RailroadPhotoEssays

Not one but two big steamers
Story and Photos by Glen Brewer

The flyer I received in the mail was simply too much to ignore. Sunday, September 6, 1959, the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy would operate a steam excursion using not one, but two big steam locomotives, and one of them was to be a 2-10-4, Texas type. By late 1959, these wonderful machines were becoming increasingly hard to find. I simply couldn’t resist. Full Story

Photos and Story by Glen Brewer

One year later I was back. Now on my way east, I detoured once again to Durango on my way from LA to a new job in Dallas. Not much had changed since 1965, but a great deal has changed since. On this trip, I was not fortunate in finding freight activity. Otherwise, the visit was much like the previous year done in reverse. Once again, I toured the yard in Durango, rode the train to Silverton, and hurried on my way via Chama. But I added a detour to Monero along the way just to check the place out. Full Story

Photos and Story by Glen Brewer

By 1965, only 299 miles of D&RGW narrow gauge remained: Alamosa to Durango with branches to Silverton and Farmington, New Mexico. This was the last remnant of a once extensive three-foot gauge system stretching from Denver to Santa Fe and Ogden, Utah as well as to Durango and Silverton. During a journey to California, I made the trip by way of Chama, New Mexico and Durango, Colorado. The San Juan Extension was still intact, but the pipe business was done, and except for the increasingly popular Silverton Train, clearly business was once again on the decline. I fully expected all would be gone very soon. Full Story

Photos and Story by Martin Burwash

The Montana Rail Link is a regional line that tends to think big. Maybe it’s the big skies of the Big Sky State. When you are having issues with a tunnel what do you do? Remove part of the tunnel, of course! Essentially, the narrow smokey hole through the Great Divide west of Helena, known as the Mullan Tunnel needed an upgrade. With the arrival of the newer hi-tech locomotives, the SD 70 ACe to be exact, the narrow confines, high heat and thick carbon laden exhaust was more than the computers and circuitry of the new engines could handle. Unit after unit, the engines assigned to help trains over Mullan Pass were falling victim to the harsh interior of the tunnel. Full Story

KCS 73D – The F unit that turned into an obsession.

 Most people, at some time in their lives are faced with a challenge, a quest or monkey on their back. It is something that they just need to do. One such monkey jumped on my back in October of 2008 and remained there for six months. Full Story

Took a break from family vacation in the Blues I got out last tuesday.

Started out day break in LaGrande, was an unusual scene with no trains in the yard at sunrise. Found two trains parked east of town on the main and coming down the grade from Telocaset.  More…