Nice Site

Nice site, keep up the good work.

Posted by Michael (guest) on Mon 10 Sep 2007 10:05:05 PM CDT

oh, for the good ol' days...

Forget diesels, computers, and tagged boxcars - this is the way it was when my granddaddy was railroading. This is the kind of railroading I model simply because it's too far to Colorado. Thanks for a great website!!!

Posted by former railroader (guest) on Wed 31 Oct 2007 07:27:48 PM CDT

Thanks, John, for keeping the gritty things alive.

John,

your photos of the DRGW narrow gauge are amazing, they show the work of an entire group of people who worked in a different time than the rest of the railroad, and the world, in the 1960s. Their work belonged more almost in 1910 than 1960.

Eerie it is to see your photos; looking right at them, knowing the location, having seen it with my own eyes, and being at the same place as you 40+ years later, on the C&TS, but even eerier, on the parts of the narrow gauge that are nowadays only memories, the Farmington Branch, and the narrow gauge "main" between Chama and Durango, such as in Pagosa Jct.

Having to been to both Durango and Chama, as well as the authentic steam terminal at Ely, your pictures and comments only serve to reinforce my view of Durango today as a tourist haven, which is reflected in the D&S itself, which just doesn't have the appeal of Chama, with its 4-5 operating K-class Mikes and operating coaling tower, where you walk out and about on real cinders, to wait for your train to Antonito; it's real. Chama beats Durango hands down; it may have been smaller and less important to begin with, but less has changed there. The scenery may be less in your face than the Silverton line, but the view nearing Toltec Gorge is amazing, and its longer.

Thanks, Matthew.

Posted by Matthew Roberts (guest) on Sun 11 Nov 2007 04:51:20 PM CST

Like the Comments

I have been on your site many times but Have not seen the text until now. Thank You! It is very informative. Love the pictures, also.


Fellow Narrow Gauge lover
Michael Robinson

"Got here to late to see the real Rio Grande but there are still pieces around".
-Michael

Posted by Michael R. (guest) on Tue 27 Nov 2007 01:57:31 PM CST

Great Pictures

John,
Awesome pictures, they bring back many memories... My Grandfather worked for DRG&W in Alamosa and my brothers, cousins, I spent many summers with my Grandparents who lived across the street from the Roadhouse and Rail yard. We would often walk my Grandfather to work, bring him lunch, and meet him in the shops to walk home with him after work. We spent a lot of time around the shops and yards, and would often get to ride with him while switching cars. I wonder if one of the workers in your pictures could be my Grandfather…
Thanks again
Martin
martinford@sbcglobal.net

Posted by Martin Ford (guest) on Sun 09 Dec 2007 03:15:45 AM CST

I'm very happy to see this beautiful color photos!!
All this high-quality pics shortened the time.
I very like to see the DRGW in the 60's!!

Posted by jean-françois (guest) on Mon 10 Dec 2007 03:37:13 PM CST

great pictures

thank you all that were envolved in putting this pictures together for anyone to see. I enjoy having a chance looking into the past. thank you again

Posted by mark (guest) on Tue 01 Jan 2008 08:43:10 AM CST

Great Pictures

Thanks for your pictures-- great atmosphere captured

Thanks for the site
Warwick Howse (Sydney,Australia)

Posted by Warwick Howse (guest) on Wed 02 Jan 2008 04:31:43 AM CST

great pictures! I have added this site to my favorites. thanks for sharing these shots with the rest of us that wasnt able to see it in person.51

Posted by william cowgar (guest) on Tue 08 Jan 2008 12:48:23 PM CST

Thanks

Amazing site! Thanks for taking the time to post the photos and provide captions. I have many books on the D&RGW but wasn’t born until 1971 so I missed on experiencing this great railroad. Thanks again for bringing it alive for me.

Posted by Travis Handschug (guest) on Thu 14 Feb 2008 11:59:47 AM CST

Eureka Southern

I just found your Rio Grande pictures. In some of the photos we must have been in each others foot prints.

You used to ride with us on the Eureka Southern.

Jerry Kitts, engineer and conductor

Posted by Jerry Kitts (guest) on Thu 14 Feb 2008 01:08:52 PM CST

OUTSTANDING PHOTOS

Posted by Steve Vendt (guest) on Tue 11 Mar 2008 10:01:04 PM CDT

wonderful photos

Thanks so much for sharing your great narrow gauge photos. The first steam engine I ever got to ride was D&RGW #268 "Bumblebee" around Gunnison in the early 1950's. A uncle I lived with growing up worked for a oil company that had him go to the Gunnison area to work. I tagged along and played near the tracks and got a few rides on the little"Bumblebee". Lots of fun. I try to model in SN3 and have a model of the "Bumblebee" with a little kid ridding on it !

