O/T -- Old-Time Fun
Thread Starter
|
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 27,288
Likes: 1,053
From: NM
O/T -- Old-Time Fun
My sons and I took a trip up to northern NM yesterday to ride the Cumbres & Toltec narrow gauge railroad. It is the only coal-fired steam-driven narrow gauge left, and is the longest and highest ride (starts at 7680' goes to 10,000+). When we got there, we found the parking lot filled with beautiful restored Model A's, a club from the Albuquerque area drives up up there to ride the train and have a look at the Fall colors. (Note: somehow they made the 320 mile trip without a Mustang II suspension, T5, or SBC in any of them 
). It was a simply gorgeous day high in the Rockies! Nothing like the sound of a steam loco chuffing its way up a 6% grade with a full load, as sweet as a flathead! (note in the last pic that they use two steam loco's to get up the steepest part of the grade -- that is a sound you can't believe!)
). It was a simply gorgeous day high in the Rockies! Nothing like the sound of a steam loco chuffing its way up a 6% grade with a full load, as sweet as a flathead! (note in the last pic that they use two steam loco's to get up the steepest part of the grade -- that is a sound you can't believe!)
Laughing Gas
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 995
Likes: 67
From: Mid-Michigan
An antique car show and antique train ride - sounds like a good day! We've got a narrow gauge tourist rail line up in the redwoods north of Santa Cruz. It's a lot of fun to ride. Plus, they're running a couple of Shay engines, which are pretty unusual - take a look at the vertically oriented pistons and side mounted drive shaft: (I couldn't find any good pictures of my own, so here's one from wiki):
Thread Starter
|
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 27,288
Likes: 1,053
From: NM
Badger, that is unusual! I'll have to check into that style.
Dick, we saw some deer (with fawn) but not many animals want to be around such a noisy, smelly thing. They really pump out the soot, we were covered with it from standing in the open gondola car.
Fred, there was a group that does "historic re-enactments" on board for the ride, definitely an Old West flavor
Dick, we saw some deer (with fawn) but not many animals want to be around such a noisy, smelly thing. They really pump out the soot, we were covered with it from standing in the open gondola car.
Fred, there was a group that does "historic re-enactments" on board for the ride, definitely an Old West flavor
Trending Topics
Logistics Pro
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 4,962
Likes: 261
From: East KY
I'm glad you had a great time. That looks like a Colt Peacemaker in his belt. Beautiful scenery!
FTE Stories
Ford Trucks for Ford Truck Enthusiasts
AEV FXL Super Duty - the Super Duty Raptor Ford Doesn't Make
Brett Foote
Lobo Vs Lobo: Proof the F-150 Lobo Should Be Even Lower!
Michael S. Palmer
Ford's 2001 Explorer Sportsman Concept Looks For a New Home
Verdad Gallardo
10 Best Ford Truck Engines We Miss the Most!
Joe Kucinski
2026 Shelby F-150 Off-Road: Better Than a Raptor R?
Brett Foote
2027 Super Duty Carhartt Package First Look: 12 Things You NEED to Know!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Most Surprising 2026 Ford Truck Features!
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 Ford Trucks Coming to Mecum Indy 2026
Brett Foote
5 Best / 5 Worst Ford Truck Wheels of All Time
Joe Kucinski
More Turbo
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 696
Likes: 48
From: Central Connecticut
Sounds like you had a great outing. I haven't spent much time west of Chicago but my sister just bought a house in Colorado so I'm looking forward to visiting the Rockies.
Back east we have a coal fired steam train that takes you up Mt. Washington. It goes all the way to the top which, at 6,288 ft., is the highest peak in New England and is so steep that the engine had to be built at an angle. There's also an auto road that goes to the top. A couple of guys in our Model "A" club have driven their A's to the top. I think my A might make it up but I can't imagine going down with the mechanical breaks.
The attached pictures were taken a couple of years ago when my daughter and I hiked to the top. The trail crosses under the railroad tracks at a point near the top
.
Back east we have a coal fired steam train that takes you up Mt. Washington. It goes all the way to the top which, at 6,288 ft., is the highest peak in New England and is so steep that the engine had to be built at an angle. There's also an auto road that goes to the top. A couple of guys in our Model "A" club have driven their A's to the top. I think my A might make it up but I can't imagine going down with the mechanical breaks.
The attached pictures were taken a couple of years ago when my daughter and I hiked to the top. The trail crosses under the railroad tracks at a point near the top
.
Thread Starter
|
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 27,288
Likes: 1,053
From: NM
Sounds like you had a great outing. I haven't spent much time west of Chicago but my sister just bought a house in Colorado so I'm looking forward to visiting the Rockies.
Back east we have a coal fired steam train that takes you up Mt. Washington. It goes all the way to the top which, at 6,288 ft., is the highest peak in New England and is so steep that the engine had to be built at an angle. There's also an auto road that goes to the top. A couple of guys in our Model "A" club have driven their A's to the top. I think my A might make it up but I can't imagine going down with the mechanical breaks.
The attached pictures were taken a couple of years ago when my daughter and I hiked to the top. The trail crosses under the railroad tracks at a point near the top
.
Back east we have a coal fired steam train that takes you up Mt. Washington. It goes all the way to the top which, at 6,288 ft., is the highest peak in New England and is so steep that the engine had to be built at an angle. There's also an auto road that goes to the top. A couple of guys in our Model "A" club have driven their A's to the top. I think my A might make it up but I can't imagine going down with the mechanical breaks.
The attached pictures were taken a couple of years ago when my daughter and I hiked to the top. The trail crosses under the railroad tracks at a point near the top
.
More Turbo
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 696
Likes: 48
From: Central Connecticut
I'm not sure but it seems likely. I check it out if I ever get back up there, however, at this point it doesn't look like I will. It gets harder and harder to motivate myself to do a hike like that. Maybe I can drive up in the F-1 when I get it back together.
More Turbo
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 696
Likes: 48
From: Central Connecticut
Laughing Gas
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 1,041
Likes: 53
From: Sterling CO
Very cool, and overall very fun to do those oldies. Minor note on the claim "only" coal fired steam locomotive left... The Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge still runs, and I hear that there is 2 coal+steam+narrow gauge others, Washington state somewhere and somewhere in coal country Pennsilvania.
No biggie on the details, I loved my trip a few years ago:
BB: 2006 Vacation - Durango/Silverton Narrow Gauge Train
4tl8ford (post #8) - there might be others, but the D&S-NG follows the Animas River and crosses it a bunch of times. Like others have said, the belching whistling smoking growling train keeps everything far away - I don't recall any animals in the pix I took or the scenes I saw.
No biggie on the details, I loved my trip a few years ago:
BB: 2006 Vacation - Durango/Silverton Narrow Gauge Train
4tl8ford (post #8) - there might be others, but the D&S-NG follows the Animas River and crosses it a bunch of times. Like others have said, the belching whistling smoking growling train keeps everything far away - I don't recall any animals in the pix I took or the scenes I saw.
