Engines / Lokomotiven Passenger cars Box cars                       Tank cars Flat cars Hoppers Gondolas Log / Lumber cars Stock car MOW cars Caboose The Rio Chama and Northern never bought any new freight cars. They either acquired used, worn-out equipment from other roads or they just went to large scrap yards near Omaha, Atchison, Santa Fe or St. Louis. Only one time they bought a brand new 40 ft.-gondola; needless to say that it was a special offer, but the owner of RC & N, Horace P. Vestibule III was very proud of it. It was brought to the yard on a cold, foggy morning and the boss wanted to have it prepared right away. So he went to the canteen, woke up Willy, who most of the time was to be found there asleep and yelled "Hey Willy, get up on your feet, go to the depot and make 21 out of our new gondola" Willy, the dumb repair guy, still half asleep got up. When he arrived at the depot he didn`t remember all what he was told. The only words he recalled were "feet" and "21". So he started..... In the late evening, when Mr. Vestibule went home, he heard unusual noise coming from the depot, but he didn`t think further about it. The next morning Willy, looking tired, reported to Mr. Vestibule: "Good morning boss, the job is done but what number do you want to have on this car ?" Mr. Vestibule could not believe his eyes, when he saw the result of Willy's nightshift: So the only ever brand-new freight car ended up to be a 21 ft.-gondola

The first engine for the Rio Chama.


It was inherited by Horace P. Vestibule III from his grandpa of Switzerland,
Horatio P. Veschtibühl after he passed away in 1945


This picture was made in 1942 at Basel