found in Colorado where they were abandoned in fields and left to decay. The restoration of these two cars is painstaking, deliberate and very slow in order to “get it right.” In one instance the restoration is now in its tenth year and another two or three may

be necessary to put it on the rails. By the way, the third picture is typical of the condition prior to restoration of two cars currently being reconstructed by the Friends.

Will it be a Landmark? Yes, it is an original car with a large component of original material and it conforms exactly to the original construction. This is the same process that the C&TS has followed for restoration of locomotives as well. The #463 which now operates daily, took 13 years to complete the restoration and just last year the C&TS obtained the #178 which has been on display in a Colorado Springs municipal park for over 70 years. Will it be a historic landmark? Yes when it is rebuilt and put back into service.

The long gone San Juan Express yet may run yet again when the #178 and the passenger cars being rehabilitated are joined for a second life on the Cumbres and Toltec.