On the approach to Sublette.
The Rio de los Pinõs.
The water column at Sublette with a track speeder.
Sublette, Milepost 306, was the home for the section gangs, the men who maintained the right-of-way (ties, ballast and rails). There were bunkhouses for other workers, cool storage, water spout and spreader shed. During early railroad operations, the telegraph and trains were the only communication for people living here.
We departed Sublette and a change in plant life would be noticeable.
Yet another curve.
A last look at Sublette.
Eons of wind erosion have created the rock formations seen here across the canyon and throughout the journey.
Looking down at the river.
The vegetation has become drier.
A good viw of thee San Antonio shield volcano in New Mexico.
Passing Bighorn Peak.
The train approaching Bighorn Peak.
I have always liked trees and this route has many varieties.
Rounding a pair of curves.
We came to Big Horn siding.
Passing the Big Horn wye at Milepost 299.4.
Big Horn.
The tracks which we would be travelling on in a few minutes.
The bottom of Whiplash Curve, Milepost 297.0. Because steel wheels on steel rails slip on steep hills, the railroad must loop back on itself to gain altitude.
The view into the San Luis Valley.
There was a storm to the north complete with many flashes of lightning.
Rounding the bottom of Whiplash Curve.
One of the "Entering New Mexico" signs.
The storm clouds.
En route to Lava.
The view out into the San Luis Valley.
The rain was pouring out of those clouds.
The view looking south.
On the Lava Loop was a steam-powered ballast train, not something one sees every day.
The Lava tank at Milepost 291.5. Sitting on a high mesa, the Lava tank once held water, pumped from the river below, for the steam engines.
Our engine performed another blow down on a curve at Lava.
Looking back upgrade. The Lava Loop is used for turning snowploughs in the winter.
The ballast train at Lava.
The train came to the curve near Milepost 288.
A final look at that ballast train with the water tower and San Antonio Mountain.
We were heading into the storm.
Pasing the last "Entering Colorado" signpost, the eleventh time we crossed the New Mexico/Colorado state line.
The storms ahead of our train, complete with lightning and pouring rain. I hoped we could reach Antonito before it started.
Rounding another curve as we neared our destination.
Indiana Jones fans might remember this area as it was the circus train scene that was filmed along here. Sure enough, as we werer almost to Antonio, the sky let loose.
The train arrived at Antonito in the pouring rain. This ended an excellent trip aboard the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad. The three of us ran to the car and the rain changed to hail as we neared the car. We drove back to Alamosa, where it was not raining, and went to the Rio Grande Scenic Railroad to try to pick up our tickets for tomorrow's trip but were told to come back in the morning. Since we were here, we decided to look around.
San Luis & Rio Grande Railroad B39-8E 8542, ex. Relco 852, nee LMX Leasing 8542 built by General Electric in 1987.
Rio Grande Scenic 2-8-0 18, ex. Mount Hood Railroad 18, exx. Grand Canyon Railway 18, exxx. Lake States Steam Association 18, exxxx. Ishpeming Steel 18 1985, exxxxx. Marquette and Huron Mountain Railroad 18 1963, nee Lake Superior and Ishpeming 18 built by American Locomotive Company in 1910.
The steam engine was filled with water.
Rio Grande Scenic 18 would be pulling our train to La Veta tomorrow.
In two pieces was San Luis and Rio Grande 2-6-0 1744, ex. Fort Worth and Western 1744, exx. Heber Valley Railroad 1744 1981, exxx. Sons of the Utah Pioneers at Corinne, Utah 1959, nee Southern Pacific 1744 built by Baldwin in 1901.
We returned to the Best Western Alamosa Inn and after a KFC dinner, watched "Doctor Who" before calling it a night.
