Cumbres & Toltec Scenic RR-Double Header: Pulling out of the Chama Yard. Summer 2021. The mountain and forest areas the trains run thru are currently extremely dry. For this reason...

Jay Pat Loc: Round Rock, Texas, USA

Pulling out of the Chama Yard. Summer 2021.
The mountain and forest areas the trains run thru are currently extremely dry.
For this reason, the railroad has pushed back opening day to July 1st.
Everyone is expecting the "monsoon" rain season to moisten up the forest by the end of June.
We'll see what happens.
No rain and the start date will probably be pushed back again.
Pat

(Download)

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

photophile Loc: Lakewood, Ohio, USA

Jay Pat wrote:

Pulling out of the Chama Yard. Summer 2021.
The mountain and forest areas the trains run thru are currently extremely dry.
For this reason, the railroad has pushed back opening day to July 1st.
Everyone is expecting the "monsoon" rain season to moisten up the forest by the end of June.
We'll see what happens.
No rain and the start date will probably be pushed back again.
Pat

fredpnm Loc: Corrales, NM

Jay Pat wrote:

Pulling out of the Chama Yard. Summer 2021.
The mountain and forest areas the trains run thru are currently extremely dry.
For this reason, the railroad has pushed back opening day to July 1st.
Everyone is expecting the "monsoon" rain season to moisten up the forest by the end of June.
We'll see what happens.
No rain and the start date will probably be pushed back again.
Pat

I will keep my fingers crossed, but the monsoon hasn't been that big of a deal the last couple of years. So...get your dancing shoes on and practice your rain dance routines.

I practiced mine the last couple of years and have been told that my dancing is so bad the rain stayed away - so I promised I wouldn't do any rain dancing this year.

Jay Pat Loc: Round Rock, Texas, USA

fredpnm wrote:

I will keep my fingers crossed, but the monsoon hasn't been that big of a deal the last couple of years. So...get your dancing shoes on and practice your rain dance routines.

I practiced mine the last couple of years and have been told that my dancing is so bad the rain stayed away - so I promised I wouldn't do any rain dancing this year.

I see Chama/mountain area, has a good chance of rain this weekend.
We'll see.

Thanks, everyone for looking and posting!!!
Pat

fredpnm Loc: Corrales, NM

Jay Pat wrote:

I see Chama/mountain area, has a good chance of rain this weekend.
We'll see.

Thanks, everyone for looking and posting!!!
Pat

We get a good deal of virga rain - lots of wind but little of the rain makes it to the ground...I hope that will not be case this year.

jaymatt Loc: Alexandria, Indiana

Nice shot, Pat.

kpmac Loc: Ragley, La

Really nice, Pat.

LDB415 Loc: Houston south suburb

Questions for the train experts. Do standard gauge and narrow gauge use the same rails, just spaced differently? Could a third rail be laid that rather than providing electricity like in subways would allow both narrow and standard gauge trains to run the same segment of a route?

Jay Pat Loc: Round Rock, Texas, USA

"Questions for the train experts. Do standard gauge and narrow gauge use the same rails, just spaced differently? Could a third rail be laid that rather than providing electricity like in subways would allow both narrow and standard gauge trains to run the same segment of a route?"

Yes. In the "old" days they did where the lines overlapped. At the other end of the Cumbres & Toltec in Antonito, Colorado they had dual gauge between Alamosa and Antonito. In the Antonito yard, there is a small section of dual gauge today.
Also, there were Idler Cars that had different coupler mounts. So the Idler Car was a "coupler adapter".
I hope this helps!
Pat

LDB415 Loc: Houston south suburb

Cool. Thank you. I figured yes but didn't know and thought it a perfect time to ask.

JayRay Loc: Missouri

Jay Pat wrote:

Pulling out of the Chama Yard. Summer 2021.
The mountain and forest areas the trains run thru are currently extremely dry.
For this reason, the railroad has pushed back opening day to July 1st.
Everyone is expecting the "monsoon" rain season to moisten up the forest by the end of June.
We'll see what happens.
No rain and the start date will probably be pushed back again.
Pat

Thanks for the update Pat!
Keeping fingers crossed!
I thought that the Cumbres & Toltec RR was being forced to convert to fuel oil rather than coal to reduce the fire danger (like the Durango Silverton RR was also forced to do)?

Jay Pat Loc: Round Rock, Texas, USA

JayRay wrote:

I thought that the Cumbres & Toltec RR was being forced to convert to fuel oil rather than coal to reduce the fire danger (like the Durango Silverton RR was also forced to do)?

I have no first-hand knowledge of exactly what's going one. The coal that they use comes from the west side of Durango, CO. How much longer they are going to be in operation seems to be a question. So, source for coal. Also, Durango forest fire is on their minds.
They have converted one locomotive to oil. They have the complete kit to convert another locomotive. The railroad commission voted to look into getting one of the K-37s running and running on oil.
With a K-37 they could add one more passenger car on the regular train out of Chama without having to use a second locomotive (and crew) as they do now. They have already moved some passenger cars around in the last few weeks with the oil burner K-36.
The K-37 project may get moved up with this spring's drought. We'll see what happens. I try to keep up with the commissioner's meetings.
Pat

RichardTaylor Loc: Sydney, Australia

Good one.

JayRay Loc: Missouri

Jay Pat wrote:

I have no first-hand knowledge of exactly what's g... (show quote)

Thanks for the update Pat!