Georgetown Loop Photo Freight

On Tuesday, Sep 26, 2006, Steven Torrico (CMO for Railstar at the Loop) announced via the Narrow Gauge Discussion Forum that an impromptu freight train would be run on the Georgetown Loop on Wednesday, after the final scheduled train had arrived in the afternoon. The real reason was that they needed to retrieve a pair of historic freight cars from spurs along the route, in order to haul them into the Silver Plume yard for the winter. However, thanks to the efforts of Steve and the rest of the Railstar folks, it turned into a spectacular opportunity to photograph a freight train running over the Loop, powered by C&S 9.

The train left Silver Plume around 1550h, with C&S 2-6-0 #9 backing up, followed by Rio Grande caboose 0586, D&RGW refrigerated car 153, and finally D&RGW stock car 5702. About a dozen fans showed up, including two British gentlemen that had arrived in the States for the two Trains Unlimited narrow gauge photo freights and had stumbled across this move. The run’s goal was to pick up two cars out on the line – D&RGW boxcar 3582 from the spur just north of the high bridge, and D&RGW gon 824 from the spur at Hall Tunnel. In addition, the crew was more than accomodating, when possible, to do run-bys at some particularly good spots, or just let us all photograph things as they went about their jobs.

I want to thank the whole Railstar team that made this possible, but particularly Steve. It was a spectacular opportunity, and something I won’t soon forgot. They also deserve praise for doing a great job with what they’ve been given at the Loop over the past two years. I was one of the pessimists at the outset of the Loop mess in 2004, and I’m glad they’ve proven that most of my concerns were dead wrong. Aside from 12’s recent axle problem, they have had two working narrow gauge steamers, including the fully restored C&S 9. Back in 2003, I never thought I’d see 9 run in my lifetime as I saw it sitting, dilapidated, on the Morningstar track. Yet here it is pulling this photo freight, befitting the Loop’s history. Thanks for letting a few fans follow along on your switching run, and by all means, keep up the good work.

Taking on a little water up at Silver Plume after the day's final passenger train - taken about 1520h. In about 25 minutes, the crew will head downhill again to retrieve two historic freight cars and bring them back to Silver Plume for the winter. — Taking on a little water up at Silver Plume after the day’s final passenger train – taken about 1520h. In about 25 minutes, the crew will head downhill again to retrieve two historic freight cars and bring them back to Silver Plume for the winter.

Steven Torrico, Railstar's CMO for the Loop, was kind enough to turn this switching event into an impromptu photo freight for the fans. A big thanks to Steve, Dan Adler (one of the Loop engineers), and Railstar for doing this! Going down, 9 will be dragging two freight cars (DRGW stock car 5702 and DRGW refer 153) and DRGW caboose 0586. — Steven Torrico, Railstar’s CMO for the Loop, was kind enough to turn this switching event into an impromptu photo freight for the fans. A big thanks to Steve, Dan Adler (one of the Loop engineers), and Railstar for doing this! Going down, 9 will be dragging two freight cars (DRGW stock car 5702 and DRGW refer 153) and DRGW caboose 0586.

Where'd all the brass go? Although original to 9, Steve and crew temporarily blacked out the brass bands for the benefit of the fans that day. Rest assured, it'll be polished back up again. — Where’d all the brass go? Although original to 9, Steve and crew temporarily blacked out the brass bands for the benefit of the fans that day. Rest assured, it’ll be polished back up again.

And the crew is just about ready to head down the hill. That's Steve Torrico in the foreground - he not only put this together, but he'll be working on this run. — And the crew is just about ready to head down the hill. That’s Steve Torrico in the foreground – he not only put this together, but he’ll be working on this run.

The first pickup of the day was made on the way down the hill, at the short spur on the north end of the bridge. The crew will be tacking DRGW boxcar 3582 on the end of the train.

Just as they were making the shove into the spur, the sun broke through the clouds.

Down at the bottom - the Devils Gate siding - the crew ran around the train to get 9 on the front. Shortly they'll start off for the trip back up the hill. Here they are putting 9 back on the train. — Down at the bottom – the Devils Gate siding – the crew ran around the train to get 9 on the front. Shortly they’ll start off for the trip back up the hill. Here they are putting 9 back on the train.

As it's sitting there, some of us take advantage to get a few shots in. — As it’s sitting there, some of us take advantage to get a few shots in.

Here's the train blasting back through the station area on the start of its trip uphill. — Here’s the train blasting back through the station area on the start of its trip uphill.

The train gets into some very photogenic aspen groves just above the station, where the line comes around to cross the road to the Lebanon Mine

Just another "through the aspens" shot — Just another “through the aspens” shot

Heading away from the crossing, back east towards the high bridge

Some spectacular afternoon light as the move crosses the high bridge

And another - the crew was kind enough to accomodate us with a few run-bys at the top of the bridge. — And another – the crew was kind enough to accomodate us with a few run-bys at the top of the bridge.

One final go at the bridge shot... — One final go at the bridge shot…

The next stop above the bridge is at the Hall Tunnel siding, where the crew needs to fetch DRGW 824, a gon sitting in the spur track.

Yup, there's the gon. — Yup, there’s the gon.

That's engineer Jason Midyette in the cab. Yes, the very same one that brings us the Colorado Timetable. — That’s engineer Jason Midyette in the cab. Yes, the very same one that brings us the Colorado Timetable.

Coupled up and brakes released, they start easing the whole set out of the spur.

All back together, the crew gives the whistle a couple blasts to indicate they'll be backing up. Run-by time! — All back together, the crew gives the whistle a couple blasts to indicate they’ll be backing up. Run-by time!

Fans? I don't see any railfans... — Fans? I don’t see any railfans…

Here's the whole train, whistle wide open, as it comes up past the Hall Tunnel area again for the fans. — Here’s the whole train, whistle wide open, as it comes up past the Hall Tunnel area again for the fans.

After the Hall Tunnel pickup, both the light and 9's water were running a little low, so it was time to head back to Silver Plume. — After the Hall Tunnel pickup, both the light and 9’s water were running a little low, so it was time to head back to Silver Plume.

Once the train was safely stopped in front of the Silver Plume depot, I had the opportunity to climb up in the caboose to get this shot looking out over the whole train.

As soon as the train arrived, Steve fired up diesel 21 and went to work pulling the freight cars off into the yard, so that 9 could go over and fill up from the tank

The sun's last rays for the afternoon fall on 9 as the crew once again quenches her thirst at the Silver Plume tank. — The sun’s last rays for the afternoon fall on 9 as the crew once again quenches her thirst at the Silver Plume tank.

And I thought this caboose shot was a particularly fitting final frame. That's Steve on the back in his conductor's hat and vest (complete with pocket watch), looking every bit the part. A huge thanks to Steve, Dan, the rest of the crew, and Railstar for hosting this informal photo freight. We all had an absolute blast that afternoon. — And I thought this caboose shot was a particularly fitting final frame. That’s Steve on the back in his conductor’s hat and vest (complete with pocket watch), looking every bit the part. A huge thanks to Steve, Dan, the rest of the crew, and Railstar for hosting this informal photo freight. We all had an absolute blast that afternoon.

All photographs in this trip report were taken with a Canon EOS 20D using either a Canon 24-105mm F4 L IS/USM or a Canon 75-300mm f4-5.3 IS/USM.

This work is copyright 2024 by Nathan D. Holmes, but all text and images are licensed and reusable under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license. Basically you’re welcome to use any of this as long as it’s not for commercial purposes, you credit me as the source, and you share any derivative works under the same license. I’d encourage others to consider similar licenses for their works.