From Dr. Strangelove to Canada and beyond, the journey's and memories of my life with G.

Wednesday, August 31, 2016

Pedro....

Before I start telling of today's events I need to pick-up a detail I missed yesterday.  While here I have heard tales of all sorts of critters inhabiting the Chama area.  The first seemed a real whopper - there are Elk in the Chama area.  A likely story I thought until I saw an Elk cow and calf standing under an Aspen tree in close proximity to Lobato Trestle about 5 miles up the track from Chama.  

When we came back this time there were signs in the RV Park, which handles a couple hundred campers.  It sets in a large cottonwood grove right next to the Rio Chama.  Anyway, these signs advised campers to remove bird feeders at night because of bears.  What a whopper, a likely story I thought until we saw one crossing the highway less than two miles up the highway from Chama.  This thing was a HUGE Black Bear, well it was big,  It came across the road and trotted off down the slope at a place called "The Narrows" where the train goes through a narrow heavily forested canyon. 

Today wasn't as exciting but we did enjoy the time together and our time in Santa Fe.  We had three objectives the first of which was to buy one object, a hat.  The second was to find Bullseye glass and the third to find some red peppers.  In the process we were not going to buy anything but lunch, the hat and the peppers.

We had a very light breakfast before leaving and arrived at noon.  After parking tie car near Governor's Square G we went to the store to purchase the hat.  Got the hat and a new T-Shirt for G - $35.  Lunch was good and cost $47, but it was good.  We crossed the square and in the process heard beautiful music, look at the video to see and hear these wonderfully gifted performers: 

Only in Santa Fe, I laughed a lot and put $5 in his guitar case.

G then suggested we look at the stores across the square.  One had all sorts of leather things, I was thrilled at the thought of looking at then it was called "Outland."  They had very nice clothing and hats.  I found a nice hat and had to have it - $99.  I felt like a social butterfly shopping for the first ball.

We went to Bullseye Glass.  It is located in the corner an old, threadbare and ratty (this a relative term but it does describe most of Santa Fe which was founded in the 1500's so what do you expect?). commercial area of small businesses.  We went in and talked with them, nothing to buy so we weren't out anything - you didn't think we go go somewhere without wasting money did you ?  Perhaps you weren't wrong, but is was only $40 so that doesn't count, does it?

We figured finding the red peppers was a certain loss so we started back to Chama.

Santa Fe is a tangle of roads lacking any coherent plan or pattern.  They evolved from over 400 years of progressive construction including not only monumental structures as the Cathedral and La Fonda but also a hodge-podge of tiny adobe homes and out buildings.  The place was not designed for cars but people on foot and donkeys would be right at home.  Through this some major streets were carefully constructed but the flow of traffic is difficult.

As we navigated through this G saw a place on one corner with red-peppers.  Too late - we missed it.  Then the challenge of how to turn around started.  This put the Garmin GPS into apoplexy.  Up one street down another.  Into an street and a dead end.  Finally back onto the main road and there it was.  A fast right turn and a u-turn and we stopped.  A fine fellow who spoke broken English helped us buy a nice string of red peppers and a small bunch of suspicious peppers all for $35.  Yes, his name really is Pedro."

We drove back to Chama happily congratulating ourselves on fulfilling our commitments while not spending more than $300.

My credit card is a mess...



Tuesday, August 30, 2016

Wind, sand and seasons.....

Bill and Martha were drawn, as if mesmerized, to the San Luis Valley of Colorado by it's stark beauty.  It is a high cold desert surrounded by a massive buttress of snow capped peaks on three sides opening to a wide valley on the south.  Formed by the gargantuan forces of tectonic uplift and eons of volcanic activity this geologic wonder is over 40 miles wide and 120 miles long.  The Valley varies from flat volcanic plane to soaring mountains.  Fecund volcanic soil watered by a vast aquifer produces prodigious crops at the foot of the San Juan Mountains on the west side.  The central and southern portion is a cold desert over 7,800 feet high and averaging but 40F degrees. The eastern escarpment vaults sharply upward by over 5,000 feet.  Within sight of the entire valley this seeming fortress of nature harbors small villages some over 400 years old.  

After a 45 year absence G and I visited a place her her father and Mother, Bill and Martha, loves so well - The Great Sand Dunes.  A National Monument when we visited last it was granted "National Park and Preserve" status in 2004.  At over 750' rise above the surface, these are the highest sand dunes in North America and they are unique in the world.  They are in a high cold desert with abundant water flows on the surface at the edge of the dunes and at the foot of the 300 sq. mile dune field is a wetland.  The dunes extend over 350'  below the surface and are infused with the water abundantly flowing from the mountains abutting the east and north perimeters.

Formation of the Dunes covers eons as the constant wind picked up sand from the southwest portion of the valley only to be deposited on the cloistered northeast corner as the winds lifted up over the mountain parapet.