Thanks for great photos please post more !

Bill Curry

Posted by Bill Curry (guest) on Tue 11 Mar 2008 10:55:11 PM CDT

A WISH FOR THE FUTURE.

First thanks for sharing your pictures of the last decade of the San Juan extension, they are both stunningly good pictures in their own right and an invaluable historic record. They really help outsiders such as myself gain a feel for what this railway was like in its last years. And thanks also for making available your pictures of the IRCA/FEGUA, the best that I have yet seen of this remarkable railway - one of the great triumphs of American Railroad Engineering.
And now the wish: I still believe that the very best way of displaying railway photographs is via the medium of print - beautifully produced pictures on heavy archive quality paper. What chance is there of yourself and your friends and colleagues who photographed the RioGrande narrow gauge in it's last decade taking out the time to put together the definitive photgraphic history of this decade? A book like some of the better Old Line Graphics publications intermixing photographs with track plans, details of how the railway was operated, anecdotes about the line and photographs of memorabila as well as the railway. From what I have seen and from what I have read you and friends/colleagues have the material. Such a book would make a terrific tribute to the crews and other employees of the RioGrande who made your photographs possible. It's a very big ask but I believe that the return would be bigger. Thanks again for making your pictures available. Charles.

Posted by Charles Milner (guest) on Thu 08 May 2008 03:34:09 PM CDT

Farmington Pics

I'm happy to hear that you were able to restore the images of the Farmington Turn. THANK YOU for sharing them with the public. I wish I could have been around back then to see those runs myself (b.1984).

Posted by Lonnie (narrow.gauge.guy@gmail.com) (guest) on Thu 29 May 2008 12:37:32 PM CDT

Pics

Great group of pics, I like them all

Posted by Michael (guest) on Mon 16 Jun 2008 02:58:12 PM CDT

Un grand Bravo pour vos merveilleuses album photo qui me font découvrir la totalité d'un impressionant réseau à voie étroite (narrow gauge)comme il n'en existe hélas plus beaucoup!Je connais fort bien la gare de Chama et la ligne de Durango à Silverton .Vos images font regretter la rupture de continuité entre Durango et Chama.Envisagez -vous d'ajouter d'autres photographies à vos alums?
Merci de votre initiative.

Posted by /Jean-Claude LALOYAU lehonlaloi@aol.com (guest) on Thu 03 Jul 2008 09:54:15 AM CDT

DRGW in the 60's

What a great selection of high quality shots from a time when such pictures were apparently rarely taken, or have literally faded away.

Thank you so much. More comments via e-mail.

Posted by Robert Furrer, Switzerland (guest) on Sun 04 Jan 2009 05:27:25 PM CST

Re: D&RGW K-36 photos

John,

Your photos of D&RGW narrow gauge steam in action are simply magnificent. Some friends and I had the good fortune to be able to spend almost two days chasing and photographing the Cumbres and Toltec last October and your photos are proof that little has changed over the years. Your traditional film combined with perfect composition and exposure put our digital results to shame. We look forward to a return visit next year and in the meantime have become contributors to the "Friends" of the CTS to help keep such an historic jewel operational for generations to come. Thanks for sharing!

Best wishes,

Tom Barrows - Evansville, Indiana
t.barrows@insightbb.com

Posted by Tom Barrows (guest) on Sat 10 Jan 2009 05:22:36 PM CST

John...

My father passed away recently. He was a model railroader and had experienced in person some of what you have in your great pictures(Rio Grande in the 60's). I have inherited his equipment and decided to model D&RG HOn3 narrow gauge. I was looking for pictures to help in modeling scenery.

Your website and the great pictures are just what I was looking for.

I will check occasionally to see if new additions have been made.

Thanks for making the effort to share your pictures

Posted by Gordon Dittmer (guest) on Sun 01 Feb 2009 10:59:13 PM CST

Thanks for the pictures

Thank you, John, for sharing your beautiful pictures. I grew up in Farmington in the 50s and 60s, and loved to hear and see the trains come into town. Rode the Silverton for the first time in 58 or 59. I visit this site often to see pictures of the railroad that for me as a kid was always a thrilling link to the storied past, a visitor from high and mysterious mountain ranges, and a mechanical marvel in itself.

Posted by David Bauman (guest) on Tue 03 Mar 2009 11:00:36 PM CST

great work!

