It’s always fun chasing the train out of Chama, NM. The tracks follow the highway through the Chama Valley and just past Cumbres pass as the train enters the Los Pinos Valley. This provides many opportunity’s to stop and get some fun shots of the train working its way up the valley to Windy point and Cumbres Pass.
I was able to have two mornings chasing the train out of Chama before meeting up with friends from the club at Sublette, NM, spending the first night in the local campground in Chama to get some pics of the train yard.
Here are pics from the first two days chasing the train out of Chama.
Morning dew.
Fall colors just about at there peak.
#488 in the Chama Valley.
#488 working it’s way up “Windy Point”.
“Windy Point”.
The train from Antonito coming into the Chama train yard.
First nights camp at the local campground in Chama.
A quick walk from camp to the train yards in Chama for some night time shots.
Main street, Chama, NM.
Morning’s preparations. Chama train yard.
Double header out of Chama.
Working through the Chama Valley.
“Windy Point” again.
Shortly after Cumbres Pass, pulled off at the turn off for Apache Canyon. Provides some good views of the train.
Fall colors abundant.
The train coming into the Los Pinos Valley from Cumbres Pass.
At the old track maintenance town of Sublette, NM. Our camp is just above the old town. A quick walk through the woods gets us a good view of the train from Chama stopping for a maintenance check.
Probably one of my favorite views of the train…
Morning views from camp.
Fine views fo the San Luis Valley and the Sangre de Christo Mountains in southern CO.
Mt. Antonito. An old extinct volcano.
Mt. Blanca.
Morning warmth.
One of my favorite views from camp.
The cows always seemed to be close to camp.
My friend Justin showed up with his freshly restored FJ45 Land Cruiser for the run. Unfortunately, as we headed up the pass in route to Chama, the engine gave out. We were able to leave the Land Cruiser at a pull out on the pass and continue the drive to Chama (Justin thankfully trailered the cruiser down from Denver).
The weekend we were there, they were running a special train for a freshly restored #425 steam engine. Lots of people were out to see it.
Double header out of Chama, NM.
Double header passing the #425 special.
#484 Double header working its way into the Chama Valley.
Always a fun stretch to view the train.
My friend Brian in his nicely built Lexus GX470 at Cumbres Pass. My friend Justin and I rode as passengers for the day.
#484 Double Header stopping at Cumbres Pass to take on water.
Another fine fall day.
Just below Cumbres Pass again, heading into the Los Pinos Valley.
As we were at the turn off for the Apache Canyon trail taking pictures of the train, we befriended Bob from Washington State in the red Tacoma doing the same thing. He asked us if the road went to Osier and if he could tag along. Fun to take a newbie on a trail he probably wouldn’t ever go on alone.
A fun dirt road through some forest and high meadows.
Afternoon vistas.
The fun part of Apache Canyon. Fording the Rio de Los Pinos River.
Bob in his Tacoma.
We were able to catch the #425 Special pull into Osier NM, just as the train from Anontito, CO was pulling in. Osier, NM is an old track maintenance town that is now serves as the lunch depot/stop for the Cumbres and Toltec. It was fun to also catch the train from Antonito, as my friend Dan and his family had there own caboose.
Osier, NM.
Antonito train heading towards Chama, NM.
Brian with his pup Lucy, enjoying the drive back to camp.
We were able to catch the train at Sublette again just as we got to camp.
Afterwords, we headed back up the pass to pick up Justin’s broken FJ45 Land Cruiser.
Some fine views.
End.