The Dunes have been described as a "playground".  People surf the dunes, build sand castles, dig holes and all the things folks do at a sea shore except water sports.  Night comes, the constant southwest wind blows and in the morning all the previous day's activities have been erased.   Nature and wilderness trails abound.  RV, tent and primitive camping is all within the National Park and Preserve.

It is easy to be put-off by the long desolate road running down the middle of the Valley from Poncha Pass in the north if you focus only on the road and it's immediate surroundings.  The San Luis Valley requires the willingness to look in smaller corners while baking in the wonder of the surrounding mountains.

G and I have been ensnared by the beauty of this place as were Bill and Martha so many years ago.  We put this special place on our list of places to go and explore in the years that follow.
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Santa Fe is 87 miles directly south of Chama.  Tomorrow we will spend the day browsing stores and galleries while buying nothing.  There is a place on the Square we will stop for lunch and then on to find a glass studio, Bulls-eye Glass, to check it out.  I promise, and I mean it, that we are only purchasing a baseball hat tomorrow.

Then on to Espanola to the Carson National Forest Ranger office to pick-up some free Forest Service Road Maps.  We will also be looking for dried peppers.  They are hung in long strings to dry and we are hoping to find a string of them to bring home for the family.

We have a lot of pictures and video to format this winter.  It should be fun.

I started a project this morning which will take two or three chase photo runs in the truck and one or two train trips to gather the pieces for a video timeline intermixed with still photos telling of our journey this year.  The Apple MAC has the software to put it together and I have already put together a very short video.  This is a high-tech version of looking at grand pop's photo album - Whoopee....
Stay tuned on this one.

I changed my computer settings and the Internet is working better.  The water line failed yet again.  I slapped on more silicone caulk and tape and will continue to keep the pressure low - this is getting really tiresome.

I will attempt to post a short video tomorrow.  G and I got some great stuff on our way up to The Great Sand Dunes this morning.

Later.....


Monday, August 29, 2016

Seasons....


I started writing this post in Facebook and copied it to the blog. The background and format were modified in the process thus it looks a bit odd but read on - if you wish.
Neight and Sarah left for Hardin this morning and were near Salina, KS in a heavy rainstorm as I write this. They will be staying overnight there, thankfully, and then on to Plummer Hill tomorrow.
The steam rendezvous in Chama finished this morning as Galloping Goose #5 & #7 were idle along with D&RGW 315 in the yard. The odd looking beast in the picture is Goose #7 which was brought down from the Colorado Railroad Museum in Golden Colorado (the picture is a stock image from Golden).Neight and Sarah were with us on yesterday's train out of Antonito. It was a fun ride with just a few passengers. Trains such as this give the opportunity to chat a lot instead of giving a structured interpretation. It was especially fun to show Neight the feral offspring of Elk when as our journey took us through the valley of the headwaters of the Rio de Los Pinos just below Cumbres, Colorado. At Cumbres both Geese and the #315 were stationed with a large group of people gathered around them.
I was Docent on yesterday's Antonito train and have been scheduled for the Chama - Antonito train on Friday and Sunday. Next Tuesday our friends, Jerry and Sally, will be here to join us on the Antonito - Chama train and the following day I will docent the same train. That wraps up my duties in Chama for this year.
We will be starting home on Thursday the 8th tor an overnight stay in Lamar, Colorado then on over to Salina, Kansas and then back on Plummer Hill in the early evening Saturday. It will be a slow drive as we are bringing the trailer home. Lots more to tell and we really look forward to a cup of coffee after church on Sunday and, certainly, Paul's inspirational message as well. Being a docent is developing a much greater appreciation of the fine art of pure B.S.
We are off to chase a train tomorrow and then to Great Sand Dunes National Monument. Wednesday we will go to Santa Fe and spend a few hours just strolling around shopping while buying nothing. Off to Espanola to see if we can pick-up dried peppers on the way back to Chama.
The temperature has not exceeded 80 degrees since we arrived and night time temps fell into the high 30's on one occasion. Unusual frequent rain iwhich is often very heavy has been experienced all but two days and is forecast all the way through our departure.
Neight and Sarah have encountered very violent weather including hail and extreme rain. They arrived in Salina safely as I finish this post.
Autumn is in the air and the Aspen are just starting to change. 54 days are remain in this years schedule on the railroad and by then the snow should be accumulating on the passes.
Sleep well.

Seasons....

The steam rendezvous in Chama finished this morning as Galloping Goose #5 & #7 were idle along with D&RGW 315 in the yard. The odd looking beast in the picture is Goose #7 which was brought down from the Colorado Railroad Museum in Golden Colorado (the picture is a stock image from Golden).

Neight and Sarah were with us on yesterday's train out of Antonito. It was a fun ride with just a few passengers. Trains such as this give the opportunity to chat a lot instead of giving a structured interpretation. It was especially fun to show Neight the feral offspring of Elk when as our journey took us through the valley of the headwaters of the Rio de Los Pinos just below Cumbres, Colorado. At Cumbres both Geese and the #315 were stationed with a large group of people gathered around them.

