NG Locomotive ~ Chama, NM (pic heavy)

rwells

Chama, NM is the Station for the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad. I have not ridden this Narrow Gage Steam Locomotive pulled train, but have ridden the one out of Durango, CO to Silverton, CO. (Fantastic trip!)

There are two sounds in the mountains that sends chills up your spine:
One is the sound of a bugling Elk ~ The other is the steam whistle echoing back and forth against giant mountain peaks!!!

If you ever get a chance to ride one through the mountains, take the time to do so, you won't regret it. Make it sooner than later, these rare steam locomotives are on the "Endangered Species" list. :huh


Here are some images I took from our latest trip:

adbsgicom

Great work. You really get a sense that these are vintage picutres, nothing of modernity is creeping in (other than the car full of people in the one). Nice capturing of the past!! I had a coal chute just like the one there on the N-scale model RR that my dad and I built when I was a young teen.

Thanks for the memories...

rainbow

Wow! These photos all look like they were taken 125 years ago. I particularly like the framing/feel of #2 and #5.

Only one missing is having you step off the platform in your cowboy outfit looking to settle your business...

black mamba

Randy,

That's really a super series. The subjects are great and the techniques you used are wonderful. One of my earliest recollections in life was riding with my grandad on a steam locomotive train....this would have been about 1944 or 1945. The diesels were not dominant yet. That experience seems like it was yesterday.

Tom

Jack'll do

Howdy Randy

Boy these are just great!!! What a wonderful bit of PP. One gets the feeling of having discovered an old phot album in a long forgotten trunk in the attic. I particularly like 3, 6, 9, and 12

rwells

adbsgicom wrote:

Great work. You really get a sense that these are vintage picutres, nothing of modernity is creeping in (other than the car full of people in the one). Nice capturing of the past!! I had a coal chute just like the one there on the N-scale model RR that my dad and I built when I was a young teen.

Thanks for the memories...

Glad I could bring back some old memories for you. I appreciate hearing that about the vintage photo look as I've spent considerable time developing (no pun intended) my process and eye for it.

Thanks again Andrew

rwells

rainbow wrote:

Wow! These photos all look like they were taken 125 years ago. I particularly like the framing/feel of #2 and #5.

Only one missing is having you step off the platform in your cowboy outfit looking to settle your business...

That's the look I was after

I used to shoot CAS & have all the authentic clothes and hardware. An authentic Western shoot is high on my "I don't care ~ I WANT to do it anyway" list.

I may just draft Jack and head-off to Tombstone for a shoot

rwells

black mamba wrote:

Randy,

That's really a super series. The subjects are great and the techniques you used are wonderful. One of my earliest recollections in life was riding with my grandad on a steam locomotive train....this would have been about 1944 or 1945. The diesels were not dominant yet. That experience seems like it was yesterday.

Tom

Tom,

Thanks again for your kind comments on my work.

Man, how great of an "earliest recollections" is that! Your a lucky man

rwells

Jack'll do wrote:

Howdy Randy

Boy these are just great!!! What a wonderful bit of PP. One gets the feeling of having discovered an old phot album in a long forgotten trunk in the attic. I particularly like 3, 6, 9, and 12

Jack,

I does my heart good to hear such comments. Kinda makes is sound like I've created something worth saving

anwmn1

Some awesome shots. I have been wanting to take my son on one or both of the railroads (Chama & Durango).

Thanks for the great shots and the processing.

BTW- if you are heading to Tombstone in your gear make sure you let me know. Haven't been there in a decade but it would give me a reason to go back.

rwells

anwmn1 wrote:

Some awesome shots. I have been wanting to take my son on one or both of the railroads (Chama & Durango).

Thanks for the great shots and the processing.

BTW- if you are heading to Tombstone in your gear make sure you let me know. Haven't been there in a decade but it would give me a reason to go back.

Thanks for the compliment Aaron.

You and your son will throughly enjoy the train ride. It's something both of you will remember the rest of your life. The economy scares me concerning the steam locomotives. I don't think they are big money makers, and I'd sure hate to think they'd quite giving rides. I'd get the trip in while there still chuggin' and whistlin'.

I suspect the Tombstone shoot will be a good ways off, but I'll give you a shout when it happens.

Panther

Howdy Randy,

WOWSER, what a great series, the images remind me of the old train pics documentaries, the processing is spot on for that type of feeling.

We had the pleasure of riding that same train about 10-12 years ago, and your images brought back that wonderful experience in heartbeat, there is something about riding the rails behind one of those massive firebreathing monsters.

Did ya'll ride it all the way to Antonio?

Again, wonderful images, I'd say those, along with the others from ya'lls trip would be great in a "Photobook" for the Grandson's to have and keep,
and you might just have one for yourself:D:D:D

Kindest regards,

Craig

rwells

Panther wrote:

Howdy Randy,

WOWSER, what a great series, the images remind me of the old train pics documentaries, the processing is spot on for that type of feeling.

We had the pleasure of riding that same train about 10-12 years ago, and your images brought back that wonderful experience in heartbeat, there is something about riding the rails behind one of those massive firebreathing monsters.

Did ya'll ride it all the way to Antonio?

