Cumbres and Toltec RR

As we were climbing up to Windy Point, we had a bit of bovine excitement -- cows running on the tracks. The engineer kept tooting at 'em, but they just wouldn't get far enough off the track. Problem was, after slowing for the cows, we lost all our traction. Normally, the engine carries a quantity of sand that gets sprinkled on the tracks when going up an incline, but we'd used up all the sand. Bags of it had to be brought from a supply shack down the hill and poured on the tracks by hand. We were stuck there for 15 or 20 minutes. Out of public ear-shot, the engineer apparently made some joke about carrying a gun with him next time. That's what the conductor said, anyway. It was a joke. I'm sure it was a joke. Cow movie in three parts -- Cows Frolicking, Uh-oh -- cows chuckling in the background, Spinning our Wheels