The Rattle & the Roar (Audio Recording)

[Jason Rose]

This is an audio recording of D&RGW Engineer Ben Greathouse in the cab of Cumbres & Toltec #483 in Antonito, Colorado on September 1, 1970. This is the first day of the newly created Cumbres & Toltec and Engineer Greathouse is getting 483 steamed up to begin hauling equipment that was donated by the D&RGW to Chama.

I do not own these recordings and am only posting them to share with a new gernation of fans and to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Cumbres & Totlec.

The following was written by my friend, Ed Stabler

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I was invited to assist the late C. M. "Bud” Edmonds with making audio recordings the first movements of equipment on what had become the C&TS on 1 Sept. 1970. Bud was a member of the Colorado State Legislature, and had worked with Clarence Quinlan to establish the Colorado Railroad Authority. He was also the former owner of KCMS-AM/FM in Manitou Springs, and a very experienced audio recording engineer.

We arrived in Alamosa in time to chase the D&RGW standard gauge diesel pulling the first increment of narrow gauge equipment to Antonito to turn over to the C&TS. As soon as the narrow gauge train had been pushed onto C&TS track, people seemed to appear out of nowhere. A fire was lit in 483’s firebox, and Ernie Robart began painting out the flying Rio Grande on 483’s tender so he could apply the first C&TS logo.

I backed my pickup close up to 483’s gangway and began setting up equipment to record the sounds being made in the cab. Ben Greathouse was holding forth in the cab, supervising the steam up and willingly answering questions from me and many others. Much of that afternoon and evening’s conversation later became much of Vol VI of a seven volume set of LP records entitled “The Rattle and the Roar”. The records are, unfortunately, long out of print, but occasionally show up on the used market.

About nine o’clock that evening, enough steam pressure was raised to blow 483’s whistle. It was really happening after more than a year of no narrow gauge activity! What came to be called "The Longest Night" was over. Life returned to the narrow gauge.

I had been working weekends as a relief engineer on the Cripple Creek & Victor 2-footer and got volunteered to be the overnight engine watchman on 483. It was quite a thrill for me to be able to throw the occasional few scoops of coal on the fire, and run some water into the boiler now and then.

Many of the volunteers spent the night in various boxcars and reefer in the train. I wonder if anyone got a decent night’s sleep. Be that as it may, I woke everybody up at six AM with a long blast of 483’s whistle.

Later that morning, 2 September, 1970, with two shorts blown on the whistle, 483 attempted to pull the train toward Chama. No such luck. The rails were rusty, and the track had a lot of weeds growing in it which made traction impossible. The rear of the train was cut off behind 492 which was being hauled dead. 483 managed to get that much moving and we made it to Lava Tank where we took on water and left several freight cars and 492 in the track that connects the upper and lower main line to form the loop at Lava.

Pulling our rider (pipe) gon and pushing two DBGs full of ballast, we made it to Big Horn close to sundown, Then backed all the way to Antonito and tied up for the night. I think everyone on the train was bone tired, but we got a start on things.

When I look at the C&TS today and see the many improvements over the years, I’m thankful for people like Clarennce Quinlan, Bud Edmonds, Terry Ross, Ernie Robart and many others who believed enough in the railroad to keep it going. I’m honored to have been there.

Ed Stabler
1942 - 2017

More information about Ed: http://www.riograndeexplorations.net/TS ... tabler.htm