As the train curved around like a snake through the foothills, we had no idea THIS was coming up. It's a climb the entire way while we tried to figure out just how in the world they could make this route with no GPS or altitude/elevation instruments to help them.
It is interesting to note that the train tracks were entirely built on the "lee" side of the mountains. That is the side that got the least amount of sun making for less trees and such to get in their way. Down in the very bottom was this beautiful tiny valley with a huge house.
There was no road in sight, so I've no idea just how they get there. I rather imagine in the winter it's a "bear"!! Yes, we really are hanging off a cliff here. On one occasion there was a huge landslide which happened at the exact right time to push a train off the mountain. We held our breath as we went by that spot.
Believe it or not, the train goes along that cliff over there. It's an exciting ride, to say the least.
This was one of the slower sections to keep the vibrations from dislodging the cliff on our heads.
Lucky for us, the Colorado aspens were just beginning to change to gorgeous yellow. I've never been around for the color change, although I lived in Denver for a couple of years. It was magnificent, to say the least.
The higher up we got, the more color there was. At this point it began to rain pretty hard and everyone disappeared. Nope ... not me. I'm not missing a single second. I'm stuffed up underneath the roof of the car behind me.
I may have to have this one framed. We are coming to the top of the mountain pass and the scenery was worth every nervous second of driving it took me to get to Colorado.
We stopped for lunch and our turnaround just a little bit further on. That's when the rain turned into hail and snow. After a huge lunch, we headed back to the train. Our car was the farthest from the overhang. I played it safe ... I jumped on the very first car I came to in spite of it being a "special folks only" car. I then walked through all eight passenger and two open cars to get to the front of the train. I was dry as a bone!
On the way back, I snapped a few more pictures just because I couldn't believe how bright the yellow was.
I think I oohed and aahhhed the entire way.
I have to admit by now I was getting pretty tired. Our trip had turned into an 8 hour train ride, not counting the extra 30 minutes to get to and from.
Here's one last look at that spectacular valley with those storm clouds depositing snow on the pass. It's just so hard to imagine building a railroad up here with no equipment other than picks and shovels.
The rest of our group packed up and headed to Chama where they rode the other side of the mountain pass while I headed back to California.
It's been a wonderful two days while I lounged on the couch healing up from a long hard weekend working the patch. I've decided to hijack one or two kids and make them do ALL the work from now on. I'm in SUPERVISOR mode.
That was a long Train Riding Day. Great Pictures of the changing colours and Scenery.
ReplyDeleteMost Construction was done by hand back then and the crews lived in tents. Then came the Mechanical Revolution long before the Technological Innovations followed giving us the world we live in today.
Be Safe and Enjoy your day off.
It's about time.
Can you imagine building that railroad with picks and shovels? I don't know how they did it.
DeleteGreat pics, THANK YOU!!! This was probably the best time of year to do it, too, since the aspens were putting on their show. (That is, if the RR doesn't let the public aboard when they run the rotary snow plow through - that would be magnificent.)
ReplyDeleteSo I take it you have to do it in two parts? You can't go all the way to Chama & back?
Yes ... you now have to ride it in two parts. The rest of the group drove to Chama, got on the train there and road the more exciting section to the same building and ate the same food. That track however has several long 4% grade sections.
Deletehttps://www.nps.gov/crmjournal/CRM/v22n10.pdf. It’s all interesting ))) but See page 31
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful ride, the best time of the year. That's why Aspens are my favorite tree! I think you should get that pic framed! Enjoy your day at the patch!
ReplyDeleteI don't think I have ever seen color like that.
DeleteYou have some pretty nice pictures there. We took that trip a few years ago as part of a Colorado train trip tour, and it was the highlight of the trip, although the Royal Gorge was pretty nice. (before the fire) We went all the way thru from Antonito to Chama as the bus dropped us off at one end and we stayed the night somewhere near Chama. We were earlier in the year so you had a lot better color than we did.
ReplyDeleteI think we were lucky to miss the rain and snow. Many of the RV parks were shutting down.
DeleteBeautiful pictures. That was some train ride. Glad you had great weather and all went well. Thanks for taking us along.
ReplyDeleteI can't tell you how happy I was to drive that far and not have problems. The weather held up very nicely for us.
DeleteThe Aspens are so wonderful...just like the ones we saw in the Dakotas. When I lived in Utah going to College I would love to go up behind the mountains and see the Aspens in color. What a treat that was.
ReplyDeleteI have to say the color is much better than the Sierras.
DeleteNow that is a train ride!
ReplyDeleteThere is a video of their snow plow going through this section. It's amazing if you can find it.
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