Trak Works;Ken J. Johnson
Rolling Thunder over Cumbres Pass Lyrics
Disc 1
- With a full head of steam and passengers aboard, engines 489 and 484 depart Chama with the eastbound train to Antonito.
- The double-header is already climbing the 4 percent grade as it enters The Narrows.
- Due to weight restrictions, helper engine 484 is cut off and crosses the Lobato Trestle alone.
- The whistle blows for the grade crossing at Highway 17 as the double-header charges through.
- The train continues climbing the 4percent grade west of Cresco.
- The train has stopped near Cresco. The engines struggle to get the train rolling again.
- The double-header passes Windy Point where the tracks run along the edge of a cliff just west of Cumbres.
- The train reaches the summit at Cumbres where it stops for water and to cut off the helper.
- East of Tanglefoot the train drifts by on its downgrade journey eastward to Antonito, CO.
- Back at Cumbres the helper engine 484 pulls up to the water pipe for service.
- Engine 484 maneuvers around the wye at Cumbres with a close-up perspective of the barking exhaust from the smokebox.
- Inside the cab is a wash of hiss and rattle.
- Engine 484 continues eastbound and whistles as it crosses Highway 17 at Cumbres.
- Under thundering skies and a brief rain, engine 488 from Antonito, pulls its train westbound around the loop at Tanglefoot .
- A short time later, engine 484 follows 488 s train westbound thru Tanglefoot.
- Back in the yard at Chama, Engine 484 heads for the wye after pulling the caboose off the train that just arrived from Antonito.
- Blowing for the small private crossing at grade, another double-header with engine 484 on the point works through Cresco.
- We re on board the platform of caboose 0306 coupled right behind engine 484 and 488 as the two highball up the grade around Lobo Lodge.
- Still on board the platform of caboose 0306, the engines are working fast and hard climbing the curve near Coxo.
- Preparing for the day s journey, engine 488 performs a blow-down to remove debris from the boiler with a roaring blast then returns from the east end of the Chama yard.
- A double-header led by engine 488 with 489 on the point as a helper, blows for the crossing at Highway 17 east of Dalton and works up the 4 percent grade with the train.
- 489 and 488 work together as they challenge the final part of the grade to Cumbres at Windy Point.
- Near Los Pinos engine 484 returns westbound with the train from Antonito.
- The train continues working up the gentle grade east of the Tanglefoot curve.
- Engine 484 pulls its train out of the loop at Tanglefoot and whistles for the crossing at Highway 17.
- Now drifting down the 4 percent grade on the other side of Cumbres, the train glides thru The Narrows as it returns to Chama.
- At Chama, the engine is cut from the train and heads to the west end of the yard to be turned at the wye.
- Whistling in the distance for the crossing at Highway 17, engines 497; a K37 class, and 488; a K36 pull a train up the grade east of Dalton.
