tbell7D Loc: Houston

Thank you very much Jack, glad you enjoyed.

tbell7D Loc: Houston

Thank you so much Roder10 for looking in and commenting. Yes, we thoroughly enjoyed our ride on the D & S. I also rode the Cumbres & Toltec several years ago. I believe it is an equally authentic and enjoyable trip.

tbell7D Loc: Houston

Thank you for looking in and commenting Mike. So glad you enjoyed. I don't think I would ever get tired of trains and riding on them.

tbell7D Loc: Houston

Thank you very much Hal for looking in and commenting. I appreciate it.

tbell7D Loc: Houston

Thank you very much Jimmy for taking a look and your comment. Sometimes it's fun to experience some of the marvels of engineering that were created before super computers.

cwaters Loc: San Carlos, CA

It is interesting to think about the turning loop and wye. It must serve mainly a psychological need to have the engine facing forward. I remember riding the Pike's Peak cog railroad in 1956, its last year under steam power. The locomotive boiler was angled to be level on the average grade of the line, and of course could not have sucessfully run in the reverse direction. On the San Francisco peninsula the commuter trains never turn. They just run backwards on the north-bound runs. They do have an operator's cab on the north-most car to control the locomotive that's always on the south-most end of the train.

A different twist to this is the cab-forward locomotive developed for the trans-Sierra run of the Southern Pacific. Because of the extensive miles of snow sheds, the smoke stack was located behind the cab which then required that the trains be turned around.

Your excellent photos show the locomotive valve gear in great detail. I love the working parts of these locomotives. I once built a "working" Baker valve gear for an N scale model locomotive. It was so much work I only did one side...

davefales Loc: Virginia

You hit the aspens at their peak. Nice work.

tbell7D Loc: Houston

Thank you very much Cwaters for posting that terrific historical info. As for the need to turn the train, of course a locomotive does not care whether it is facing forward or backward. However, in this particular case, or probably any tourist line, it is only single track with no passing sidings. So without turning the train, the entire train, not just the locomotive, would have to be traveling in reverse on the return trip. In my childhood, we lived near a logging RR in WA state, and they used three Heisler locomotives. In the morning the loco would push the string of flatcars up to the logging site where they would be loaded. At the end of the work day, it would pull the loads back to the terminal without turning the engine. I have seen pictures of those SP cab forwards, but never saw one live. That concept seems like it would have been a good idea, with those tunnels to contend with. With the usual locomotive configuration, the engineer and fireman would likely be overcome with smoke. Thank you very much for the compliments on my photos.

tbell7D Loc: Houston

Thank you very much Dave. Yes, we were lucky to have been there when we were.

sailorsmom Loc: Souderton, PA

Very good set, tbell7D!

VeronicaFrancis

I rode this train a couple years ago...before I became obsessed with photography! Love these shots. Beautiful!

tbell7D Loc: Houston

Thank you very much Sue for looking in and commenting.

tbell7D Loc: Houston

Thank you so much VeronicaFrancis for taking a look and commenting. I appreciate it, and welcome to the UHH forum.

Railfan_Bill Loc: "Lost Wages", Nevada

Nice set! This is on my bucket list of things to do. I want to try the Durango and Silverton RR next year. This will add to my collection of steam photos.

Railfan Bill

tbell7D Loc: Houston

Thank you very much Railfan Bill for looking in and commenting. I appreciate it. If you go on the D & S you will not be disappointed. It is a terrific ride.