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On Aug. 31, Trains magazine will sponsor a chartered photo freight at the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic with Rio Grande Southern 4-6-0 No. 20 from the Colorado Railroad Museum and C&TS’s own 2-8-2 No. 463 relettered RGS and renumbered 455.
This once-in-a-lifetime event will depart from Antonito, Colo., and travel to Osier for lunch with great photo runbys in between in both directions. We will return to Antonito. Departure time is TBA. Our train will recreate the late William Moedinger’s famous RGS freight of 1941 with the brakeman riding the pilot beam to watch for landslides. The first half of the consist will match the train that Moedinger photographed that day. His research, photography, and writings became the subject for two major feature stories on the narrow gauge in Trains in February 1942 and October 1969. His son, Linn, spreadheaded the restoration at the Strasburg Rail Road, and the work was completed in 2020.
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To purchase your ticket, go to https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sunset-on-the-rio-grande-southern-tickets-150395516037. Tickets are first come, first served.
Don’t stop, though, there’s more!
On Sept. 2 and 3, Trains Magazine will operate Extra 493, a two-day photo charter on the Durango & Silverton that will be the first photo freight charter for the K37 brought back to life in 2020. We plan on 4-5 freight cars and two or three coaches. If possible, this train will begin and end at Rockwood to make the most of time in the canyon. The locomotive will be lettered Rio Grande. We will overnight in Silverton. We will arrange lighting in Silverton for night photos. We had planned to operate this following Victorian Iron Horse Roundup last year, but the pandemic made this impossible. Fortunately, the D&S was gracious in allowing us access this year. Additionally, SP 18 will be in town, and the D&S has agreed to incorporate it into the charter on the second day. Basically, we’ll get two locomotives for the price of one.
The schedule for Extra 493 allows RGS Sunset participants a full day to drive from Antonito to Durango. Tickets are $650 each, including lunch both days. Lodging is not included.
To the tickets:
www.eventbrite.com/e/extra-493-with-sp-18-tickets-153554314087
Additionally, we have arranged a block of rooms at the Grand Imperial Hotel in Silverton for Sept. 2 at a 20% discount. Please make your own hotel arrangements soon as space is limited in Silverton. To arrange at Grand Imperial, call 970-387-5527. This is not available online.
And yes, we will be creating a souvenir DVD out of this amazing event so we can enjoy it over and over again. Kevin Gilliam and I will be on site to film. It should be a great show. Ordering info: https://kalmbachhobbystore.com/product/dvd/1611
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Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad, Sanford, United States
Tickets
USD 699