Your photos are absolutely fabulous! They are beyond technically proficient, artistically composed, and capture that elusive quality that makes narrow gauge railroading so special to many of us. Thank you for your generous sharing of these images.
In the last several days since I have discovered them, I have returned time and again, as well as telling a couple of my friends that they should look at them.
Your black and whites are "O. Winston Link" quality! Seems like only yesterday when I look at the dates, and that makes the photos all the more fascinating.

Posted by Prof. John K. Landis (guest) on Wed 11 Mar 2009 05:39:14 PM CDT

Wonderful Site!

Thanks for all of your hard work putting this site together. I am so glad that I happened upon it as it answers many questions I had. I am 52 and my first trip on the line to Silverton was in 1970 when it was still DRGW. I have ridden it 5 times since. I seem to recall that there were more parallel tracks north from the Durango station back in 1970 (and maybe even in 1987). But there is only the single track now. I wondered why?
Anyhow keep up the excellent work and fantastic old color photos, thanks to your skills in both photography and Photoshop, these memories are now preserved indefinitely.

Posted by Kevin Barrett (guest) on Sun 15 Mar 2009 03:05:09 AM CDT

WOW!

Gentlemen,

Thank you, I am a Colorado Native, train buff, model railroader, and generally narrow minded person. gauge :)
Your pictures have inspired me to dive into my HOn3 layout, it has been hard for me to get to South-Western Colorado due to an extremely busy schedule. You should know that these pictures have completely captured the look and spirit of the railroad and will completely inspire the scenery of my layout.

Thank You,
Brandan

Posted by Brandan Brauch (guest) on Wed 18 Mar 2009 09:29:52 PM CDT

FARMINGTON BRANCH

I was raised in Farmington in the '50s and my uncle had a wholesale oil company right by the tracks across from the depot. I spent a lot of time there when the train came to town. I was in the San Juan Valley Railroad Club that sponsored a train trip from Farmington to Silverton and another trip from Farmington to Alamosa. These pictures bring back a lot of memories.

Posted by RICHARD WOOLSEY (guest) on Fri 20 Mar 2009 03:53:57 PM CDT

Incredible photos. I wandered upon your site following your comments about painting a crane yellow.
I am a relatively recent model railroader now living on the North Beach Peninsula on the Washington Coast. As you may well know the IR&N (sometimes known as the Clamshell Railroad) was a 3 ft gauge railroad that ran on the Peninsula from 1888 to 1930.
Too much to be told here in these comments, but I am also involved with our Clamshell Railroad Days held in July at the Columbia Pacific Heritage Museum and have been researching HOn3 material with an eye to creating some modules or dioramas depicting IR&N scenes.
Have been to Durango only once but of course rode the D&S. And would you believe I have a C&TS Screen Saver on my desktop.
Anyway, I really appreciate your photos.

Posted by Mark Clemmens (guest) on Thu 26 Mar 2009 12:37:00 AM CDT

Thanks, John

Very nice collection that will become more valuable over time. Thanks for taking the time and effort to share these.

Posted by Dave Schranck (guest) on Thu 26 Mar 2009 12:20:24 PM CDT

1960s D&RGW

Thanks for the perspective. How amazing (however sad) that Durango Yard and Carbon Junction have been obliterated, yet barely 50 miles away, much of the three short lines that ran out of Silverton are traceable in some fashion, especially the Silverton Northern.

I've explored all but the Navajo Canyon segment of the abandoned D&RGW San Juan Extension in recent years. I was surprised to see Nathan Holmes' 2005 photos of Pagosa Junction (on drgw.net) with the rails still on the main there and a freight car on the siding. I had always believed the entire 110 miles was pulled.

I live 2½ hours from EBT and have over the years walked the entire 33-mile main line (except in a few places where the overgrowth requires a short bypass).

After seeing your wonderful photos of 60+ car trains, one can't help but wonder how many of those all-steel EBT cars those K-36s and K-37s could have hauled!

I also have to wonder if the same sentiments that saved the Antonito-Chama section were applied at Durango would the Colorado Department of Transportation possibly have investigation alternative surveys for the highway improvements at Durango... The railroad built the town, the yard should have been spared.

Posted by Vince Liberty, Jr. (guest) on Thu 02 Apr 2009 10:32:44 PM CDT

what a beautiful site

very very nice, and informative too!!! Thanks for sharing!

Posted by dick lawrence (guest) on Mon 13 Apr 2009 09:01:46 PM CDT

Hello John,

someone linked your wonderful site at the German Site http://www.bimmelbahn.de/ (Go to Forum/German only)). Otherwise I would not have noticed it. I will come back many times, thats for shure.