Again, wonderful images, I'd say those, along with the others from ya'lls trip would be great in a "Photobook" for the Grandson's to have and keep,
and you might just have one for yourself:D:D:D

Kindest regards,

Craig

Hey Craig,

I've been working hard to get that old photo look nailed down. I must admit, I'm pretty pleased with this series of images.

It's funny how hard it is to take a technically superior image from a state-of-the-art, multi-thousand dollar rig, and try to make it look like an outdated, sub-par camera & lens, on film that had serious limitations.

Matter of fact, the whole idea just sounds nuts!


I've not had the pleasure to ride this train. My wife & I rode the train from Durango to Silverton about 3 years ago. I'm so thankful we decided to spend the day on that trip. I'll never forget a minute of it. And that whistle echoing way up in the mountains...hang-on........ OK the ting-lings stopped now


Just told my wife what you said about the photobook & we agree it's a great idea. Any suggestions/experience with photobook companies?


Thank you for your kind words. They mean a lot

pathfinder

Randy,

Great minds think a lot alike......



The narrow gauge RR from Chama NM to San Antonito Co is a true jewel, Your shots bring back good memories, Randy!!

rwells

pathfinder wrote:

Randy,

Great minds think a lot alike......



The narrow gauge RR from Chama NM to San Antonito Co is a true jewel, Your shots bring back good memories, Randy!!

That's a killer shot Jim

Got a link to the gallery, or is this the only shot?


I plan on riding the train from Chama to Antonito, just don't know when. I'd better take my own advice and not wait too long.

Appreciate the comments Jim.

AFBlue

rwells wrote:

Chama, NM is the Station for the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad. I have not ridden this Narrow Gage Steam Locomotive pulled train, but have ridden the one out of Durango, CO to Silverton, CO. (Fantastic trip!)

There are two sounds in the mountains that sends chills up your spine:
One is the sound of a bugling Elk ~ The other is the steam whistle echoing back and forth against giant mountain peaks!!!

If you ever get a chance to ride one through the mountains, take the time to do so, you won't regret it. Make it sooner than later, these rare steam locomotives are on the "Endangered Species" list.

The Cumbres & Toltec is one of the greatest (IMHO, THE greatest) narrow gauge railroad around. And, these locomotives and these railroads are on the endangered species list.
The Cumbres & Toltec could not continue to run were it not for the many volunteers who devote their time to maintaining & repairing railroad property and rolling stock.
For those who believe treasures like this railroad was worth keeping around, there is an organization called Friends of the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad (http://cumbrestoltec.org/) to which donations can be made.
I became a member of the friends and a supporter of this fantastic old railroad immediately after riding it years ago.

DaddyO

Very well done set of photos. Especially like the high key in #10 and of
course yours truly with grandsons in the last.

rwells

AFBlue wrote:

The Cumbres & Toltec is one of the greatest (IMHO, THE greatest) narrow gauge railroad around. And, these locomotives and these railroads are on the endangered species list.
The Cumbres & Toltec could not continue to run were it not for the many volunteers who devote their time to maintaining & repairing railroad property and rolling stock.
For those who believe treasures like this railroad was worth keeping around, there is an organization called Friends of the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad (http://cumbrestoltec.org/) to which donations can be made.
I became a member of the friends and a supporter of this fantastic old railroad immediately after riding it years ago.

Thanks for the input

rwells

DaddyO wrote:

Very well done set of photos. Especially like the high key in #10 and of
course yours truly with grandsons in the last.

Thanks Michael,

The boys & I had a great trip. The list of "first" for them was impressive. Colorado, mountains, camping, fishing, off-roading, hiking, trains, elk, deer, fox, marshmallows over the campfire, and on and on...

pathfinder

rwells wrote:

That's a killer shot Jim

Got a link to the gallery, or is this the only shot?


I plan on riding the train from Chama to Antonito, just don't know when. I'd better take my own advice and not wait too long.

Appreciate the comments Jim.

I showed you my best one!!!:D

My gallery is here - http://pathfinder.smugmug.com/Travel/Riding-the-Santa-Fe-Trail/1882113_RZq93#P-1-28

How about a few words about your interesting manner of post processing your shots??

The accompanying post is here - http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=45239

While we were there there were a bunch of folks from the UK, who came specifically to ride the narrow guage railroad train at Chama.

eL eSs Vee

A fantastic series, Randy!

My father was a train fanatic and we have pictures he took with everything from a Kodak instamatic to an Argus C3 (I now own the argus). He also did some medium format, but I don't know with which camera - he must have borrowed one. Your pictures give me the same feeling I get when I look at his pictures.

Thank you!

rwells

eL eSs Vee wrote:

A fantastic series, Randy!

My father was a train fanatic and we have pictures he took with everything from a Kodak instamatic to an Argus C3 (I now own the argus). He also did some medium format, but I don't know with which camera - he must have borrowed one. Your pictures give me the same feeling I get when I look at his pictures.

Thank you!

That's quite complimentary Lee, and I certainly appreciate it. I'm glad that this series was able to bring back some good memories for several members here, that's really something special for me.

I'm certainly not a historian, but I think we're letting our rich heritage slip right through our fingers. We're all too busy making a living, and the kids, well there just kids. They don't yet know this stuff is important. I'd like to try and do my part (what little bitty bit that may be) to keep some of our Western Heritage alive, even if it's just in a photograph that someone looks at for a minute.

Sorry, I kind of derailed there for a bit