Day 1 - Saturday 10/25/2025 - Travel Day and Catching the Last C&TS Train of the Season
I pretty much followed the same plan as what I did for the Victorian Iron Horse Roundup trip in the fall of 2021 and the 100th Birthday of the K-28 on the D&S in 2023. I had an 8:35am flight direct to Albuquerque but due to some overnight storms, we didn't push back until 9:15am. While flying (and renting a car) adds cost to the trip, saving 12 odd hours of driving is amazing!
I left my house at 6:25am and at Houston Hobby airport a little after 7:00am. There was a government shut down going on but security was fine. As mentioned above, my 8:35am flight direct to Albuquerque was delayed until 9:15am but it was alright. This plane already had Southwest's new seating in it but was still open seating (until 2026). I was still A-list which ended in at the end of 2025, so I was able to select was the front premium extra leg room seats! While we pushed back at 9:15am, we then sat on the tarmac until a little after 10:00 for a reason they never told us. We landed in ABQ at 10:55am (local time) just an hour late.
Like the other trips, I grabbed an Enterprise rental car and started to head north. What is now customary, I stopped at Target in north Albuquerque for some supplies (I normally stock up on water and some snacks as sometimes dinner is hard to come by in Chama). I then hit my usual McDonalds by the target for some food to eat on the road and was heading north at 12:30pm.
I got to Chama about 3:15pm and headed straight up the mountain to see where the daily train was as it was due into Chama at 4:00 so should be past Cumbres at this point. I did meet the train at the Coxo road crossing just down grade from Cumbres. I turned back and chose to photograph it at the Cresco water tank. The 488 was on the train today. After I saw her at Cresco, I caught her a few more times before the second grade crossing, where I cut to go to Chama.
The crew was heading very slowly down the hill (I believe it was one of the first trips down for the engineer) so I actually checked into the Iron Rail Inn (used to be Hotel n Shops) before heading down to the yard to see the 488 arrive. As the 488 went to turn the train, I was able to check out the 487 at the engine house and also ran into the 315. The 315 was being steamed up for the first time in a while after having work done. We would run into her heading over to Antonito on Monday while on the road where she would be loaded and trucked up to Golden, Colorado to visit there.
I made it back to the room about 4:30pm to unpack and relax a bit. I got Subway for dinner and ate it at the Iron Rail Inn's balcony with the sounds of a steam shop in the background. I headed back down to the yard about 6:20pm. I shot some of 315 at the engine house again and then that night, there was a photo shoot with the 487 at the historic sound house and coal tipple which is always a treat. She already had her Rio Grande lettering and looked stunning.
A Hallmark movie was being filmed in Chama during that time and that included using the first floor of the Iron Rail Inn. I believe the name of the movie is Meet Mr. Booker. I got back from the night shoot about 8:45pm and they were just warping up shooting in the Hotel. I relaxed in the room a bit and was out by 10:30!
I left my house at 6:25am and at Houston Hobby airport a little after 7:00am. There was a government shut down going on but security was fine. As mentioned above, my 8:35am flight direct to Albuquerque was delayed until 9:15am but it was alright. This plane already had Southwest's new seating in it but was still open seating (until 2026). I was still A-list which ended in at the end of 2025, so I was able to select was the front premium extra leg room seats! While we pushed back at 9:15am, we then sat on the tarmac until a little after 10:00 for a reason they never told us. We landed in ABQ at 10:55am (local time) just an hour late.
Like the other trips, I grabbed an Enterprise rental car and started to head north. What is now customary, I stopped at Target in north Albuquerque for some supplies (I normally stock up on water and some snacks as sometimes dinner is hard to come by in Chama). I then hit my usual McDonalds by the target for some food to eat on the road and was heading north at 12:30pm.
I got to Chama about 3:15pm and headed straight up the mountain to see where the daily train was as it was due into Chama at 4:00 so should be past Cumbres at this point. I did meet the train at the Coxo road crossing just down grade from Cumbres. I turned back and chose to photograph it at the Cresco water tank. The 488 was on the train today. After I saw her at Cresco, I caught her a few more times before the second grade crossing, where I cut to go to Chama.
The crew was heading very slowly down the hill (I believe it was one of the first trips down for the engineer) so I actually checked into the Iron Rail Inn (used to be Hotel n Shops) before heading down to the yard to see the 488 arrive. As the 488 went to turn the train, I was able to check out the 487 at the engine house and also ran into the 315. The 315 was being steamed up for the first time in a while after having work done. We would run into her heading over to Antonito on Monday while on the road where she would be loaded and trucked up to Golden, Colorado to visit there.
I made it back to the room about 4:30pm to unpack and relax a bit. I got Subway for dinner and ate it at the Iron Rail Inn's balcony with the sounds of a steam shop in the background. I headed back down to the yard about 6:20pm. I shot some of 315 at the engine house again and then that night, there was a photo shoot with the 487 at the historic sound house and coal tipple which is always a treat. She already had her Rio Grande lettering and looked stunning.
A Hallmark movie was being filmed in Chama during that time and that included using the first floor of the Iron Rail Inn. I believe the name of the movie is Meet Mr. Booker. I got back from the night shoot about 8:45pm and they were just warping up shooting in the Hotel. I relaxed in the room a bit and was out by 10:30!