Do you have more shots of the Coal Double Header to Stiege? I would like to see more of your other shots especially between the leg E-Talmühle and Stiege which hasn't seen regular steam the last ten yrs. By the way I like full frame shots, but do you also have photos showing the whole scenery? Most of your immages are cut.

Would be nice to hear from you if time allows. I didn't travel the world like you did except Simbabwe when they had still live steam. But the Harz is one of my favourite places.

Again, excellent photos!

Yours

Kai Anders

Posted by Kai Anders (guest) on Mon 20 Apr 2009 11:45:03 AM CDT

Narrow gauge but excellent pictures !

Hello John,

like Kai i get the url of your site out of the "Bimmelbahnforum". I'm glad to have found your "Narrow gauge Memories" and happy to see some extraordinary pictures from the Harz. Congratulations * * * * * .

Rainer

PS : At Harz you took the train just leaving the tunnel. There was a photographer far behind you and "catches" you on your "shoot". Intrested ? If yes, please send your email adress to "me@squirrel4711.de" and you will get a copy.

Posted by Rainer Eichhorn (guest) on Tue 21 Apr 2009 09:26:00 AM CDT

Just skimmed a few pages, very nice of you to post these. Plan on returning for a more thorough visit.

Posted by Ben Barnes (guest) on Wed 22 Apr 2009 12:56:01 PM CDT

http://www.holzborn.com

Very fine photos, John.
Especially these ones from the Sixties.

I have seen the rest of the line from Chama to Durango in 2005.

I was together with you in the Harz Mountains in April.

Please send me an e-mail a@holzborn.com

Some picture of last winter in Colorado are here:
http://www.78er.de/BIM/BIM0803-1/bim0803-1.html

Best greetings from Germany

Klaus

Posted by Klaus Holzborn (guest) on Thu 23 Apr 2009 12:45:40 PM CDT

photos

John, Thank you very much for sharing these most magnificent photographs. They are priceless.

Posted by Bob Matschulat (guest) on Thu 07 May 2009 09:04:37 PM CDT

Cedarwood Colorado

Hi,
I'm researching Cedarwood area, between Pueblo and Walsenburg. My Great-grandfather homesteaded there, I own property now and cross tracks at Cedarwood to access.
Norm

Posted by Norm Brown (guest) on Mon 11 May 2009 05:16:21 AM CDT

Amazing memories

My family rode the D&SNG one summer when I was a boy, and I still think about what an amazing experience it was. I got to relive and expand it all through your photos. Great work you have done here.

Posted by Ed W (guest) on Mon 08 Jun 2009 05:43:58 PM CDT

Good pictures

These are some really neat pictures, very glad you shared.
The picture of K-37 #490 sitting on the flat, though sad, is probably my favorite.
I'd love to see all the other ones you have too.

Posted by Rob (guest) on Mon 27 Jul 2009 10:54:46 AM CDT

D&RGW Narrow Gauge

Fascinating story!!

I was in college in the mid 60s to 1970 (Clarkson in Potsdam, NY) and recall hearing then that there was still a steam powered commercial RR in operation: the D&RGW NG in Colorado. I never knew the details. I found it almost unbelievable and when I head it was shutting down right about the time we landed a man on the Moon I figured I'd never see steam in operation.


As a child I was in Rochester, NY and only recall the sounds of steam locomotives, sometimes keeping me up at night, but in August of 1953 the NYC moved all the steam out west of Cleveland. I had just turned five in July!!!

I rode the Silverton in 1981 and that day they were running two K-28's and one K-36. What an experience! I need to get out to the C&T, especially for a railfan event!!!

Thank you so much for putting together this site!! You should right a book!!!

Jim Walsh Pittsford, NY

Posted by Jim Walsh (guest) on Mon 10 Aug 2009 07:06:44 PM CDT

Fantastic Documentation

I found this site to have some increible pictures! I've always been a fan of the ol' mudhens and have chased my fair share of 'em between Antonito and Chama as well as Silverton to Durango. Nothing makes the heart pound like the sound of a mudhen thundering her way up the canyon!

Posted by Thomas MacDonald (guest) on Mon 17 Aug 2009 07:40:50 PM CDT

Photographs

John,
Thank you so much for sharing your slide collection. It is fascinating to see what Durango, Chama and all the other aspects of the narrow gauge looked like once upon a time. I live in Florida and visited the Durango and Silverton with my family in 1996. My family and I rode the Cumbres and Toltec the next year. Since me children are grown now I have gotten back to the area in 06,07 and my wife and I just got back from the #315 event.

