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[rjemery]

Where might I find, preferably online, an accurate map of the track layout in New Mexico of the AT&SF, circa 1960's?  I am interested in knowing where there was single, double or triple track, crossover switches, sidings, etc.

Of keen interest is the largely single track between Albuquerque and Las Vegas, NM, which was a bottleneck.  I wish to understand how a dozen or more trains could move through Glorieta Pass in the space of a few hours.  It was there, for example, that the e/b El Cap/Super Chief met the w/b trains of the same name.  Throw in at least two freights each way and the Grand Canyon.

The E/W route through Belen, Vaughn and Clovis is also of interest, as well as the section of track from Las Vegas through to Dodge City.

[tjsmrinfo]

try a google search. also look in MR and other modelling magazines for companies that specialize in old timetables.

tom

[rjemery]

try a google search. also look in MR and other modelling magazines for companies that specialize in old timetables.

Tom,

Pretty much what I am looking for is a CTC map of various districts by road.  My Google searches have not been productive.  While I can find maps, I cannot find them with enough detail.  What keywords would you suggest for such a search?

WRT Model Railroader magazine, I do not have access to back or current issues.

[nanaimo73]

Could you get access to this-

Nightmare on the high plains
Trains, September 1998 page 50-59
1956 collision between Santa Fe 19, Chief, and 8, Fast Mail
( ACCIDENT, ATSF, COLLISION, "DIVEN, WILLIAM P.", MEXICO, NEW, TRN )

This took place at Robinson, about 40 miles south of Raton.

[rjemery]

Could you get access to this-

Nightmare on the high plains
Trains, September 1998 page 50-59
1956 collision between Santa Fe 19, Chief, and 8, Fast Mail
( ACCIDENT, ATSF, COLLISION, "DIVEN, WILLIAM P.", MEXICO, NEW, TRN )

This took place at Robinson, about 40 miles south of Raton.

Dale,

I am not familiar with that placename, Robinson.  40 miles south of Raton, NM, is Springer, NM.

As I am not a subscriber to Trains or Model Railroader, so any online content Kalmbach offers would not be available to me.  I have to make arrangements through my local public library for a copy of  specific articles of interest, if they can find another library with a Trains backfile.

[nanaimo73]

Robinson was a 2994' siding at mile 705, 5 miles south of Springer. No. 8, the Fast Mail Express, was in the siding with 4 F7s and 15 cars. The westbound Chief, No 19, had 4 F3s and 15 cars and was supposed to go by on the main but was diverted into the siding.

http://www.du.edu/~jcalvert/railway/opensw.htm 

[rjemery]

Robinson was a 2994' siding at mile 705, 5 miles south of Springer. No. 8, the Fast Mail Express, was in the siding with 4 F7s and 15 cars. The westbound Chief, No 19, had 4 F3s and 15 cars and was supposed to go by on the main but was diverted into the siding.

http://www.du.edu/~jcalvert/railway/opensw.htm 

Dale,

On my DeLorme Atlases, that siding is shown as Colmor, and the next siding south is shown as Levy.

I wonder how this accident occurred:

•  Was there mechanical failure in that the switch was left open while the semaphore  guarding the siding indicated proceed or caution? 
  
• How could the switch be left open without a dispatcher not knowing about it? 
  
• How could the signal show proceed or caution if there was an open switch with the siding already occupied?
• How fast was the Chief moving when it slammed into the waiting Fast Mail Express?
  

That stretch then (Las Vegas - Raton) and perhaps still now featured semaphore signals.  (Semaphores were also used on the LV in NJ.)

More importantly, I am curious to know what additional safeguards were implemented as a result of this tragic accident.  Whatever the failure, that same failure had the potential of occurring elsewhere on the system.

[nanaimo73]

Robinson was half way between Springer and Colmar.

The fireman on the Fast Mail was supposed to be near the switch at the north end of the siding to throw it after the Chief went by. He said the lights on the Fast Mail flicked twice, making him think there was something wrong with the switch (no handheld radios then). He threw the switch right in front of the Chief, which entered the siding at full speed.