|
|
|
|
|
Cumbres, CO This famous site is the highest narrow gauge pass in North America at an elevation of 10,015 feet above sea level. There are records of huge snow falls, stalled trains and other severe hardships. Total uncompacted snowfall can reach over 40 feet in a season. The accumulation of snow on the ground will often rise over the roofs of the buildings. Cumbres is surrounded by mountains covered with patches of timber. This was logging country and many of the lower valleys are missing their trees. However much of the west side of the pass was never logged, possibly because of the steep and rugged rocky terrain. In fact the railroad maintains a relentless 4 percent grade from Chama all the way up to Cumbres. There are over 460 curves between Chama and Antonito. In fact it takes 64 miles of railroad track to travel between the two points that are 34 miles apart. The pass originally supported a toll road to make the crossing. This may be one reason the route was selected by the railroad. However, the railroad may not have been prepared for the snow they would encounter over the winter. A tiny town once existed at Cumbres with a Texaco automobile gas station and other buildings in addition to the railroad. The population stood at 25 people in 1940. Today Cumbres is a ghost town. But, if you hang around on summer afternoons you will still see a train go by with hundreds of folks enjoying the ride on the current Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad.
THE RAILROAD YARD In 1880 the tracks were laid into Cumbres and on to Chama. Cumbres became a major operational stop on the route. Helpers were removed from the train and the locomotives filled with water. The covered turntable that existed in the early years allowed the engines to be turned all year round. In later years the engines turned around on the wye.
DEPOT In the 1880's the original depot at Cumbres was two stories high. There was a full walk on the main track side. Both of these original structures have been removed. Depots are taxed at higher rates than section houses. So, if you tear down the Depot, and use the Section House instead, the railroad paid less property tax. Many old railroad elements "disappeared" because of similar logic. Today the paved highway crosses over the tracks on top of the original depot site.
WATER TANK  Water Spout (Standpipe) 1995 Cumbres is a main water stop on the line. When the Locomotives climb the steep grade from Chama a lot of water goes up as steam. The water spout or stand pipe is located in front of the Section House at Cumbres. Water for the spout flows from an underground tank buried into the hillside behind the standpipe. The storage tank is a concrete cistern that controls a 2000 foot long supply line to a nearby spring. Originally there was a standard wooden water tank at Cumbres. The Water Spout was a later improvement as the underground tank helps keep things from freezing.
BUNK HOUSE The bunk house was located just west of the section house. It was your basic rectangle and built of wooden siding.
CAR INSPECTOR'S HOUSE  Car Inspector's House 1995 One of the Car Inspector's responsibilities was to inspect the brakes on trains prior to the down hill run to Chama. The Inspector's house in is located across the tracks from the section house. This structure has been restored in the late 1990's.
SNOW SHEDS In the high mountains snow sheds were built to help keep the tracks clear in areas of heavy use. Cumbres had an extensive shed protecting parts of the turning wye. At one time there was even a turntable with a snow shed cover. There was even a shed constructed over the small turntable that once existed. Most of the original snow sheds have disappeared until there was just one creaky old loner left. This last portion has recently been restored by volunteers.
Lobato, NM
|
|
© Copyright 2005 Sandia Software All Rights Reserved |
