The Great Train Trip- part the Fifteenth

After the disappointment of Dodge City, which wasn’t all of a big deal, I was going to spend as much time as possible in the “Vista Dome” car to see the “real west!”

( during the trip I took so many pictures that I was entitled to one enlargement and so this was the one I chose to “blow-up!” the interior of the “Vista-dome”)

The advantage of the “domed car” was it was higher than the rest of the train and give a better view of the terrain. Once the train got beyond the Sand Hills of Kansas the views became more spectacular. Although in the photo the car looks to be empty, it would fill to capacity later and every seat would be taken.

Coming into Colorado, I got my first taste of place names in Spanish. Also the idea of silent letters, “js”that were pronounced as “Hs” and interesting names for places like ” Sangre de Christo Mountains.” Here, I thought Latin was tough. ( ” First it killed the Romans and now it’s killing me!”)  After the train left La Junta- ( Lah-Hun’ta) Colorado we start the climb into the mountains. When we reach the Raton Pass we are as high as we will go. At 7835 ft above sea level. The train tracks follow the old Santa Fe Trail through the mountains. Although, then I was not aware of it, if you know where to look you could still  see remainents of it today!

It seems my younger self was very concerned that the train was running late. The trip diary has notations about how the train was late out of Newton, Kansas. But was happy to report that by the time the train had made it to Arizona, time had been made up.  In the middle fifties, the Santa Fe Railroad hired Navajo and Pueblo native Americans to ride the trains and give lectures on the local sights. My notes talk about”Chief Blue Wing”and how he was dressed. I was impressed by his turquoise jewelry and made several drawings of it. ( reference was made to a piece of literature that the railroad supplied “There’s an Indian on this train. . . ” but it is long gone.)  Interestingly, there are no photos taken of the business of the “Chief.” I am not sure if he requested that we not take any or just didn’t out of respect.

One thing that I did not understand on that trip was how much the temperature gradient differed between the inside and the outside but I soon discovered it was fairly wide. At Alburquerque, NM the train made a stop for service, crew change, to have the Windows washed and  that allowed for the passengers to disembark and walk around on the famous station platform. ( and I might add, purchase hand made items from the Navajo craftsmen and craftswomen.) On the train the temperature was 78 degrees and on the station platform it was 110 degrees at 3:45 in the afternoon!

(California- is still waiting .)