This Rocky Mountain Railroad Will Transport You Back in Time

Above, the Durango train at High Line with the Animas River below. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Ever since I discovered the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad back in the 1980s at a travel show in Southern California, I have ridden the train several times. Most recently, I rode the train last year from Durango to Silverton, Colorado.

Since I moved to New Mexico five years ago, I am only a few hours away from Durango. This allows me to make more visits there.

Above, the Durango train about to depart the Durango depot. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Thrillist has posted an article on the train that is entertaining as well as informative.

They begin it with:

You can take the Hogwarts Express through Scotland, or the Orient Express from Paris to Istanbul, but only in the Rocky Mountains of Southwestern Colorado can you board a vintage train that’s been chugging its way through the San Juan National Forest—hauling both passengers and mine ore—since the 19th century. The appeal of the historic Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, one of very few trains in the nation to consistently use steam locomotives, isn’t magic or murder mysteries. It’s the memories you’ll make while enjoying killer views of the roaring Animas River, dense forest as far as the eye can
see, and picture-perfect mountain towns seemingly preserved in time from a bygone Gold Rush era.

Now a National Historic Landmark, and operating out of the same train depot since July of 1882, a ride on this timeworn train feels like a blast from the gilded past, in which miners would use it to transport gold and silver from the mountains into the burgeoning town of Durango, Colorado. Said town, now an endearingly frontiersy mountain hub lined with saloons and western wear shops, was founded by the Denver and Rio Grande Railway in 1880, fueled by more than $300 million worth of mountain metals that have traversed its tracks. Today, while the Gold Rush has ceased, that same railroad still reigns as a foremost attraction in Durango. It’s anchored by the same classic depot since day one, whisking wistful passengers through the high-elevation forest for day trips and special events.

Above, inside the Durango train museum after entering. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

If one hasn't decided yet on what to do this summer vacation season, a ride on the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad is worth considering. Also, there's a free museum at the Durango depot roundhouse that is worth a good browse through.

To read the full article, go here.