Impact! My camera captures the instant that the charging rotary outfit makes explosive contact with the dense, 4 ft. deep snow pack in the yard at Cumbres Pass. The violence you see out in front of Rotary OY is one reason why the railroad was so adamant about exercising positive control over this event, and not allowing a public free-for-all. As can be plainly seen, it is dangerous to be close to this machine, no matter what side you are on. Take a gander at the plume coming from the discharge chute. It's not exactly white. Clearly, there's some stuff in there that's not snow, and probably not soft. Fortunately, this was a long telephoto shot, taken from a couple of hundred feet away.
The Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad and the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad are all that remains of the legendary Denver & Rio Grande Western narrow gauge system. Here you'll find some of my favorites from these two beautiful railways.
