I'm frankly surprised they are still there... Great glint shot, Mike!!! Coming up soon: Radium, and the Dotsero Cutoff!!!!
Day 3, part 4: After the manifest cleared, we headed to Gore Canyon again, this time to Radium. On the way, we bagged the signals at Sulphur: And an EB coal load in Byers canyon: http://www.trainboard.com/railimages/data/1036/Byers_load_DPUs.jpg
It was COLD in that canyon! If we had to wait any longer for that load, we'd have gotten frostbitten fingers and ears! Here's East Kremmling's signals, after we bagged that load: More D&SL-style signals... Must record them for posterity, they won't be here long, and we'll soon see why... Trough Road was as punishing, slick, and bone-jarring as was the night before, and we had to go nearly the entire length of it before reaching the dirt road to Radium. Upon reaching Radium, we noted Tunnel 42, plain as day, right off the highway, across the mighty Colorado River. A tall rock outcropping was adjacent to the tunnel, and a quick hike to the top readied us for a parade of trains. Here's the old D&SL signals in place, but soon to be replaced, as the newfangled equipment is already installed (the signal heads are turned 90-degrees from the tracks): The parade is about to start, don't you dare move!!!
Day 3, part 5: The wait wasn't long till we heard a WB empty drifting out of Upper Gore Canyon: The head-end pops out of Tunnel 42: And the shiny string of empties follows:
The signals have this guy going into Yarmony siding for Amtrak: SP 355 is unpatched at Tunnel 42: I like this angle, a string of empties follows obediently into Radium Siding: The DPUs drift quietly towards Yarmony: Amtrak's up next, and with a new vantage point, we'll have a neat set of shots! LONNNNNNNNG glass is an asset here!
Day 3, part 6: I didn't like the wires in the last shots, so I headed off my perch to another vantage point. My camera is rather grainy on the long end of the focal length, so pardon the not-so sharpness.... One point on the hill was OK, but a pesky telegraph pole (minus wires, of course) stood in my way, so I headed further up the hill. I had a splendid view of the winding ROW out of Lower Gore Canyon! After not too long, #5 carefully threads Gore Canyon on its westward journey: The intermediates just ahead should show high greens: Another shot, on straight?!? track: http://www.trainboard.com/railimages/data/1036/Amtrak_5_near_Radium_5.jpg As close as this shot looks, this is still a max tele for me (~370MM!): A closer view, near Tunnel 42:
Day 3, part 7: After the coal train passed, the overcast rolled in..... So the rest of the day was rather drab... Amtrak #5 cautiously exits Tunnel 42: Entering Radium Siding: On the other end of the siding, across the valley:
Day 3, part 8: After Amtrak passed, we figured that was it, and maintenance would then be in the way for the next couple hours... About the time we got back to the truck, another WB empty chugged by. With insufficient time to grab a bit of elevation, (where's a bucket truck when I need it?!?) here's my lame, road-level shot: After the empties passed, we did some exploring on the local dirt roads, and discovered a couple new shots... Here's a new vantage point on Tunnel 42--would be best in morning sun: Insert train here!!!! A little further up the road was this shot: Insert train here! More to come, stay tuned!!!
Day 3, part 9: With nothing moving, we headed to Glenwood Springs for some action. Here's a few D&RGW signals still in place on the Dotsero Cutoff: (most are replaced with new signals that look like this) And a neat bridge east of Burns, CO--insert train here: More to come, and a couple surprises!
Day 3, part 10: To Glenwood we go! Nothing was at the depot, or in the yard ready to depart, and we were readying for the EB Amtrak #6, due soon. A stop at the depot showed the usual lateness (and getting later). West of the depot was this cool yard limit sign--you just don't see many of these any more! The track leading to the left are those of the old Aspen Branch, which crosses a road on this bridge: Another stop at the signal bridge scored Mike a stellar shot of the structure (mine stunk--you won't find it here). Mike.. Hint, hint! *grin* A detour to the yard scored the X-67, the only Russell plow the Grande ever owned, and was stationed in Minturn for most of its life. A tiny, easily-Photoshoppable (and I did!) Borg shield was on the plow's flanks, and in her Aspen Gold splendor: Just behind it was a neat outfit car, D&RGW AX22244: We left Glenwood Springs to grab Amtrak--stay tuned!
Day 3, part 11: We charged down I-70 west of Chacra, and the shot wasn't all that, so we backtracked to Canyon Creek, for a neat trestle. The D&RGW was painted out, but its heritage clearly showed. The train showed up at or location 10 miles west of GS at the time it should have been in GS.... A pacing shot on I-70: Glenwood Canyon's first tunnel, eastbound:
Day 3, part 12: Shooting from a vehicle on I-70 is a tough go, even when you're not driving! Too many blasted trees, poles and wires... A rest stop yielded this view of Glenwood Canyon in deep shadow: A manifest was also holed-up in a siding, but my shot of it was unusable... We headed to Dotsero, to bag a last shot of the train at this neat bridge: The shots wouldn't have worked, so I grabbed a highway overpass shot: (man, was it getting dark!)
Day 3, the end of an exhausting, rewarding, fantastic trip! And with that, we headed back to Denver. We followed the old Tennessee Pass line as we headed east, but the light was all gone by the time we passed Minturn. After an uneventful, but long drive back, we grabbed photos in front of Mike's muddy truck--I wish I was coherent enough to smile more! Thanks for the memories, Mike!!!
