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Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad 7/18/2008

Chris Parker, Bob Riskie and I met at the rental car at 7:15 AM and drove down to Antonito, parked in the railroad's parking lot and went into the station to pick up our tickets. Once again, we were all ticketed in the same car. It was then time to explore.

The Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad is a three foot narrow gauge heritage railroad running between Chama, New Mexico and Antonito, Colorado. It runs over 10,015 ft Cumbres Pass and through Toltec Gorge, from which it takes its name. Trains operate from both endpoints and meet at the midpoint. Today, the railroad is the highest and longest narrow gauge steam railroad in the United States with a track length of 64 miles. The train traverses the border between Colorado and New Mexico, crossing back and forth between the two states 11 times. The Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad has been jointly owned by the States of Colorado and New Mexico since 1970 when it was purchased from the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railway, saving it from the scrap yards. The Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad received the Designation of a National Historic Landmark in 2012 by the United States National Park Service.

The railroad line was originally constructed in 1880-1881 by the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad as part of their San Juan Extension stretching from Alamosa, Colorado to Durango, Colorado. The line was constructed with three foot narrow gauge track to match the D&RGW's other lines. The line primarily supported mining operations in the San Juan mountains, mainly around Durango and Silverton. The longest and highest portion of the railroad, known as the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad, is 64 miles long and was constructed in 1880 in less than 9 months; an engineering miracle even by today's standards, considering the work was all done by hand.

Today's Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad was built in 1882 as a branch line off this main. By the late 1950s mining had dwindled substantially and the line was on the verge of abandonment, but an oil boom near Farmington, New Mexico created a traffic surge that kept the line operating for another decade hauling oil and pipe. By the late 1960s the traffic was virtually gone and abandonment was applied for. The States of Colorado and New Mexico purchased the 64 miles of San Juan Extension between Antonito, Colorado and Chama, New Mexico in 1970 and started operating the next year under the name of the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad.

The Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad continues to operate daily between May and October each year with five fully-restored steam locomotives.

In 1970, the states of Colorado and New Mexico jointly purchased the portion of the line from Antonito to Chama along with much of the equipment that operated on the line. This section is the most scenic portion of the line, and a part that loops back and forth between the two states. The Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad Commission was created by an act of Congress as a bi-state entity to oversee the railroad.

Over the years the railroad has been operated by several operators under contract by the commission, including Scenic Railways (1970-1981), Kyle Railways (1982-1996), Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Corporation/George Bartholomew (1997-1999), Rio Grande Railroad Preservation Corporation (2000-2002) and currently Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Management Corporation.

The lease of operator Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Corporation (George Bartholomew) was terminated by commission due to a failure to properly maintain the railroad and its equipment, replenish used parts and making rent payments. Rio Grande Railroad Preservation Corporation, formed by the Friends of the Cumbres and Toltec, assumed operations of the railroad a few months later.

In spring 2002 the Federal Railroad Administration ordered the shutdown of the railroad until specific track bed issues were resolved.

The railroad was closed for much of the summer of 2002 by the US Forest Service due to extremely dry conditions, forest fires across the region, and fears that the steam locomotives would cause fires.

Trains depart each morning from both Chama and Antonito. In peak season there are trains every day of the week in either direction. They meet at Osier, the midpoint of the line where lunch is provided. Passengers may continue on their train to the other end or switch trains to return to their original terminal. Through riders have the option of a motor coach return to their original terminal. All seats are reserved. Seats are sometimes available to walk-ups, but this is rare in peak season.

All passenger trains are pulled by historic steam locomotives that originally worked on this line and others of the Denver and Rio Grande Western. Heavy trains out of Chama may have two locomotives as far as Cumbres Pass. East bound from Chama is the steepest portion so the steam engines tend to work hard and give off an acoustic and visual show. The remaining three-quarters of the eastbound trip is downgrade and the locomotives are fairly quiet. Westbound from Antonito, the grade is much less but the locomotives periodically work harder, especially on the last couple miles to Cumbres Pass.

The line passes through Rio Grande and Carson National Forests. Most of the line is bordered by rocky ledges, cliffs and formations of varying types. The train passes along the rim of Toltec Gorge, a spectacular, though brief highlight. Conifer and aspen trees dominate with periodic mountain meadows. The aspen trees turn a brilliant yellow in the fall making those trips popular. The easternmost quarter shifts to scrubby and arid rolling hills. There are numerous restored historic structures along the line, including two tunnels, bridges, section houses and water tanks.

Car and train charters are available. Extensive historic equipment is available for chartering.

There are typically four full-length excursion options: Antonito to Chama by bus; return by train, Antonito to Chama by train; return by bus, Chama to Antonito by bus; return by train, Chama to Antonito by train; return by bus. There are also two reduced-length excursion options: Antonito to Osier round trip and Chama to Osier round trip, but you must change trains in Osier.

The Cumbres and Toltec is highly regarded by both railfans and historians due to its relative authenticity and surviving historic fabric. Chama houses one of the most physically complete railroad yards from the steam era in the United States. Although portions of the roundhouse, warehouses, and parking lots have been changed, the railroad yard has the ambiance of pre-1960 railroad operations. The yard tracks contain authentic rolling stock and structures of the Denver and Rio Grande indigenous to the railroad line.

