The Last Coal Burner on the Durango & Silverton - Winter Steam Photo Special

[Georgeconna]

Lucky to Visit this Railway in the 2000's, Sad to see the coal going but sit back, chuck  it on the BIG Screen, Crank up the Volume and enjoy the sights. 

Happy Christmas lads.

 

 

[Mike 84C]

Brilliant! Went there 30yrs ago! where has that time gone to! All enthusiasts should try and visit Colorado and its railways, its all rather epic!

[Mayner]

Visited Colarado in 2016 and ticked off a lot of bucket list items including the Durango & Silverton & Cumbres and Toltec for me the highlight was exploring the remains of the Rio Grande Southern on a snowy day in late May! Another highlight was having a beer on the terrace outside a bar in Chama that overlooked the main street and engine terminal as a couple rode on horseback into town and hitched their horses outside.

[Irishswissernie]

I managed a visit to the Durango & Silverton & Cumbres & Toltec in 2014. Officially I was visiting my daughter and Grandchildren in Utah but her then Father-in-Law suggested a week using his RV to visit the 2 lines and I er reluctantly accepted his offer.

Durango was very tourist orientated but Silverton was great. Chama was superb and you were able to wander all over the station and yards apart from inside the 'roundhouse' We chased K27 463 on a crew training trip to Cumbres and then went on to Antonito where we we lucky to catch the daily trip freight on the standard gauge line from Alamosa.

Videos and stills on flickr plus some earlier views from 1964 when the Silverton was still operated by the D&RGW.

 

[David Holman]

Nothing was running when my wife and I passed through Chama, but we had stayed in motel outside Durango and did the trip up to Silverton. Those chime whistles do it for me and the level crossing just outside Durango is as good a place as any to experience the sights and sounds. The loco bell is tolling all the way from the terminus and then the whistling starts on the approach to the main road. The gradient begins here too, so as the loco is opened up it is a delight for all the senses.

 There is lots of footage on YouTube of both railways and, like George, spent a happy hour or two watching stuff over Christmas, including the 100 year old rotary snow plough.