Neight and Sarah left for Hardin this morning and were near Salina, KS in a heavy rainstorm as I write this. They will be staying overnight there, thankfully, and then on to Plummer Hill tomorrow.

I was Docent on yesterday's Antonito train and have been scheduled for the Chama - Antonito train on Friday and Sunday. Next Tuesday our friends, Jerry and Sally, will be here to join us on the Antonito - Chama train and the following day I will docent the same train. That wraps up my duties in Chama for this year. We will be starting home on Thursday the 8th tor an overnight stay in Lamar, Colorado then on over to Salina, Kansas and then back on Plummer Hill in the early evening Saturday. It will be a slow drive as we are bringing the trailer home.

Lots more to tell and we really look forward to a cup of coffee after church on Sunday and, certainly, Paul's inspirational message as well. Being a docent is developing a much greater appreciation of the fine art of pure B.S.

We are offf to chase a train tomorrow and then to Great Sand Dunes National Monument. Wednesday we will go to Santa Fe and spend a few hours just strolling around shopping while buying nothing. Off to Espanola to see if we can pick-up dried peppers on the way back to Chama.

The temperature has not exceeded 80 degrees since we arrived and night time temps fell into the high 30's on one occasion. Unusual frequent rain iwhich is often very heavy has been experienced all but two days and is forecast all the way through our departure.

Neight and Sarah have encountered very violent weather including hail and extreme rain. They arrived in Salina safely as I finish this post.

Autumn is in the air and the Aspen are just starting to change. 54 days are remain in this years schedule on the railroad and by then the snow should be accumulating on the passes.

Sleep well.

Friday, August 26, 2016

The faint sound of a hymn....

Last night we watched Desi and Lucy in the "long Long Trailer." Pulling our little 21' "cabin" with "Old Blue" seems like their experiences pulling a 40' New Moon trailer with a then new 1953 Mercury.  Other times is seems a bit more like another journey:
Five days into our first journey to Chama in early July the plumbing failed in the cabin.  That incident started on the day I went on a training trip for the Docent Class.  Amidst the crowd at the depot in Chama I heard Georgia whisper, "The trailer flooded."

Over the ensuing weeks it became a repetitive routine:

Tear out cabinetry

Find damaged pipes from original construction

Flood

Replace damaged pipes

Explosive Flood

Remove and replace pipes again

Another flood

Repair again

Massive leak

Wrap the pipes

Large Leak

Wrap with more stuff

Small Leak

Cut down water pressure

Tiny persistent leak

Bottled water and community showers.

The result of that two week long struggle wound up with out being on bottled water for drinking, no cooking and no fully operating facility.  We adapted and found ways to make things work with very, very, low water pressure in the trailer which allowed us to get a good nights sleep.  To keep the pressure low we left the bathroom faucet open and opened both the gray and black water tank's directly to the RV Park's waste water system.  We went home knowing what we had to deal with and planned some adjustments to provide for cooking and other basic activities.  

On arrival we entered a forest maze with the trailer wedged between two cottonwood trees.  We knew this was for only two days and would then move to a more open space for the remaining two weeks.  I decided to connect the water but not the waste pipes - the low toilet usage would not fill the black water tank in a couple days but a the next day I realized the slow drip from the open faucet could fill the gray water tank.

Late last night I went out in the dark and attached the waste water hose.

I screwed in the connector and opened the gray water valve, water all over the place.  

Closed the valve

Reset the waste water connector

Opened the valve - water all over

Closed the valve

Tried to reconnect - It wouldn't screw in.  Fought with it for 15 minutes - the waste water connection was damaged - I stuck the hose in the pipe and went inside.

Pulled off all the tape and re-wrapped with new stuff.

Small leak but managable

Shut down the water for the night and went to bed.

Today:

I walked down to the depot for the first time.  Checked the Docent schedule and I have four trips to cover over the next two weeks.  There is a big event underway and we have a lot of rail fans running around.  It is nice visitng with them and lots to see but I have an unfinished chore - the water leak.  It's the same routine as before:

Another round of tape

Turned up pressure a bit - everything held

45 minutes later

Bigger leak

Industrial strength silicone tape and a complete re-wrap.  The 1/2" pipe was now 5/8".

Leak migrates to another place.

More tape, the pipe is now 3/4"

Leak slows

More tape, the pipe is now 7/8"

One hour later THE LEAK HAS STOPPED!

G and I take a break and grab a lunch.  I finally take some time to sort out the cameras and the two of us are able to recover from a really bad day.  So, we take a break and drive up to Cumbres Pass to train spot.  A great time and we talked with a lot of folks.  On the trip back we sit together and I finally take some time to sort out the cameras and just spend time together.  It is now over three hours since the leak stopped.

