The daily train from Chama, NM reaches the summit of 10,015 ft. Cumbres Pass, in Colorado's San Juan mountains.

Cumbres & Toltec K-27 No. 463, masquerading as Rio Grande Southern No. 455, crosses Ferguson's Trestle just as the sun breaks the horizon. This was the second day of a Friends of the Cumbres & Tol... (more)

Cumbres & Toltec K-27 No. 463, masquerading as Rio Grande Southern No. 455, poses on Ferguson's Trestle. Lighting by Mike Shade and Mother Nature. This was the second day of a Friends of the Cum... (more)

K-36 #487 drifts past the coaling tower at Chama with freight train in tow.

K-36 Mikado 489 leads the daily train up the 4% grade to Cumbres Pass, three miles outside of Chama, NM.

C&TS #489 simmers away in Osier waiting for the Westbound to roll in. We will continue our trip to Antonito once everyone finishes lunch. I was guilty of spending more time taking pictures of the ... (more)

Taking on water at Cumbres Pass, 10,015 feet

#484 and #463 work hard as they pass through Dalton. The train actually made a stop here to pick up some passengers that missed the train in Chama. It was quite impressive to watch them get moving... (more)

Filling up #463 with coal for the grueling climb to Cumbres Pass. That day #463 would double head with #484 to the summit. From there, #484 would be cut off of the front of the train and #463 woul... (more)

White passengers enjoy lunch, 463 cools her heels on her eastbound trip to Antonito from Chama.

Chama is a time capsule - particularly in the morning when the smell of hot cylinder oil and coal smoke is in the air and the engines are being prepared for another day of work. It's a credit to t... (more)

The classic outside frame 2-8-2s charging up the 4% grade may be more glamorous, but there is a lot of behind the scenes work to make that happen. A speeder crew follows each steam train with the ... (more)

One of 2 static K-37s on display in Antonito greets visitors as they arrive. It is one of several out of service K-37s throughout the state. #491 at the Colorado RR Museum in Golden is the only cu... (more)

CTS 487 and 489 lead the first train of the season towards Cumbres Pass.

The improbable daily train keeping the lengthy segment of storied narrow gauge line from Antonito, CO to Chama, NM in active service comes steadily chuffing up the long valley as if unencumbered b... (more)