06-23-16 Early Start Today

[Larry Sullivan]

The sun rises on another day in the Chama yard.

bandicam 2016-06-23 08-25-19-496.jpg (43.39 KiB) Viewed 3924 times

489 is out early this morning at the ash pit, will have to watch and see if anything beyond normal servicing happens.

bandicam 2016-06-23 08-16-42-498.jpg (93.76 KiB) Viewed 3927 times

Earlier this morning we had a couple mule deer resting by the sand box, hard to see except for their white hind sides. One was laying there for 1/2 hour or so before the 2nd one showed up and they moved off.

bandicam 2016-06-23 08-12-31-921.jpg (85.99 KiB) Viewed 3926 times

[Sharon Evans]

As Larry noted early start for 489 to do moves for the Friends

6.23.16 489 backs down the main by north yard.jpg (134.72 KiB) Viewed 3918 times

6.23.16 Filler er up please.jpg (134.15 KiB) Viewed 3915 times

6.23.16 Bunker full, 489 backs past the wood shop.jpg (147.08 KiB) Viewed 3912 times

6.23.16 and onto the south yard lead.jpg (150.39 KiB) Viewed 3912 times

6.23.16 489 than moves forward behind a caboose and spreader.jpg (141.52 KiB) Viewed 3910 times

6.23.16 489 shoves the caboose and spreader ahead to the water car.jpg (150.2 KiB) Viewed 3909 times

6.23.16 than pulls back with the water car.jpg (145.3 KiB) Viewed 3909 times

6.23.16 shoves the string forward into the house connector.jpg (159.47 KiB) Viewed 3906 times

6.23.16 now shoves the spreader and caboose back where they started.jpg (150.49 KiB) Viewed 3906 times

6.23.16 comes back and gets the water car and takes into south yard.jpg (156.72 KiB) Viewed 3906 times

489 has gone deep into south yard to work. Can just barely see his smoke.

[Larry Sullivan]

We also have someone weeding in the sand box this morning.

[Sharon Evans]

I would be kind of apprehensive as to what may be in those weeds. Wonder if they are going to put down some type of ground sterilent to prevent further growth.

6.23.16 weeding sand box.jpg (161.85 KiB) Viewed 3902 times

6.23.16 Go after those BIG weeds.jpg (171.06 KiB) Viewed 3901 times

6.23.16 The sand pit is all clean.jpg (168.17 KiB) Viewed 3853 times

Look past the depot and you can see 489 up on the depot house track for some reason.

[Larry Sullivan]

Note the spreader has the blades out as well this morning.

[Sharon Evans]

Further morning moves in Chama and the FOTCT are busy little beavers all over the place today. Interesting that the 489 is doing a lot of work on the depot house track, which, of course, we cannot see.
With 487 out at the normal time for the road engine to get read, make me think its going to take 216 out and 489 was out to do extensive switching in the yard.

6.23.16 487 is now at pit.jpg (155.43 KiB) Viewed 3900 times

6.23.16 487 taking water.jpg (185.98 KiB) Viewed 3894 times

6.23.16 487 backs by north yard to get to coal dock.jpg (174.24 KiB) Viewed 3889 times

6.23.16 487 gets its bunker filled for the day's work.jpg (173.32 KiB) Viewed 3889 times

6.23.16 489 comes back out of the south yard-.jpg (109.05 KiB) Viewed 3888 times

489 has now headed east on the main.

6.23.16 487 has backed down to near the train.jpg (179.37 KiB) Viewed 3878 times

6.23.16 487's road fireman seems to be building his fird.jpg (173.48 KiB) Viewed 3877 times

6.23.16 8 car 216 today.jpg (104.02 KiB) Viewed 3876 times

6.23.16 with the 8th car added to today's 216 the train is ready and the Friends are busy at the RPO.jpg (106.69 KiB) Viewed 3875 times

[Bruce McDowell]

Note in the last photo that a new car has been added on the depot house track behind the RPO. This seems to be the net effect of all the shifting this morning.

[Sharon Evans]

Note in the last photo that a new car has been added on the depot house track behind the RPO. This seems to be the net effect of all the shifting this morning.

Wonder if its the water car the Friends have been working on set there as another display car.

[Sharon Evans]

Departure of train 216
Eight cars again this week. Wonder if the business is that good or they are just deadheading cars back to Antonito after the Geology train.

6.23.16 216 is now in load position and the new car is quite evident.jpg (106.98 KiB) Viewed 3865 times

with that new car on the depot house track, it will be almost impossible to see a hi ball from the conductor.