Will you be posting anymore images from your collection? I'd like to see more of Alamosa from back in those days. We also rode the Rio Grande Scenic to LaVeta on this last trip.
Best wishes
Mike

Posted by Mike Mulligan (guest) on Thu 24 Sep 2009 05:15:42 PM CDT

C&TS D&SNG excellent photos.

John, these are beautiful. Thanks for your contributions to C&TS over the years. - Jim Burrill, Ft. Collins, CO

Posted by Jim Burrill (guest) on Sat 02 Jan 2010 04:33:02 PM CST

Pictures

Great pictures, thanks for posting them.

I travelled on the Silvertown & Chama railroads last year, and your pictures bring back all the memories.

Posted by Andrew Jones (guest) on Fri 05 Feb 2010 04:32:30 AM CST

Great Tribute

Wow What a great tribute to the remaining narrow gauge railroads left in New Mexico and Colorado. Your pics will be a pricless reference to history long forgoten. It will an invaluable site to reference for modeling my out door railroad in 120.3 scale. I am a hardcore narrow gauge protipical fanatic when it comes to modeling for me. The close up shot are Thanks John

Posted by Tim Martin Jones Okla. (guest) on Sat 06 Feb 2010 01:05:30 PM CST

DRGW ng

I would like to thank you for sharing these wonderful pictures. They will help alot wih me building my layout. Please post more if you have them.
Thanks,
Bradley

Posted by Bradley O (guest) on Wed 10 Feb 2010 07:24:41 PM CST

Narrow gauge collection

A remarkable collection, John!

Thanks for your generosity and effort in making it available to us.

-- Greg

Posted by Greg Stadter (guest) on Fri 19 Feb 2010 03:51:49 AM CST

Wow!

Thank you - for the wonderful photographs and putting them up for all to see. I've only seen the D&S and CATS as tourist lines, so your photos and commentary provide a beautiful history album for those of us who were too young to see the DRG as a working railroad. Kudos and thanks again for your gift to the rest of us.

Posted by Tom Landgraf (guest) on Tue 30 Mar 2010 01:06:53 PM CDT

Rio Grande Pics

John,

Thanks for sharing your photos. A great view to the past.

Posted by Jake Johnson (guest) on Sat 03 Apr 2010 03:50:02 AM CDT

Amazing photos

Dear John-

I grew up in Santa Fe, and a childhood friend sent me a link to your site. My grandfather was a railroader (locomotive machinist for the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe) and I now work in the rail industry. These photos are amazing, both in subject matter and quality! I had no idea there was narrow gauge steam freight running as late as the 60's (though my dad and grandfather probably knew). The northern New Mexico scenery makes me nostalgic for home. Thanks for documenting this special piece of railroad history, and for sharing your photos.

-Roberta Stewart

Posted by Roberta Stewart (guest) on Tue 06 Apr 2010 09:02:18 AM CDT

Great Pictures

John,

I just came across your site and have been back 3 times in two days. Great pictures at a time when things were ending for Rio Grande NG. I too would like to see more of Alamosa yards if you have the film. I have been a resident of Colorado for 40 years, but only recently understood the expanse of facilities in Alamosa.

Thank you for the great pictures and sharing,
Jeff

Posted by Jeff Love (guest) on Fri 23 Apr 2010 02:37:52 PM CDT

Thanks!

Many thanks for posting your photos on line. Your photography is outstanding and, of course the subject is wonderful.

Steve Harris

Posted by Steven Harris (guest) on Tue 04 May 2010 10:05:27 PM CDT

I have enjoyed your photos. a true work of art . my main interest is the West Side lumber.
Thanks for sharing them .
Ede

Posted by Ede Biro (guest) on Fri 28 May 2010 04:27:50 PM CDT

Thank you

Thank you for the photographs.They are stunning!! Having visited Colorado to see the narrow gage in 1971 the photos are as I remembered it.So many things change in the name of progress to go back now might be a disappointment. Also expensive as I live an ocean away..
Karel Brouwers

Posted by K Brtouwers (guest) on Wed 02 Jun 2010 12:36:49 PM CDT

Thanks...

Very nicely-done photos, John. Thanks so much for making the effort to record those scenes and thanks, too, for so generously sharing them.

Wayne

Posted by Wayne (guest) on Thu 03 Jun 2010 05:23:03 PM CDT

Thanks for great pics

Wonderful photos and commentary bring the line to life

Posted by Mick in Wales (guest) on Tue 13 Jul 2010 12:57:30 PM CDT