Train #1 Arrives, Part 2

By CE Hunt The night had lots of thunder and actually a little bit of rain, but not enough to concern the crew of train #2, today’s northbound, about washouts along the line. The skies are still threatening though the next morning. The crew is pretty well rested and ready to take the train north.

Train #1 Arrives, Part 1

By CE Hunt With Albert “Al” at the controls and Paco, the front brakeman, train #1, the Pecos to Presidio main train, is about to arrive in Presidio. The local crew in Presidio has everything finally done to be ready for its arrival. The #1 crew will sleep over at the Three Palms Motel and

Another “Hot” Run in Presidio, Part 3

By CE Hunt Time for the Ocotillo local to make its run. After a good night’s sleep, the Presidio-based crew has three tasks to do today before the train #1 arrives in town this evening: 1. run the local out to the silica mine at Ocotillo, 2. make the international bridge run to gather the

Another “Hot” Run in Presidio, Part 2

By CE Hunt The comida at Loma Linda’s was fantastic as usual. Only problem now is the boys are thinking about naps instead of getting the job done! No time for that! It’s now time to get that load of beer spotted and the rest of the loads on the warehouse siding. The brakeman is

Another “Hot” Run in Presidio, Part 1

By CE Hunt Train #2 has departed Presidio heading north for Alpine and Pecos. It may be a slow run north. It is hot and dry. Fire risk is great. The crew is always happy to get north as they hit the higher altitudes and cooler temperatures. The line picks up about 2,400 feet by

Presidio & Northern Railway Track Plan

By CE Hunt Here is the track plan for the Presidio & Northern Railway. It is 22 feet by 25 feet. About a 10 foot extension of the layout is not depicted. It is a single track line south of Presidio that represents the track to the International Bridge over the Rio Grande River and

Hey, what’s in that train?

By CE Hunt In this post I want to breakdown a southbound train, train #1, in Presidio & Northern Railway (P&N) parlance, destined for Presidio one mild afternoon in 1968 as it rolls through Ocotillo, a small village (really almost a ghost town) a bit north of Presidio. Rusty is on the front of #1501

Traffic on lower end of the South Orient in early 1993

By B. Smith and CE Hunt Here are notes from runs in 1993. This is based on actual traffic. We have gone back and looked at actual traffic patterns to get inspiration and reference material for our La Linda Canyon Northern Railway and Presidio & Northern Railway operations even though both of these operations are

The Story of A. B. McGill’s Warehouse

By CE hunt On my Presidio & Northern railway, history and fiction blend quite comfortably. I like to think that the history is factual and the fiction is at least informed by the history. My novels are kind of like that too, but mostly fiction. Nobody knows exactly when Angus Blair McGill arrived in Presidio.

A Bunk Car for the Presidio & Northern Railway Crew

By CE Hunt It gets hot in Presidio! In June, the highs average 102 degrees! Plus the P&N operates in some extremely remote territory. Jaime, the shop foreman and just “plain brilliant dude,” came up with the idea of converting an old junk caboose sitting on the property to a bunk car. The interior was