Back from the Black Hills!

[Nighthawk]

Nighthawk,

Come on down! But you'll need more than a weekend. This area is lousy with restored train runs. Guessing you've found True West Magazine - lots of ads for them trains in that magazine and wasn't too long ago they had a special trains issue with lots of info. Hopefully, your local librarian can find it.

Sad thing about the BM&LP is that its like 50,000 volts and there are warning signs at the crossings. But the power is up above. That doesn't keep the occasional drunk from passing out on the tracks and getting whacked by the train. Sad stuff, particularly for the engineers.

I think the next closest train is down in the Verde Valley. Then there are some down around Tucson.

Cumbres is on my list. Have a coworker who's a D&RG junkie. Always lurking for pics between Durango and Silverton then selling them at art shows.

When I was a boy my father was offered an opportunity to move to Maui and help his best friend restore the Sugar Train...he passed due to the perceived risk. Got to see what I missed last month. Kinda sad.

Ron

I have a friend who works on the Sugar Train! He's a tall, skinny, 60 somethng redhead named Richard. I've not been able to talk myself into going. I don't deal with heat very well. So how was the Sugar Train? Any pictures? The website is rather sparse.

For a few of my pictures of Cumbres, check the link below.

Love the pics of that articulated tank loco... I'm a steam buff, myself, and have one of those loco's in brass HO scale.

Chris...

Wow!! I'm impressed! Yeah, I was surprised to see that it was articulated, especially being so small an engine. I didn't know Baldwin ever made a 2-6-6-2. It was quite cool to see it in action. The engineer told me that the tanks (one on each side) hold 2500 gallons. Check out some of my other pictures! http://nighthawkdesigngroup.com/Photography.htm

Since you mentioned the drivers, here are a couple pictures I got of them:

[Splash_4]

I remember that train! I used to live in Rapid City in the late 70's and we would ride that train during the summer times. Thanks for the memories!

[Riverkilt]

Didn't get to ride the Sugar Train, just shopped at the depot gift shop and used the clean rest rooms. Guess it was at the opposite end of the line when we were in Lahaina so no pics either. Grumble...

Ron

[Nighthawk]

Didn't get to ride the Sugar Train, just shopped at the depot gift shop and used the clean rest rooms. Guess it was at the opposite end of the line when we were in Lahaina so no pics either. Grumble...

Ron

Aw... What a shame!

[Chrissss]

Wow!! I'm impressed! Yeah, I was surprised to see that it was articulated, especially being so small an engine. I didn't know Baldwin ever made a 2-6-6-2. It was quite cool to see it in action. The engineer told me that the tanks (one on each side) hold 2500 gallons. Check out some of my other pictures! http://nighthawkdesigngroup.com/Photography.htm

Oh yes, they were built for several logging companies. Small, could handle tight curves, and lots of tractive effort for their size. I'm pretty sure they also built 2-4-4-2's.

Here's my model that I'll paint one of these days.



I really like the grey scale photo or your site. Black and White just sets the right mood for steam loco pics.

Chris...

[Nick the DSM]

thats really cool, man! i've only ridden the amtrak and that only lasted like 30 minutes or so.

[Nighthawk]

thats really cool, man! i've only ridden the amtrak and that only lasted like 30 minutes or so.

I've chased the Amtrak. The Rockies make everything beautiful!

Oh yes, they were built for several logging companies. Small, could handle tight curves, and lots of tractive effort for their size. I'm pretty sure they also built 2-4-4-2's.

Here's my model that I'll paint one of these days.



I really like the grey scale photo or your site. Black and White just sets the right mood for steam loco pics.

Chris...

That's just SEXY!! I want one! I have a pewter UP 844 that I'm going to assemble and paint some day. Of course, I've been saying that for ten years...

That black and white is actually a collage. It was the 844 and the Challenger doubleheading. They were too long for one shot, so I set up my camera on a tripod and took two. And as if those two engines together aren't sweet enough, the Challenger blew a seal right before they got to Cheyenne, Wyoming (it was an excursion trip from Denver to Cheyenne and back) so they had to couple the 844 with another helper. I didn't pay a lot of attention to the helper- at first. I just thought "Now that's one big diesel." And about 40 miles into the Colorado border, they stopped to do a photo run. It was at that point that my cousin and I noticed that the helper wasn't just a big diesel. It was the big diesel. Yes sir, it was a DD40 coupled to the back of the 844!! Marty was beating on my arm and I was snapping pictures. I couldn't believe my eyes, man! And of all the pictures I took, this was the only one worth keeping:



I didn't have my digi back then, so all I had was three disposable cameras. But such is life.