I discovered their webcam in October. Their tourist season ended in late Oct. but they have a couple "Christmas Ride" weekends the middle of next month.
Since the end of the main tourist season, as best I can tell, sometimes they fire up one or two engines during the week. Sometimes they disappear down the line, sometimes they travel to the ash pit and back to the engine house. One stayed outside all weekend with no signs of being kept warm, but was out and about this afternoon. They also have diesel engines that run so they could use those for work on the the rail line.
I know Durango and Siverton keeps their engines fired up at night during their regular tourist season.
My questions: Why fire up the engines at all if they are not needed for a couple weeks.
Why use a steam engine when the diesel or even a speeder would transport one or two track workers down the line?
Are the engines in the engine house kept at a non-visible smoking but heated state?
Does it have anything to do with heat cycles? Starting up an engine from stone cold?
http://www.coloradonewmexicosteamtrain.org/camera-portal-horizontal.htm
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
Henry,
The shop continues work on the locos after the tourist season ends. That's pretty much why anything is hot and running this time of year. There is some MOW work that happens before snow makes that impossible, but that's pretty much done at this point until spring.
Note that there are several discussion forums that are useful in finding out more about the C&TS even if you don't want to actively participate. This one is very useful: http://ngdiscussion.net/phorum/list.php?1
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
Thanks Mike. I'll check out that discussion.