After some time we decide to take a little walk and when we look up an iceberg is rolling - NO IT'S A ROLL OF TOILET PAPER FLOATING ACROSS THE FLOOR IN A STREAM OF WATER!

Running into the tiny bathroom there is water flowing out of the sink bowl like a water fall and shower basin is now an overflowing pool of water with 16 rolls of toilet paper bobbing around - so much for G's TP "safety net."  A thought flashed - "Should we name this thing Lake G?"

The pipe connection has completely failed.

I check and it is sound and dry and if it had failed water wouldn't be cascading out of the sink and shower.

I shut of the water flow in the sink and the water level starts to drop but the shower basin just keeps on flowing.

I hear a hymn buzzing around in my head - "Nearer my God to Thee."

What is going on?  I hate this F*$%@!$ plumbing!

"I knew that" - I went outside and opened the valve to the gray water tank.  A flash flood drained through the drain pipe and Lake G in the bathroom rapidly drained away.

We filled up three trash bags with paper towels and the precious toilet paper supply and I hauled it to the trash.  G went for more TP and a sponge mop but the place was cleaned up by the time she came back.

We took a break.  Over to the yard to watch the dinner train leave and then we went over to the Box Car restaurant for our Friday date night - a steady thing for over 50 years.

As I write this I can hear the water flowing into the drain in the bathroom.  The pressure is higher now and we have both a flushing toilet and hot water.  The pipe is holding without leaking for nearly 8 hours.  I will shut down the water supply for the night just to make sure.

We have an new discipline:  We shut down the water when we leave and make sure we keep the pressure reasonable.

Tomorrow we move the trailer to the new spot and hopefully we can settle into a predictable pattern for the remaining two weeks.  Hopefully the plumbing problem is behind us.

The plumbing is going to be replaced this autumn when we come home.  Curt will have the pleasure of cutting off the mat of silicone tape to get at the plumbing lines but that is another story....

Tuesday, August 23, 2016

Oh! Be Joyful? ...

San Juan Mountains in Summer

Cumbres & Toltec Railroad on the approach to Cumbres Pass in Lat Autumn
This must be like drinking a fine wine.  You can't stand the stuff but not drinking identifies you as a rube.

Don't be a Rube!  Here is another fine wine for your consumption.

Last night the Front Range west of Denver received a skiff of snow.  Early in the year but still a little of the white stuff to see this morning.

Tonight, the San Juans of Southwestern Colorado are to have measurable, but shallow, snow.  And, exactly where is Chama in relation to the San Juans?  10,015' Cumbres Pass above Chama is in the Tusas Range of the self same San Juan Mountains.

Three passes to cross tomorrow - snow - unlikely this time of year and if so the daytime temperatures in the 60's and low 70's will quickly melt it.

Temps in the San Luis Valley and Valley of the Rio Chama are predicted in the high 30's for the next few days.  Boys and girls, bring warm clothing it could be cold in a few weeks.

Then again, it is Colorado and New Mexico so don't try predictions and plan for anything.



You will really regret reading this post....


They say crappy penmanship is akin to poor grammar.  I warned you not to read this.....

We had a drive from St. Joseph, MO to La Junta, CO of just over 650 miles today. Leaving at 7:00am we arrived in La Junta at 3:30pm Mountain Time about nine and one-half hours. Old Blue performed well and mileage was consistent except for the 205 miles between Salina and Oakley, KS. In that stretch we were driving into a strong and direct heawind. But, we are here and tomorrow is a 250 mile drive to Chama during which we cross La Veta, La Manga and Cumbres pases. We hope to arrive before noon as we have to set-up, do some minor plumbing work, and clean-up prior to an evening dinner/meeting of docents at the High Country.

Our space at the Rio Chama RV Park is just until Saturday at which time we will move the trailer to another space in the same park. Rio Chama RV books solid a year in advance and when I called to ask if we could arrive a couple days early to attend the meeting they managed to find a place that would be open but it meant a move on Saturday. Nice folks and very accommodating.

Before I start with the subject of this post I need to mention that on arriving in our room in La Junta G turned on the tv to check the weather. Their ongoing story is a severe dust storm in Arizona. Concurrent with our travel, Bob and Penny Parish are traveling to Arizona. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers for safe travel....
**********
A snow plow operation is a major undertaking.  A rotary operation – there are two remaining steam powered rotary snow plows left and to our understanding they are both on the Cumbres and Toltec – consists of the rotary plow, a coal tender, one or two water cars, two to six locomotives, a tool car, a kitchen car, bunk car and other miscellaneous maintenance of way cars.  It is a rolling tool shop and it is all under control of the snow plow operator. 

