Today’s train photographs are from the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad, which runs between Chama, New Mexico and Antonito, Colorado across the Cumbres Pass
In July of 2009, my wife and I did the train ride from Antonito to Chama and the next day we chased it along its route for photographs. Near the summit of Cumbres Pass, there is a trestle bridge and I photographed the train crossing that bridge on it’s return run from Antonito to Chama. While I photographed the train, my wife Trudy, photographed me.
And here is the photo my wife made of me as I was positioning myself to make the above photo in 2009.
I returned to this location 15 years later on October 1st, 2024 and made the same photograph of the train crossing the bridge.
I had waited 15 years to return to New Mexico and photograph this train.
The similarity between the 2009 photo and the 2024 photo is amazing. A slightly different viewpoint near the bridge, perhaps about 20 feet different. But the same basic composition and there is even a person standing on the front platform of the first car behind the locomotive in the same exact position in both photos. What a great comparison. Time stands still.
This recent trip was with my friend Jonathan Steele and we spent an entire day taking care of business along the train’s route. A day I’ll always remember.