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Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge RailroadTruly a Trip Back in TimeBy Toni Dabbs
The route is the one forged in 1881 by the Denver and Rio Grande Railway, which built the narrow gauge line as a means of transporting coal, food and other supplies up to Silverton and mineral ores (copper, lead and zinc, as well as the coveted gold and silver) down. Today, passengers of the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad (D&SNG) ride in open gondolas and enclosed coaches (built between 1879 and 1986) pulled by steam locomotives (built between 1887 and 1925) still fired by the locally mined coal. One of the newer coaches, designed to accommodate wheelchairs, features a lift, adequate space for unrestricted movement and a specially equipped restroom.
Another historic car, the Cinco Animas (built in 1883), is available for charter by private parties, honeymooners, corporate groups, etc. Furnished with velvet covered couches and individual chairs, it includes a small galley, a restroom and an open platform at the rear. The basic fee covers 18 passengers, with a per person charge for additional passengers to a total of 25. A D&SNG attendant accompanies the group. Visitors who want a unique outdoor experience can charter the Railcamp, a boxcar converted to serve as a recreational vehicle. The self-contained unit has bunks for four people, a dining area, galley, shower and toilet. The car is sidetracked beside the river at Cascade Canyon, 26 miles from Durango.
In Silverton, passengers have time to browse through the specialty shops, tour the museum in the 1902 county jail and have lunch before returning to Durango. No restaurant in town is short on character, dubious though it may be. For example, the Shady Lady Saloon, now a respectable family establishment, got its start in the 1890s exactly as one might suspect.
In winter (U.S. Thanksgiving through April), when deep snow cuts off Silverton, the journey is shortened, with one train running daily (except Friday) only as far as Cascade Canyon. However, the ride offers views of the snow blanketed Animas River Canyon that can not be seen any other way. Once each year (September 22, 2001), the D&SNG operates a Photographer's Special. It rendezvous with regularly scheduled trains at different points along the Animas River Canyon, giving rail fans and others excellent opportunities to photograph the trains in motion. Photo opportunities also are available during the annual Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge RailFest (August 23-27, 2001), as are special excursions, exhibitions, model railroad displays, a railroadiana swap meet and other related events. In addition, the D&SNG satisfies the curiosity of visitors interested in behind-the-scenes activities by conducting a daily tour of its Durango work yard (May through October). The tour takes in the turntable, 15-stall roundhouse where locomotives are serviced and stored, rolling stock restoration and maintenance shops, and museum. Because of the popularity of the D&SNG, passengers are advised to make reservations four to eight weeks in advance. Contact Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad Photos by Toni Dabbs Copyright 2001 by Toni Dabbs. This work, including photographs, is protected by copyright and may be used only for personal non-commercial purposes. All other rights are reserved, and commercial use is prohibited without permission of the author. |
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Every year, thousands of vacationers and railroad enthusiasts come to Durango, Colorado, to ride a train over 45 miles of narrow gauge track to the old mining town of Silverton high in the San Juan Mountains. The track follows the Animas River through farm fields and forests, passing sometimes precariously high above the rushing water and other times close enough to feel its spray.
Also in regular service are a parlor car, the Alamosa (built in 1880), and a caboose (built in 1886). The Alamosa has been fitted with a bar and saloon style seating to provide first class service for as many as 28 adult passengers (21 years of age and older). The caboose, with seating for eight adults, has been restored to its original appearance inside and out. Premium priced tickets are required for seating in these cars.
Downtown Durango and Silverton, both listed on the National Register of Historic Places, look much as they did during the heyday of the mines.
Passengers depart Durango from the classic 1881 depot, perhaps after spending the night at the Strater Hotel. The hotel, an eye-catching red brick and white fretwork structure, is as elegant now as it was when it first opened in 1888. Every guestroom is decorated individually with antiques set against wallpapers and draperies evocative of the period.
The D&SNG is an actual railroad - not a single train—that operates from late November through late October, shutting down one month each autumn for annual maintenance. During peak summer season (mid-June to mid-August), four trains per day make the complete round trip. Options allow passengers to take a train one way and a bus the other or to overnight in Silverton.