I took this picture in April, 2006 in Alamosa, Colorado. At about 7,500 feet above sea level on the banks of the Rio Grande, Alamosa is the only city in the San Luis Valley. The valley is claimed to be the largest high alpine valley on earth. It sure has the scenery. Bordered on the east by the Sangre de Cristo mountains and on the west by the San Juan mountains it reaches from Poncha Pass in the north to the Taos Pueblo to the south in Mew Mexico. The highest sand dunes in the country form Great Sand Dunes National Park. Fort Garland was once commanded by Kit Carson during his long military career. In the same area American Bison roam the range in large numbers. The valley is also home to the Rio Grande Scenic Railroad, whose excursion trains link Alamosa to La Veta over a 9,500 foot pass, and to Antonito, the northern terminus of the Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad.
The locomotive? It's EMD GP39-2 built in LaGrange in 1978 according to the builder's plate. As pictured it was being leased to the San Luis & Rio Grande by Independent Locomotive Services. Its history is unclear: maybe ex-UP 2750, originally Kennecott 797?
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