La Veta Pass A westbound train of 18 empty hoppers heads up the 3% grade above Occidental. The DRGW rated any given locomotive for less tonnage here than on Tennessee Pass. The Spring Cree... (more)

Former Lake Superior & Ishpeming 2-8-0 #18 is running for the first time on San Luis & Rio Grande (former Denver & Rio Grande Western) trackage east of La Veta through the Cucharas River valley. ... (more)

With the Sangre de Cristo mountains as backdrop, former Lake Superior & Ishpeming 2-8-0 #18 is running for the first time on San Luis & Rio Grande (former Denver & Rio Grande Western) trackage eas... (more)

A San Luis & Rio Grande passenger extra pauses at the town of La Veta, Colorado, on June 12, 2005. The train just spent the morning climbing scenic La Veta Pass out of Alamosa, and will now head d... (more)

SLRG 18 pulls the last of the 2.5% grade to the summit of La Veta Pass. The iconic location on the original D&RGW railroad became a beehive of activity as the photographer's special made a photo r... (more)

Same picture from a different perspective.. Looking like a scene from a Lucius Beebe book, the pretty streamer sits at the water tower. The tower is not really a water tower but used as a storage... (more)

Looking like a scene from a Lucius Beebe book, the pretty streamer sits at the water tower. The tower is not really a water tower but used as a storage building. We had a great first trip after... (more)

Sunset over La Veta. Perhaps twice over. While this photo shows San Luis and Rio Grande 2-8-0 No. 18 pulling a freight over the divide of La Veta Pass at Fir in 2008... This shot may no longer b... (more)

The Alamosa Turn crests the 2.5% climb to La Veta Pass. The train will soon be descending the 3% grade, on the journey to Walsenburg, Colorado...

Shove Em' Acting on instructions from his conductor, Engineer Steven Butler (and at the time, Steam CMO) of the San Luis and Rio Grande, backs former Lake Superior and Ishpeming (and Grand Cany... (more)

Rio Grande Scenic runs excursions over La Veta pass from Alamos and La Veta. To handle charters westbound this grossly overpowered consist is laying over on the east end. If you come to the narr... (more)

Running for the first time in several months our beautifully proportioned steamer executes a runby with a consist that can only be described as eclectic. We were westbound after a long water stop... (more)

The serpentine 2.5% trackage up La Veta Pass is challenging this 2-8-0 .... it almost looks D&RGW...

SLRG 18 slips its wheels on a photo run-bye on the steep 3% grade of La Veta Pass.

Engineer Earl Knoob looks ahead from the cab of San Luis & Rio Grande #18 as we climb the east side of La Veta Pass at 13mph on the trip back to Alamosa. The throttle is wide open and we are along... (more)