All the steam locomotives at the C&TS were built for and operated their entire careers for the Denver and Rio Grande Western. All 2-8-2 Mikados, these range from the relatively small K-27 "Mudhen", 463, once owned by Gene Autry, to the large K-37s, originally built as standard gauge locomotives. The mainstays are the venerable K-36 fleet, produced by Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1925. The only two Surviving D&RGW rotary snowplows are onsite and both have operated for the C&TS.

We saw the engine going to Chama today dumping its ash in the ash pit as it prepared for its journey.

The Antonito water tank and other buildings.

Cumbres and Toltec K37 2-8-2 495, built by the Denver and Rio Grande Western in 1928, on display.

I looked into the Antonito engine house.

At the east end of the complex, Cumbres and Toltec K37 2-8-2 494, built by the Denver and Rio Grande Western in 1928, on static display.

The Antonito station built in the 1970's.

We boarded this bus for the 8:30 AM departure to Chama. The ride is very beautiful and we saw the railroad from Los Pinõs down to Chama so it was sort of a preview of coming attractions.

The remains of the covered snowshed on the tail track of the Cumbres wye.

The Cumbres station as seen from the highway. The bus took us the remaining miles down the grade to Chama, where we had time to look around.

The Chama station built in 1899.

The Colorado Express was waiting for its 10:00 AM departure.

The power for our train was K-36 2-8-2 488 pulling coach 520 "Cumbres", coach 513 "Conejos", concession car 512 "Osier", coach 517 "Chama", coach 521 "Santa Fe", open car Denver and Rio Grande Western 9615 and parlour car 511 "Joseph C. Vigil". I was ticketed in "Santa Fe" but would ride in the open car for the entire trip. Now let us explore the yard.

Chama roundhouse and car shop.

Chama roundhouse built in 1899.

One of the railroad's steam engines was inside.

Denver and Rio Grande Western refrigerator car 163 built by the railroad in 1926.

Cumbres and Toltec Scecnic homebuilt narrow-gauge wood open-platform parlour car 510 "Clarence Quinlan".

Denver and Rio Grande Westen refrigerator car, builder and year unknown.

The Chama water tower built in 1897.

The Chama coaling tower built in 1924.

Our engineer waiting on departure time.

Denver and Rio Grande Western rotary snowplough OM, nee D&RGW standard gauge 1 built by Cooke in 1889. It is one of two former Denver and Rio Grande Western rotary snowploughs owned by the Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad. It was converted to narrow gauge in 1907 and renumbered OM (known as "Old Maude" by railroad crews). The rotary mechanism at the front was operated by a self-contained steam engine inside the car, which is why OM is coupled to a tender, but the plow could not move under its own power.

Denver and Rio Garnde Western coal-fired rotary snowplough OY built by American Locomotive Company in 1923.

I then boarded the train and took this picture of the front of the Chama station minutes before we left. Right at 10:00 AM, the train whistled off and we were on our way to Osier, the first part of the trip to Antonio.

The train was on the move.

Approaching the water tower.

A look back at the coaling tower.

Rounding the first curve out of Chama.

Approaching the Chama River bridge.

Crossing the Chama River.

The train passed the Jukes Tree, named for Fred Jukes, a prolific Colorado photographer from the early 1900's.

The train crossed Highway 17 where many photographers were awaiting four arrival and would follow the train all the way to Los Pinõs, where highway access to the tracks end.

We were rolling across the upper reaches of the Chama Valley.

Snaking our way through "The Narrows".

The photographers were out in force today.

Rounding a curve as we neared Weed City.

More curves into Weed City.

Fans of Indiana Jones should remember this water stand that young Indy swung off the train in "Indiana Jones and the Final Crusade".

Crossing the Lobato Trestle, the second highest bridge on the line at 100 feet above Wolf Creek, at Milepost 339.8.

Curving above Lobato Trestle.

A look back down at the trestle.

A look back down the mountain towards Chama.

Our train was climbing the steep grade near Lobo Lodge.

Another look back down the grade.

Passing Milepost 338.

We were approaching the Highway 17 crossing.

More photographers as we crossed.

Looking south down the grade.

Views near Milepost 337.

A look down off the grade.

Near Milepost 336.

We came to Cresco Ssding.

The Cresco water tower, built in 1893, at Milepost 335.1.

Traversing through the forest of aspens and other trees.

Interior of parlour car 511 "Joseph C. Vigil".

Looking back down the grade towards Chama.

Our engine kept climbing the steady four percent grade.

Windy Point came into view for the first time and in a few minutes, we would travel right at its base.

There were many interesting rocks above our route.

I love mountain railroading and the view it provides!

Our steam engine working up the grade.

Working hard the final miles to Cumbres Pass.

On the way to Windy Point.

Climbing to Windy Point.

Looking west near Windy Point.

The rock of Windy Point.

The train came to the Cumbres Pass Yard Limit sign.

Great views are yours at Windy Point, Milepost 331.0. The rails are laid out on the rock shelf carved out of the face of a cliff.

Looking from Windy Point down to Coxo.

Oddly-shaped rocks abound around Cumbres Pass.

Looking back down to Coxo.

Our train curved into Cumbres Pass station.

We have arived at Cumbres Pass, elevation 10,015 feet, the highest on the railroad.