Yesterday I threw together a post which was a bit of a mess gramatically. Now I have never claimed to know an adjective from a gerund, or a verb from a pronoun. Likewise I am basically a moron when it comes to punctuation. Thus, I produced this magical paragraph:

“A snow plow operation is a major undertaking.  A rotary operation – there are two remaining steam powered rotary snow plows left and to our understanding they are both on the Cumbres and Toltec – consists of the rotary plow, a coal tender, one or two water cars, two to six locomotives, a tool car, a kitchen car, bunk car and other miscellaneous maintenance of way cars.  It is a rolling tool shop and it is all under control of the snow plow operator.”

For something like that I use the Browning Rule when punctuating “If in doubt punctuate” which goes on, “If in doubt where to place the punctuation, close your eyes and punch a key on your keyboard in a random shotgun pattern. Only truly literate people will know the difference and if you are an example their friends they must all be terribly not so clever”

I consider the piece I wrote a perfect example of the Browning Rule – I didn't know where to punctuate so I just punched a key on my keyboard. Unfortunately, I did not punch enough periods. So, here is a revised version that I will use to edit the previous blog:

“A snow plow operation is a major undertaking.  A rotary operation – there are two remaining steam powered rotary snow plows left and to our understanding they are both on the Cumbres and Toltec – consists of: the rotary plow, a coal tender, one or two water cars, two to six locomotives, a tool car, a kitchen car, bunk car and other miscellaneous maintenance of way cars.  It is a rolling tool shop and it is all under control of the snow plow operator.” 

Now that I have heavily edited the offending paragraph I don't believe I like the “flow” of it so here is a better version.

“In a screaming blizzard on a dark and stormy night the driver of the plow was confronted with a terrifying problem, “This damn thing stopped and the whistle is frozen How the hell will I get everyone else to stop?”

Yes the rotary plow driver is responsible for the entire train. If he screws up thousands, nay millions, of dollars of damage to the rail and equipment may ensue. In this case he has definitely “screwed up” and he is in so much trouble that I can't begin to detail what his life is going to be like in about 15 minutes.

You understand, of course, that his plow is in the lead on numerous pieces of very expensive equipment which rest of a rail-bed which could be damaged – yes, you do understand DON'T YOU!

This is a list of possible pieces of equipment associated with his horrendous mistake: A zillion dollar rotary snow plow, one or two water cars, one to four or more locomotives, a tool car full of very expensive tools and stuff, a passenger car converted to a kitchen, some old drafty box cars for the dozens of crew members to sleep in and a caboose or two for conductors and management folks. If things are really bad the fool who jammed the rotary will also have a business car at the end to the train with some sort or really important nabob who will spend the entire night cussing and swearing and plotting how to make the life of the rotary driver pure hell for his entire time in an eternity made specifically for snow train drivers forget about absolution or the purgatory thing it is far the late for any of that for the boob in the rotary with the frozen whistle.”

How about that?

Naah, I don't like it so I did another edit and re-posted yesterdays post. If you want to know what it says, you gotta read that post.


Aren't you glad you wasted your time reading this? I promise I won't do another post until September 12th, unless I have Internet access in Chama.    

Don't ask why the text is a different color - It's a techie thing and I don't have a clue.

Monday, August 22, 2016

Transitions…. “A Place for Those Born too Late”


We were originally scheduled to leave for Chama on the late afternoon this coming Thursday, the 25th.   Last week I received an e-mail advising of a docent dinner and meeting in Chama on the 24th and advised the organizer of the meeting we would not be able to attend.  Then, with a bit of re-arranging, we worked out a travel schedule that will allow us to attend the meeting if we leave late this afternoon – so we are.  I then advised the same organizer accordingly and he responded, “Good news, can you docent while here?”  More good news, I certainly can.  So we are off on another jaunt into the sunset to return on September 12th this time.

We took an afternoon drive on Sunday and the signs of the time of transition a season is ending and another easing in.  When we arrive in Chama we will find the temperature has already fallen ten degrees from the time we left just three weeks ago.  Temperatures in the low 80’s have fallen into the high 60’s and the night temperatures are now in the 40’s.  Forecasts indicate the night temperature will drop into the mid 30’s by mid-September, the end of our short visit. 

Last year we saw the beginning of the change in the Aspen, this year should be about the same but next year we leave Chama in mid-September and in 2018 the first of October.  Everything closes in Chama on October 1st except for two businesses.  Tourist traffic falls off as the folks in Chama are there for only a day and then travel on.  The snow starts any time after Labor Day but typically doesn’t accumulate until sometime just after mid-October.   

Chama Depot with Rotary Snow Plow in left background
After the first of October things start to freeze up which means the hotels, laundromats, and everything else has to be winterized.  In winter Chama huddles as cold winds blow and snow accumulates several feet deep and more where it drifts.  Medical help is 50 miles distant on mountain highways and it is not unusual to lose power or water for extended periods.  This brutal winter lasts for 90 days or less and then relents by early March.   

