Chama, NM, October 3, 2009 – Summer has ended and a cool hint of fall is in the air. Already, the aspen leaves are turning to gold and red, ushering in the fall ‘cattle-rush’, when hundreds of railroad enthusiasts from all over the world flock the Mecca of railroading: Chama, New Mexico.

It’s a magical time!

As if we didn’t have enough going on, the C&TS launched its first-ever Engineer/Fireman school  in August. A second school session starting October 12 is sold out. More school sessions are planned for 2010.

On September 23-29, the famous and venerated coal tipple got its roofs replaced, thanks to the skills of local builder John Beaver and his crew.

The Cumbres & Toltec put together a potpourri of mind-boggling railfan events to crown the best season in years!

These were not your standard everyday passenger trains, which are thrilling enough in their own right. These were specially-staged Steam Freight trains and the quaint ‘Galloping Goose 5’ from the revered Rio Grande Southern Railroad.