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| no partners | | Spent Thursday night at the Chama River Bend Lodge. Had a fine breakfast Friday morning at Fina's Diner, then met Karen, Charlie, and Doug at the train station (they had driven up from Abiquiu). Very warm day for the time of year and no rain was forecast. This would be my 6th ride on this old line. Always fun watching the engine(s) working hard to pull the train up the 4 percent grade to Cumbres Pass (10,015 feet). There wasn't a heavy passenger load today so only one engine was required. After the lunch stop at Osier, Colorado, we coasted mostly downhill back to Chama, riding the brakes. Fall colors were about 50 percent, so it wasn't awesome yet, but more than enough to make me happy. Besides, the train ride and watching the people and their reactions is what makes it for me. 
The entire roadbed and some track had been upgraded since my last ride in 2009, which is good since it needed it. You can imagine the terrific challenge of maintaining a line like this in rough terrain and harsh weather conditions.  There were a couple of really good docents in the open gondola car to entertain and explain things along the way. As usual the food provided in the cafeteria in Osier was very good. They stagger the arrival of the two trains (the other one coming up from Antonito, Colorado) to help keep things from jamming up running folks through the food lines. The trains continue running through from their start points, so if you are doing a half trip like we did, you have to switch to the other train. They are well marked for this. So, we had engine 487 pull us up to Osier and number 488 take us back to Chama.
Following the fun time on the train we all headed back to Abiquiu Reservoir, where I joined them for a night of camping, before continuing my trip Saturday.
http://youtu.be/dgPWZuSAqF4 |
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Autumn Foliage Observation Moderate
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