Our engine, K-37 488, took water here.
On the move again, we passed the Cumbres Pass elevation sign of 10,015 feet.
The Cumbres Pass station, a former section house built in 1882 and converted to a station.
The remains of the Cumbres Pass wye snowshed.
Looking down the Cumbres Creek Valley. We would now circumnavigate Tanglefoot Curve.
Tanglefoot Curve, at Milepost 329.7, from the top. The railroad builders had to lay track in wide loops to gain thirty-nine feet of elevation. The eastbound train crew wouuld jump off the slow-moving train on the upper track, walk down to the lower track, inspect the train for hot boxes and burnt-out bearings and reboard the caboose. Legend has it that many years ago, a trainman tangled his foot in a briar and slid down the bank almost into the path of his own train - hence the name.
The lower level of the curve.
Our train was rounding Tanglefoot Curve.
Looking down at the lower level.
Cumbres and Toltec Scenic 488 performed a blow down here.
Our train was rolling down Tanglefoot Curve below where we had just been.
Coming out of Tanglefoot Curve.
Looking back.
Our train was running near Milepost 329.
Rounding another curve as it drifted downgrade.
Looking back upgrade to Tanglefoot Curve.
Looking back, you could still see Windy Point.
On the way to Milepost 328.
Looking back with Windy Point seen.
Rolling into the Rio de Los Pinõs Valley.
The Rio de Los Pinõs Valley.
Our train was near Milepost 327.
Looking across the width of the Rio de los Pinõs Valley.
Milepost 326.
The train on the west side of the Rio de Los Pinõs Valley.
There were snow fences along our route.
A small lake in the Rio de Los Pinõs Valley.
The Los Pinõs water tank came into view.
About to pass it.
The Los Pinõs water tank built in 1880.
The horseshoe curve at the head of the Rio de Los Pinõs Valley.
Looking south down the valley.
Another view of the water tank, now across the valley.
In the bottom of the valley is the Rio de Los Pinõs itself.
Our train running down the valley.
Another view of the river.
The Rio de los Pinõs Valley is very beautiful.
Rio de Los Pinos.
Rolling along the river.
Our beautiful train in a beautiful setting.
Rio de los Pinos, a tributary of the San Juan River.
The view above.
Passing through Long Creek.
The train runs above Rio de los Pinõs.
The river could be seen meandering through the valley.
The engine drifting down the grade.
Beautiful scenery on a beautiful summer's day.
We then crossed Cascade Trestle over Cascade Creek at Milepost 320.0. This bridge is 137 feet high and 409 feet long and is the tallest trestle on the former Denver Rio Grande & Western.
The train came to the "Osier Station Ahead" sign.
We were now high above the river.
Looking back along the river.
The lunch room at Osier came into view.
A look up Arkansas Creek Canyon.
The view of Osier from across Osier Creek.
Rolling the final mile into Osier.
Osier, Colorado was seen ahead of the train.
Crossing Osier Creek.
Rounding the last curve.
We arived at Osier, Milepost 318.4. Before the railroad, this was a toll station on the road from Conejos to Chama and once was a small community with a store, rooming house for trallvers, section house for railroad employees' families, depot, coal loading dock, covered turntable and cattle pens.
Everyone detrained for lunch, which is included with your train ticket.
The Lunch Room where I had an excellent turkey meal with all the trimmings.
