#boisecity

Cow on the ROW

While exploring the high plains near the Panhandles, I came upon this scene—cows grazing on an abandoned line of the Santa Fe, between Boise City, Oklahoma, and Clayton, New Mexico.

As I’ve written in other posts, the little set of peaks one sees here is called Rabbit Ears Mountain and was a landmark for the Cimarron Cutoff of the Santa Fe Trail.

Colmor Cutoff, Part One

While in northeast portion of New Mexico, I thought I’d check out a railroad that never quite got completely built: Santa Fe’s Colmor Cutoff. These pictures were taken in Mt. Dora, near Clayton.

As part of its sprawling system, the ATSF began a line between Boise City, Oklahoma, and Colmor, New Mexico, practically mirroring the Cimarron Route of the precursor Santa Fe Trail.

This line would be abandoned just 35 miles short of its completion (Colmor), though trains did run on this section prior to being shut down. A route further south would be favored over this one—the Belen Cutoff. Go here for more information on the line above.