Elizabeth and I arose and following our Internet duties, walked over to the Elevated Coffee Company for breakfast as this was the end of the season and no restaurants were open for breakfast. After that, we returned to our room at the Avon Hotel before checking out and walked the two blocks north to the freight train, loaded our luggage into the box car then waited to board the train. Once all the charter participants were aboard, we left for the Silverton station for several photo runbys.
Reverse move one at Silverton milepost 496.70.
Denver and Rio Grande Station Silverton station built in 1888.
Sunrise occurred this morning over the peak to the east.
Photo runby one.
Reverse move two.
Photo runby two.
The photo line.
Photo runby three with the passenger train. The train was reboarded and we left for Coyote Creek at Milepost 491.82.
The photo line.
Reverse move three with the passenger train.
Reverse move four with the freight train.
Photo runby four.
Reverse move five.
Photo runby five.
Photo runby six.
Photo runby seven. It was announced that the 93-year-old conductor died on the train going to Silverton and our brakeman would be the conductor once the train reached Elk Park and would therefore have extra time there.
Durango and Silverton K28 2-8-2 473.
The front of the steam engine.
The crew of both trains posed in front of Durango and Silverton K28 473. Anyone who wanted pictures of the cab of 473 was welcome to climb aboard and I was the first person who did so.
The interior of Durango and Silverton K28 473. I reboarded the train and waited for the Silverton train to arrive with Durango and Silverton D-535E 107 leading the steam train. From here we proceeded south to Junior Kitchen, milepost 488.50.
Reverse move six.
Photo runby eight.
Reverse move seven.
Photo runby nine.
Photo runby ten.
Photo runby eleven. From here we went to the Goblin Fire location at milepost 480.50.
Reverse move eight.
Reverse move nine.
Photo runby twelve.
Reverse move ten.
Photo runby thirteen.
Photo runby fourteen. Next we would head to the Highline, milepost 460.50.
On the way to the Highline. We detrained and everyone climbed up on the rock to their chosen spot.
Reverse move eleven.
Photo runby fifteen.
Reverse move twelve.
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Photo runby seventeen, the last one of the day. We ran to Rockwood to detrain the passengers who had chased the train from Durango then proceeded back to Durango in front of the helper and the train going to Durango. We went around the balloon track, a first for everyone, so we all had some rare mileage, then all detrained and the three K28 engines were in front of the depot for ten minutes. We hurried to take our pictures.
Three K28s, the only time you will see them displayed in this manner. I returned to the train to pick up our items then returned and placed them on a bench.
Durango and Silverton K28 2-8-2 478, nee Denver and Rio Grande Western 478, built by the American Locomotive Company in 1923. It was restored to operation in 1981, then taken out of service indefinitely in February 2016. It is temporarily on display in the Durango and Silverton Roundhouse museum, awaiting possible overhaul and will possibly be converted to burn oil after Durango and Silverton 481 and 486 are both converted.
We then walked back to the car and placed the items we carried onto the train and used the loading dock to walk to the box car and waited for our luggage to be given to us. Once this was completed, we escaped the parking lot and went to Subway for dinner, after which Elizabeth drove us to Farmington where we checked into the Comfort Inn there. I finished yesterday's story then labelled today's pictures before calling it a night.
10/18/2023 Elizabeth and I arose and following our Internet duties, checked out from the Comfort Inn in Farmington and went to the Village Inn and had an excellent breakfast. I then drove east down US Highway 24 to Dulce then took New Mexico 17, which turned into Colorado 17 to Antonito, where we parked in the Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad parking lot.
Cumbres and Toltec Scenic K28 463, nee Denver and Rio Grande Western 463, built by Baldwin in 1923. We brought a couple of DVDs and pins for our collection before I drove us out to Jaroso.
San Luis Southern Jaroso, the freight section only remaining and is used as a barn.
The grain elevator in the village of Jaroso. We drove back to Antonito and had an early dinner at the Dutch Mill Cafe, where I had an excellent steak and Elizabeth had a classic club sandich.
Across the street is a railroad mural, then we drove over to the restored Antonito station.
Denver and Rio Grande Western Antonito station built in the 1880's. It was a very short drive to the Narrow Gauge Motel and we checked in then after checking e-mail, Elizabeth and I walked back over to the yard.
Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad 2-8-2 K38 493, built by Denver and Rio Grande Railroad in 1928 from standard gauge 2-8-0 1105, was on a display train at the main entrance to the parking lot.
Cumbres and Toltec K28 463, nee Denver and Rio Grande Western 463, built by Baldwin in 1923. It was owned by Gene Autry from 1955 to 1972 but he never used this engine and donated it to the town of Antonito, where the Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad restored it in 1994.
Denver and Rio Grande Western 4-6-0 168 built by Baldwin in 1883. It was on display in Antlers Park in Colorado Springs from 1938 to 2015 then was leased to the Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad for forty-five years and was fully restored.
Cumbres and Toltec K37 2-8-2 495, nee Denver and Rio Grande Western standard-gauge 495 built by Baldwin in 1908. It was rebuilt as a narrow gauge locomotive in 1928 and retired in 1962.
The current Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad station, built in 1977.
Cumbres and Toltec K37 2-8-2 494, nee Denver and Rio Grande Western standard gauage 494 built by Baldwin in 1908. It was rebuilt as a narrow gauge locomotive in 1928 and retired in 1962.
Denver and Rio Grande Western caboose 0579, nee Denver and Rio Grande Western 81, built by the railroad in 1886.
Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad coach 292, ex. Denver and Rio Grande Western coach 292, nee Denver and Rio Grande Western 68, built by Jackson & Sharp in 1891.
Union Tank Car 11036.
Denver and Rio Grande Western box car 3524, built by American Car and Foundry in 1924.
Denver and Rio Grande Western stock car 5747, built by American Car and Foundry in 1904.
Denver and Rio Grande Western refrigator car 186 built by the railroad in 1926.
Denver and Rio Grande Western Antonito water tower and hand car shed.
Cumbres and Toltec crew room. We returned to the hotel and I was unable to watch the Pittsburgh Penguins hockey game as the motel did not have TNT. We called it a night early as we had a very early start tomorrow morning.
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