Great picture. In the early eighties, there was a huge train wreck in this same area past Vaughn. Since my father was a truck driver he was contracted to pick up trailers reloaded with product and bring them back to the rail yard in Clovis. One thing that stuck with me going with him, were all of the items they didn't take back. If the entire rail car was damaged and even though some of the contents were slightly damaged they buried everything right there next to the tracks. They brought out backhoes and buried items that were brand new with minimal damage, washers, dryers, rolls of linen, and toys. I remember the toys since it was mid fall and there were tons of toys destined for the shelves for Christmas that were scattered all over the place. Also very noticeable getting close to the wreck was the smell of men's cologne. One car had some in it and you could smell the wreck before even seeing it at over 10 miles from the scene.

Heh!
Am I the only one to hear the Andrews Sisters singing the "Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe" when I look at these pictures?

The Google man has not been there, but you can get there by traveling up County Road 3h between US-285 and US-60 about half way between Roswell and Albuquergue. The road on the left is County Road 3h and the tracks are bending to the west northwest towards Albuquerque. Wished I lived closer.

long train. I would hate to be waiting at a grade crossing for this train to pass....

Has any trip ever by any American photographer produced more great photos or more photographic history than this trip by Delano? Maybe the only competitor is Russell Lee's visit to Pie Town, not all that far from where Delano took this photo. And this New Mexico countryside isn't mere emptiness, it's the medicine for too long in the mountains and forests.

Loaded tank cars could not be coupled immediately ahead of a caboose.

... of nothing but miles and miles.