Cumbres Pass at 10,015’ was notorious for the prodigious amounts of snow accumulation, 20 feet was not unusual in the worst of winters on the D&RG San Juan Extension.  The railroad continually fought the problem and challenged it from the first with Civil Engineering that placed the tracks on south facing slopes.  Later the railroad constructed over thirteen thousand feet of snow sheds and then removed them when that technique proved incapable of controlling the problem.  They were replaced by snow fences which shifted the snow away from the rails but were still ineffective.  In the end the railroad resorted to the force of steam driven rotary plows and flangers with the power of multiple steam locomotives attacking the deep drifts. 

The worst of the problem was the area from Cascade Creek Trestle through Los Pinos Section and on over the top at Cumbres across Windy Point to near the Coxo reverse curve (Mile Posts 318 to 332).  To this day sections of the rail below Los Pinos Section House (Mile Posts 319 to 324) rattle your teeth in a manner similar to a washboard as the train crosses the grooved track resulting from snow fighting over the first 90 years of the San Juan Extension.   Folks are surprised when it happens and if not prepared tend to get a bit agitated.  The washboard nature was created when snow plows would stall in the deep drifts.

Snow Train operations are a major undertaking.  A"Snow Train" from fron to rear consists of: Rotary Plow, coal tender, one or two water cars, two to four or more locomotives, tool car, converted passenger/kitchen car, bunk car(s), miscellaneous maintenance of way cars, caboose and a crew of several dozen individuals.  It self contained and the crew can fuel or make necessary repairs with minimum additional support.  When in operation fighting snow, the Train is controlled by the Rotary Plow operaton.

The snow plow operator communicates with the trailing locomotives by way of the shriek of a shrill whistle.  The pitch of the whistle is distinctive and very unlike that of a locomotive in order that its signal cannot be confused with that of a locomotive.   If a plow stalls in a heavy drift the plow operator signals his stop by a single long blast of his whistle.  That signal is then communicated down the line of following locomotives; remember there may be 2 to 6 locomotives pushing the plow.  The communication of the signal repeats down the line and each locomotive in turn is stopped. 
Stopping this string of equipment is not a jolt rather when the plow stalls the locomotive ceases its forward motion but the driving wheels continue to turn until the locomotive engineer of each locomotive shuts down his steed.  This must be in an orderly manner, an engineer third in line cannot shut down his locomotive until the one in advance has ceased.  This all occurs quickly as the signal is rapidly passed down the line and within a few minutes or less the whole consist is stopped. 
“Stopped?” how can a locomotive that is not moving forward not be stopped?

The forward motion is relative to the operating conditions of the locomotive.  It is very possible that the wheels on a locomotive, even a modern electric or diesel, are moving but the relative motion of the train is static.  This is because the driving wheels are moving but the train is not.  Wash boarding of track is also noticeable on the Cumbres and Toltec where the train loses adhesion on the 4% grade between Chama and Cumbres.  In those instances a train moving forward will slow when the drivers of the locomotive slip or spin – loss of adhesion – due to condensation, excess weight of the towed load or resistance to forward motion such as a snow plow in heavy snow.  This can also be experienced when an engineer is over zealous with the throttle when putting a train in motion.   A liberal application of sand helps in holding down wheel slippage but not much if too much power is applied.   

In the olden days, before diesel, starting a passenger, or freight, train from a stop involved a hard jerk to get the cars moving.  A steam locomotive generates tractive force sufficient to keep a train of a given length or weight moving which is different than the tractive force to start the same train moving.  Thus, to get a train moving the first thing an engineer did was slowly back-up the train.  This put slack between the couplers of the cars.  Then when the engineer opened the throttle he was starting only one car at a time.  WHAT?

Yes, the little bit of slack in the couplers from backing was pulled out of each car in turn.  By a few cars down the locomotive developed enough inertia to progressively speed up.  If you happened to be on a passenger train and were ten cars or so back the jerk from the start-up could be considerable – I remember it well from my youth.

When the diesels were put in service in the late 1930's the engineers followed standard practice and back-up the train to put slack in the couplers.  Then they applied power and promptly pulled out a coupler a few cars back.  Diesel/electric locomotives have tremendous tractive effort when starting thus a train has to be slowly stretched to pull out the slack before applying power.   

D&RG T-12 #168 Now at C&TS - Constructed 1895

D&RGW K-36 #489 Now at C&TS - Constructed 1925
Driving a steam locomotive is an art compared to the computer controlled modern locomotive.  Locomotives of the same series and from the same manufacturer differ in performance though they may have come off the assembly line at the same time.  It takes a good engineer and fireman to get peak performance from each steam locomotive.   The newest of the operating locomotives, K-36, on the Cumbres and Toltec are now 91 years old and the earliest, soon to be operating T-12 #168, is over 120 years old.  By the way, the K-36 has exactly twice the tractive effort and three times the weight of the T-12 built 30 years earlier.
   
