The Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad was fortunate to inherit not just one, but two of the D&RGW's four narrow gauge steam rotary snow plows. Two years after the OM'76 event (see Steam up the rotary!), the C&TS offered another snow fighting demonstration. This time OY would be the star attraction with additional snow fighting demonstrations using Jordan Spreader OU.
Weather-wise, things were completely different in 1978. Saturday, February 4th was a bright, warm, spring like day contrasting with the very cold, snowy day two years before - no fear of frostbite this trip.
OY is the newer of the C&TS rotarys, built by Alco in 1923. Unlike the OM, the OY is superheated.
Apparently this was a two day event. I attended on Saturday, but I no longer remember why I did not stay over for Sunday.
The actual trip aboard the train was a short one.
Undoubtedly the photgraphic highlight of the day was just east of the Chama River bridge where we stopped for a photo run-by.
Events for the day consisted of riding behind Rotary OY and engine 487 with a short train. There were several photo opportunities, of course. Trudging ahead to set up for photography was not nearly as difficult as it was for the 1976 event, but then, we never went up the line to the deeper snow. After a disappointingly short outing, we backed into Chama where the rotary was left and Jordan Spreader OU was added to the consist.
On this trip I was traveling from Dallas with a friend who had a girlfriend in Denver. He picked her up to join us in Chama. They didn't ride the train apparently having other interests to keep them busy. On our back up move to Chama, I was riding on the rear platform of the caboose when I saw my friend easily pacing the train on foot. He reached out and handed up a brown paper bag. Inside was a nice sandwich and a few other items for my lunch. Of course, minutes later we arrived back in town, but it was a thoughtful gesture nonetheless.
Steam, both a locomotives and a rotary plus a rare look at a spreader in action -- it all added up to be a great Saturday event. I'm still wondering how or why I missed what happened on Sunday.
Part one of my rotary adventures
Steam up the rotary!