Loading the RVs on the Copper Canyon Train

Nov. 8-9, 2006

We drove to La Junta to load our RVs on the train that would take us through the Copper Canyon. The train has a minimum requirement of 16 flatbed cars, and a maximum limit of 24 flatbed cars. Our group came up a little short of the minimum, so the RV caravan company worked out a deal with another caravan company that was also short. Between the two groups we filled the train up to the maximum. To load the RVs on to the flatbeds, you drive on to the last flatbed car, and then on to flat beds in front of you that are still empty. Thus the train is loaded from front to back. They split the train into 3 sections of 8 cars each on parallel tracks so that you only had to drive over 7 cars at most to get to your car.


 

Ed is loading his Roadtrek while I am behind him waiting my turn. Since our RVs are short, we can put both on one flatbed car and save some money.

Then it was my turn. Our flatbed car was the last in a section of eight, so we didn't have to drive very far. We will pay for it when we get to our destination and unload; we will have to drive over seven flat bed cars to get off. The train workers guide you to put your RV as far to the left as possible, so you have room to walk on the right side. Note that the railing is only on the right side of the car.

They really put your left tires right on the edge. Our wagon master told us about this and said the train workers know what they are doing, so we should trust them and follow their directions even though it feels like we are driving off the edge of the railroad car. Once the RV is in the right position the front and rear tires on both sides are blocked by chocks screwed into the railroad car so the vehicle can't roll forward or backward.

The RV is also secured by cables to prevent it from slipping sideways when the train rocks back and forth. As a result, it is pretty well tied down.

Here is Gordon driving his motorhome on to the flat bed cars; he was at the front of the next section, so he had to drive over  seven flatbed cars to get to his car.

To get from one flatbed car to the next, the workers put moveable steel bridges across the gap between the cars. The width between the tires on Gordon's tow vehicle (the Jeep) is narrower than on the motorhome, so the worker is adjusting the placement of the bridges so that the Jeep can get to the next car.

Gordon and Diane in front of their motorhome after it is in place on the flatbed car.

We spent that night on our RVs on the flatbed cars in the loading area. The next morning they assembled the three train sections into a train. The photo shows the view from our RV as our section is backed into the section containing Gordon and Diane's motorhome as the lead car. Fortunately, everything came together as planned and Ed and Pat were just ahead of us, and Gordon and Diane were right behind us.

Finally, we were underway on the train trip that would take us through the Copper Canyon.