The days of prodigious snow are now history, Global Climate Change has altered the seasons to such an extent that winter is now but a few weeks long and, though the snow can still be substantial and unlike days of old, just a couple decades ago, it melts off quickly.  Though the equipment still works it was last used for snow removal in the early 1990’s now a simple “flanger” – a car with steam powered plow blades that extend from each side – does the job if a significant amount of snow can be found on the line after mid-March.

The wash board rails are not dangerous and the railroad could easily replace such rails to eliminate the wash board effect.  I have already been asked why the railroad doesn’t do that and I respond:
“The wash board rails remind us of a story of earlier days.  A story memorializing the determination of our kind to build and maintain this now unique piece of history.”

So much for railroad washboards…..  

G and I are scheduled for a minimum of two rides on the railroad on this visit.  Because of the time of year the possibility of snow at the top of Cumbres is real and has to be planned for well in advance.  Though any accumulation will quickly melt it doesn’t represent a major concern for our return trip with the Chama Cabin in tow but, we do have to be prepared for a potential delay somewhere along the route.  This concern increases with each day after the 1st of October since and local services in Chama are rare after that date.  Everything closes, except two businesses which are, The High Country Restaurant, which operates year round, and the Cumbres and Toltec which operates until the third week of October and then shuts down except for a Christmas Special train for the children of Chama and Antonito.   

We will not have Internet access in Chama so this will be the last post until we return on September 12th.  You are in our thoughts and ask you keep us in yours as we bring the Chama Cabin back to Hardin in just a few weeks.  Yes, I will do the scripture reading on the first Sunday back and, come October, look forward to Mike and Deb giving all of us a travelogue on their trip to Europe.

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The Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad.

“In terms of length, scale of operations, completeness, extensiveness of its steam operations, and state of preservation, the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad San Juan Extension, Conejos and Archuleta Counties, CO and Rio Arriba County, NM is one of the country’s best surviving examples of a narrow gauge system at the peak of American railroading, roughly 1870 to 1930.” 
      1.  National Historic Landmark – The Denver and Rio Grande Railroad San Juan Extension National Historic Landmark
      2.  The longest operating steam narrow gauge in North America – 64 miles
3.  The highest adhesion railroad in North America – 10,015’ at Cumbres Pass
4.   The Last remaining Coal Tipple possibly in the world – in the Chama Yard 
5.   The last remaining twin spout water tank possibly in the world – in the Chama Yard 
6.   The last remaining steam driven rotary snow plows in the world – two in the Chama Yard 
7.   The heaviest grade of any operating narrow gauge steam railroad in North America – 4.0% Chama to Cumbres Pass (13 miles) 
8.  Voted the best train ride in North America – USA Today July, 2016 
9.   And the list goes on….

It is “A Place for Those Born too Late”

Wednesday, August 17, 2016

Legends - Local and Otherwise.....



Rendezvous

In early years of the nineteenth century, solitary “Mountain Men” roamed the Rocky Mountains in search of beaver.  Beaver pelts were in much demand as a high style item in Europe from the late 1600’s until nearly 200 years later when the near extinction of Beaver and a change in European style ended the hunt. 

Mountain men had to endure endless isolation, privation, violence, and extreme weather conditions.   Living in a rapidly changing world, they were a throwback to a much earlier era in which the bulk of humanity lived in such circumstances; heroic, perhaps, but also a life borne of grinding necessity.  Finding a modern corollary is difficult.  Today, many self-proclaimed “Mountain Men” claim that title however, virtually all have the ability, if they so choose, to escape even the most modest discomforts which our ancestors would have considered a life of luxury.  Perhaps the nearest corollary in our easy times would be a decision to intentionally live the violence infused life of a homeless scavenger.  It is difficult to imagine why anyone in our coddled times would voluntarily choose such a life. 

The life of a Mountain Man cycled through back breaking work trapping and preparing pelts in the harshest of conditions with the ever present threat of violence resulting in injury or death.  In the course of time, often years, the product of this difficult work hopefully resulted in a harvest of a condition and size that it could be sold or traded to re-stock for the next trapping foray.  The sale or trade occurred at a gathering of the hunters and traders in an event called Rendezvous.  

Rendezvous in this context was developed by early French trappers, “Coureur de bois” (“Runner of the Woods”), who were based in French Canada from the 1600’s.  They were trappers and scouts for the French colonization of the vast North American unknown.  Generally, unlike the later Mountain Men of American extraction, the Coureur de bois were intertwined with the indigenous people becoming a part of their culture through intermarriage and adoption of the indigenous life style.  The original Rendezvous was developed as a place to trade with the French trading companies.   

Rendezvous, in concept, carried over after the French and Indian War, American Revolution and Louisiana Purchase when American trading companies replaced the earlier French versions.  Where the French relied on contract Voyageurs for transport of trade good to the Rendezvous via canoe.  Now, the Americans organized overland carriage of supplies and trade goods by mule and wagon to the isolated wilderness for Rendezvous.

