Last month I drove some of my family to the train depot in Chama New Mexico so they could ride the old narrow gauge steam train through the southern Rockies to Antonito, Colorado.
I hung around the rail yard in the early morning light capturing a few photos.
Here are the results of those efforts.
Getting ready to back the engine up
Coal smoke fills the yard
The wheel's driving links
Waiting patiently for the engineer to finish his morning coffee
Old Iron slowly rusting, too tired and old to work the rails.
Building up a head of steam
Leaving the rail yard with passengers hoping to see eagles and elk in the high country.
That's quite the snowplow on the front.
Ride safe y'all
CCjon
Wonderful photos! I love the B/W images and steam engines.
ReplyDeleteThanks Richard, was pleasantly surprised the railroad company allowed us with cameras to roam around the yard. Would like to go back another morning to find more images. Since they don't run year round, most likely that will be next summer for more photos in the yard. Maybe sunset shots next time...
DeleteI've ridden to Chama.... Your photos make it look quite fantastic.
ReplyDeleteThanks Dom, gritty is the word for the rail yard. But that is what you expect with coal powered engines, right? Because of the uniqueness of a rail yard, photos from there are different. Nothing is light weight or flimsy or shiny. It's either coated in oil, cinders or rust.
DeleteIn the back of your mind there is that ever sense of danger, the realization that your frail body is nothing to these massive iron machines. We are but bugs on a windshield against these monsters.
The Chama train is very interesting and you did a great job on the photos. I rode it with my son several years back. Chama is a neat mountain town with some good roads for riding.
ReplyDeleteThanks Oz, my first successful bull elk hunt was just outside of Chama, love going back there in the Fall. It's one of those places that one keeps re-visiting every few years.
ReplyDelete