Albuquerque
NM History for Kids! By WENDY KAPLAR
The Cumbres & Toltec Scenic railroad has been rolling along for 51 years. The railroad’s name is derived from the uppermost point reached by the steam engine at Cumbres Pass and the spectacularly picturesque Toltec Gorge. Riding aboard the Cumbres & Toltec is not your routine undertaking, but then there are not many ordinary things about this antique railroad’s route, which encompasses 64-miles between Chama, N.M., and Antonito, Colo. Astonishingly, the train traverses the borders of Colorado and New Mexico 11 times as it ascends the 10,015-feet high Cumbres Pass.
Albuquerque
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New Mexico Kids!
November/December 2021
The Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad was initially part of the Rio Grande’s San Juan Extension, constructed in 1880. The San Juan Extension was chiefly used by the silver mining district of the San Juan Mountains in southwestern Colorado. At the time of its construction, the San Juan Extension was uniquely built to a gauge of 3 feet between the rail as opposed to the customary 4 feet 8.5 inches, which would become the U.S. standard. The repeal of the 1890 Sherman Act led to the decline of the silver mining district and the railroad. By 1969 the Interstate Commerce Commission granted a request by the Rio Grande to abandon the narrow-gauge main line trackage. Regrettably, most of the Rio Grande’s San Juan Extension trackage was disassembled soon after the ICC’s resolution. Thankfully, a group of dedicated railway preservationists banded together in 1970 to preserve this significant portion of New Mexico’s railroad history. It was then that Colorado and New Mexico jointly purchased the track and line-side structures from Antonito to Chama. In 1973, the Cumbres & Toltec was added to the National Register of Historic Places. In 1976, the railroad was designated as a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark by the American Society of Civil Engineers. In 2012, the railroad was appointed a National Historic Landmark. This iconic Southwestern railroad has also been featured in over two dozen films. The railroad is hosting “Christmas at the Depot” this year on Dec. 11 in Chama and on Dec. 18 in Antonito. Visitors can tour the depot, take photos with Santa, and enjoy holiday treats. There is no cost to attend Christmas at the Depot, but guests are encouraged to bring a new, unwrapped toy and canned food. All collected toys and canned goods will be distributed to local nonprofit groups. Chama’s Christmas at the Depot will run from 2 to 5 p.m., followed by a lantern launch at sunset. The event also includes the Chama tree lighting ceremony, highlighting ornaments hand-crafted by area school children. Chama also will host a light parade on Main Street. Antonito’s Christmas at the Depot celebration was still being finalized at press time. Visit the Cumbres and Toltec Railroad’s website for specifics of that event: cumbrestoltec.com.