American mercantile interests were masters of organization and profit taking.  The American trading companies were owned by people who gained wide notoriety such as William Sublette of St. Louis and John Jacob Aster of New York, who would go on to become America’s first millionaire.  By 1845 it was over, Beaver hats were out of style and left to molder in attics, fortunes were made, Mountain Men cast to the wind and the Beaver left to recover.  All built on the slaughter of Beaver to satisfy the fashion of European elites.

Senior Citizens inhaling way too much black power

Re-enactor Coureur de bois with lady re-enacting something confusing.
Today the Rendezvous is regularly re-enacted by hobby enthusiasts, faux Mountain Men, Coureur de bois, Voyaguers, militia or the like dressed in full period kit.  Conveniently they have a hearty dinner, cold beer, a warm bed and a big fire for a cool evening.  It’s all in good fun and perhaps late at night the terrifying sound of an owl will provide a faint reminder of the real terrors our Mountain Men and “Coureur de bois” ancestors endured.  I was one of the rapidly aging fellows in the ranks with a muzzle loader many years ago; the people involved in this hobby were terrific and it was much fun.  It was a personally difficult time and historical re-enacting was a great diversion from everyday cares.  My comments are meant to be light hearted and are not intended to disparage anyone involved in such events.

At milepost 304 you round the curve leading into a reverse curve in a placed named “Canada Jarosita”.  There in the distance you can see white buildings over a mile away hugging the edge of a deep crevasse falling away to the Rio De Los Pinos some 600 feet below.  This place is Sublette, New Mexico, the second of eight section camps west of the Antonito terminus of the Cumbres and Toltec.  It is said Sublette was originally called Boydville; it has also said Sublette was named after famed trapper and merchant William Sublette; furthermore, it is also said there was a Rendezvous on the plateau just above the current location of Sublette; and adding icing to this story it is also said some orderly piles of stone in the near vicinity of Sublette were the location of early Native American villages.   

Boydville was a mile east of Sublette and was abandoned for unknown reasons as were countless other small communities in the west – we will never know why.  William Sublette seems to have been briefly in Santa Fe in the 1820’s but cannot be verified as ever being anywhere remotely close in space or time to the location of the abandoned section camp at Sublette.  Rendezvous were universally held close to good sources of water which allowed transport of trade goods and water for the participants of the Rendezvous – Sublette, NM has a spring feeding a cistern for locomotive water and the touted location of the Rendezvous is on a high dry ridge.  The orderly piles of stone – interesting, and they may have a story – but only a trained archeologist can make the determination and interpretation of their origin and so far that hasn’t happened.

Other than the recorded construction and physical presence of the Section Camp the problem with the rest of the story is little or nothing of it can be verified.  From railroad records and first person accounts we do know about the families living there and how daily life was for them and virtually every detail of what was done and how it was done.  Beyond the railroad records, no one knows why the stop was named Sublette, just as no one knows why the term Toltec was applied to the Gorge just beyond Sublette and on it goes. 

However, there have been a series of well documented Rendezvous along the Cumbres and Toltec and one just happens to be scheduled for next week in Chama.  Don’t get your muzzle loader or loin cloth for this one; it will be a gathering of railroaders to celebrate the semi-regular Steam Rendezvous on the Cumbres and Toltec.  In addition to all the original equipment on the railroad the D&RGW 315 (Erected 1895) from Durango as well as RGS “Galloping Goose” #5 & #7 (Built 1930’s) From Dolores, CO and the Colorado Railroad Museum, will make runs up the 4% to Cumbres and Osier.  There will be demonstrations of Maintenance of Way equipment, dinners, celebration, pictures taken and stories to be told many of which may rise, if retold, to the level of Local Legend.  Railroaders were always good at telling and embellishing a good story over a cup of coffee and a good laugh.
D&RGW 315 at Rock Tunnel #2

30 years of technology D&RGW K-36 #483 (1925) & D&RGW C-18 #315 (1895) at Osier in 2008

Rio Grande Southern "RGS" Galloping Goose #5 on the Cumbres & Toltec

Rio Grande Southern "RGS" #7 at the Colorado Railroad Museum - Golden, Co

The event was unscheduled when I made our travel plans early in the year.  I will likely be scheduled to docent at some point in this event and both Nate and Sarah will ride the regularly scheduled Antonito – Chama with G and I on the last day of the Rendezvous.  Though we likely won’t see the 315 or the Geese in action, it should be fun to see the rail fans doing their thing.

I don’t like guessing and so remain a skeptic preferring the comfort of solid research and verifiable resources.  For me, the story of Mountain Men and Rendezvous that are related to Sublette is an entertaining story, increasingly elaborated with each repetition and well worth enjoying but with a qualifier - the story has all the trappings of Local Legend as does the story of Hangman's Trestle some 21 miles to the east.  The story of what we really do know about Sublette is even more exciting because it gives us an accurate picture of life as our ancestors actually lived it – that is a story we can learn from.