6.23.16 463 has come out for service.jpg (136.52 KiB) Viewed 3865 times

6.23.16 463 fire cleaned and water in the tender, 463 backs to the house.jpg (164.03 KiB) Viewed 3861 times

6.23.16 487 gets train 216 moving out of Chama on a sunny day.jpg (165.3 KiB) Viewed 3845 times

487 blows to alert the conductor of the running brake test

6.23.16 The conductor and 2 happy riders occupy the rear platform of the New Mexico.jpg (150.53 KiB) Viewed 3845 times

[Steve Ritchie]

Wow, the atmospherics were perfect today, you could hear 487's whistle all the way out to the narrows, that was cool!

[Bruce McDowell]

Hah - got really lucky taking a peek at the Pass camera - 489 after turning.

[Larry Sullivan]

Wow, the atmospherics were perfect today, you could hear 487's whistle all the way out to the narrows, that was cool!

It is kind of amazing how far out you can hear it at times!

[Larry Sullivan]

Here's video of the morning switching. Unedited, runs about 18 minutes or so. Also seen are the Friends that start working on weeding the sand box, looks like they did a heck of a good job when finished!

More from the morning will come as I work it up.

[Sharon Evans]

Arrival of train 215 and other afternoon activities

6.23.16 The Colorado at Cumbres.jpg (155.78 KiB) Viewed 3781 times

6.23.16 489 has returned to the yard.jpg (164.58 KiB) Viewed 3780 times

The 489 is back from spinning the wye and the fire patrol speeder is following right behind

6.23.16 489 heads straight to the house without getting a clean.jpg (167.55 KiB) Viewed 3777 times

6.23.16 484 leads train 215 into Chama.jpg (146.72 KiB) Viewed 3762 times

There are still a lot of folks riding in the open gon as 215 passes the coaling tower

6.23.16 Parlor Colorado still is wearing its bunting.jpg (160.43 KiB) Viewed 3762 times

6.23.16 484 passes the depot and we can see the progress the Friends are making stripping the RPO.jpg (137.64 KiB) Viewed 3762 times

[Pete Dahlberg]

Hah - got really lucky taking a peek at the Pass camera - 489 after turning.

489 stayed at Cumbres until 216 cleared and then proceeded back to Chama.

Word from the crew is that because of a shortage of grease for the bearings, the bearings were converted to use oil as a lubricant. They are working out the kinks before putting it into revenue service.

[Larry Gibson]

484 at the ashpit at 6:15 local time.

[Sharon Evans]

Hah - got really lucky taking a peek at the Pass camera - 489 after turning.

489 stayed at Cumbres until 216 cleared and then proceeded back to Chama.

Word from the crew is that because of a shortage of grease for the bearings, the bearings were converted to use oil as a lubricant. They are working out the kinks before putting it into revenue service.

That then explains what they were doing with 487 earlier in the month.

[Larry Gibson]

Posting these captures in the daily thread to document the change in position of the RPO car after the 215 arrived as noted by Jonathan Cordova in his contingent thread. Good observation!!!:)

[Larry Gibson]

Dusk falls on yard just before depot cam goes to B/W mode. Night shadows approach at 8:50 MDT.

[Larry Sullivan]

More video of the day -- sorry so late, real life got in the way of the fun today, so couldn't be around this afternoon/evening - hopefully I've caught all the important stuff!!

Here's another short video of the morning yard activity, primarily showing the blades being opened on the Jordan Spreader - but also in the foreground the weeding of the sand box kicks into high gear, 489 is working by the depot, 487 is smoking away heavily at the shop as she's stocked up for her days journey, and lots of Friends out working on the various projects.



With some sounds from 463 as she headed back to the shop from getting water, we see 3 deer enter the yard, likely coming from the swamp, cautiously crossing the yard alert to all the activity around. After they go out of camera shot, about 20 seconds later with someone walking down to the North yard the deer decide it's safer over in the swamp and head back.



Train 216 departs with 487 in the lead.

[Larry Sullivan]

A few other highlights from the afternoon -- along with all the Friends in the yard, a large tour group of some kind was being shown around, came from the depot then went over around the shop, some down to near the tipple, later a 2nd group the same. The brush that had come out of the sandbox was cleaned up, loaded onto the bucket loader, then brought to the swamp, and ending with 489 and the fire speeder coming back from their trips to Cumbres.



Train 215 returns, I only have the South cam for this one.



This is in the other thread already, but thought I'd put here for completeness of the day. Super thanks to Mr. John Cole, risking life, limb, and 1000's of bee stings to clean our windows on the Chama world! Thanks John, the effort is much appreciated by all of us.

[Larry Sullivan]

One more to end the day -- was trying to catch some of the lightning in the area, no luck there but someone was setting off some fireworks, then right at the end of this some small critter walks down and across the ash pit - might be a cat, might be something else - anyway fun way to close the day.