Highball Buena Vista
My first visits to Colorado were well after Rio Grande's image had effectively disappeared into that of Southern Pacific.  By the time this photo was taken, Union Pacific's takeover of SP was complete.  So, it was a real treat to find a Rio Grande tunnel motor leading a train over Tennessee Pass in July 1997, one month before the line would close.  The fact that 5379 had not yet received ditch lights, most likely due to it still having a functioning Gyralight, was icing on the cake.  Here AHNOA approaches the town of Buena Vista from the east behind three smoky standard cab EMDs.  The backlighting highlights the jointed rail that was still in use here.

<b>UP AHNOA:</b>
DRGW 5379 SD40T-2

riogrande emd sd40t2 tunnelmotor buenavistaco tennesseepasssubdivision tennesseepass train railfan railroad