Britney, The Fairplay has hosted Presidents William H Taft, Ulysses S Grant and Theodore Roosevelt. Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad owner Al Harper is pictured at the train depot in Durango on June 21, 2019. It has run on the D&SNG just a handful of times in the past during special events. Engine 42 and a caboose running from Grady, located east of Mancos, Colorado to Durango was the last train movement on the RGS. Durango & Silverton scenic round-trip train ride in Colorado is a popular trip embarking on a journey through the beautiful San Juan Mountains. The railway is a federally-designated National Historic Landmark and was also designated by the American Society of Civil . durango and silverton narrow gauge railroad. To all of the passengers and friends of the Durango Train, we make a solemn commitment to you to provide a taste of authentic railroading history presented as it was in 1882. 483, which had not seen operation in several years. The price of a ticket also includes admission to the D&SNGRR Museum and the . If you call the Rail Line they can answer any questions His plans were fulfilled with the March 25, 1981, acquisition of the D&RGW's 45-mile (72km) Silverton branch and all of its structures and rolling stock. The Skyway Tour option saves time & rewards you with equally as stunning views on the bus ride back along the San Juan Byway. 480 has been converted to an oil burner and is operational. The railroad arrived in Durango on August 5, 1881 and construction on the line to Silverton began in the fall of the same year. The town is the best, there are festivals, parties, and everyone is accepted. It is available for charter and can hold up to eight people. Athearn, Robert G. "Rebel of the Rockies" Yale University Press 1962 pp. The last point of highway access between Durango and Silverton is the Rockwood Station. Save on outdoor activities, tours & rentals. The Galloping Goose Railbusses are products of the Rio Grande Southern Railroad, a fleet of 7 home made railcars used to haul the US mail and some passengers during the Great Depression. Make sure to check out our deals for kids, seniors, military and frequent riders before booking and special discounts on select departures. It was renumbered 126 in 1886. 485, unfortunately, fell into the turntable pit in Salida, Colorado, in 1955. ), Fantastic bus ride back with a good train ride and good views. Here are the current train destination routes and times for the Summer and Fall. There were many families with children in the open cars. Durango To Silverton: A Guide To Getting There One of the most popular ways to get from Durango to Silverton is by taking the Durango train. Palmer and his associates had agreed that the choice of 3ft (914mm) narrow-gauge would be well suited to the mountainous country, and relatively less expensive construction costs would enhance the viability of the new railroad. 473, 476 and 478 operated on the Silverton Branch from the 1950s through 1980 and are still in service today. Planning Guides - Plan according to season or specialty. Animas Forks, one of the best preserved ghost towns in the state of Colorado, is only 12 miles from Silverton. Terms of Use Ride the train on 45 miles of rails originally laid in 1882 between the historic mining town of Silverton and the railroad-built town of Durango, Colorado. Scenic through the mountains along Animus River. It is a National Historic Landmark as well as a Historic Civil Engineering Landmark. $$$$ American Steakhouse Vegetarian Friendly, $$ - $$$ Italian Pizza Vegetarian Friendly, $$ - $$$ American Vegetarian Friendly Vegan Options, $$ - $$$ American Southwestern Cafe, $ Quick Bites American Vegetarian Friendly, $$$$ American Contemporary Vegetarian Friendly. Built in 198788 winter, motorcar 1001 was named Tamarron. Despite popular belief that the railroad does not doublehead trains out of Durango because of smoke, the real reason is the weight restriction on the bridge at 15th Street, not allowing more than one K-36 at a time (K-28 class engines, however, are still doubleheaded from Durango). No. In 1887 it was rebuilt into a combination coach-baggage car and numbered 215. Always the best part is the scenery. Free shipping for many products! Arrive Silverton. | The Silverton Freight Yard Museum was opened in 1999 and is located at the Silverton depot and rail yard. Firing can be tricky when the engine is working hard, as the clamshell-style firedoors tend to pull into the backhead of the boiler due to the draft, and if any flues in the boiler are leaking, the loss of draft on the fire is much harder to work around than on the K-36 locomotives. Just as narrow-gauge equipment and parts are rare, narrow-gauge railroads are rare these days too. Narrow Gauge Railroad preservation & legacy. Some rolling-stock dates back to the 1880s. But, we had a bit of trouble with reservations for the type car we wanted, as our grandson is under 21. #493 ran under its own power for the first time on January 24, 2020, and has been the D&SNG's primary piece of motive power throughout 2020 and 2021. 18 has been a vital resource serving as a helper. We normally take the steam engine. [citation needed], The observation car on the Silverton route in 1951. This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher. No matter where you are riding on the train, the views of the Colorado back country are always truly stunning. Silverton Steam Train Schedule 2022. The price of a ticket also includes admission to the D&SNGRR Museum and the Silverton Freight Yard Museum. The last excursion of the Animas River Railway was on September 23 from Rockwood to Cascade. No. The railroad arrived in Durango on August 5, 1881 and construction on the line to Silverton began in the fall of the same year. 315. With this effort, "The Painted Train" officially started a new era of tourism that continues to this day. It was renumbered 350 in 1959. No. The last train to operate into Durango from the east was on December 6, 1968. My husband and I wanted to do a one-way trip on the Durango-Silverton Railroad in June. In 2009 the cars were converted with overstuffed seats. From early May through October, the railroad transports passengers to and from Silverton, a visit thats like stepping back in time to the days of the Wild West and when gold and silver mining in the area was at its zenith. Bachmann HO Scale Durango & Silverton Electric Train Set - eBay Ride the train to a day of ziplining on the longest course in the US. I'd previously traveled on the DSNGR in winter, and took another 4 inexperienced passengers with me this time. The Durango - Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad: Train Car and Seating Options. And have dinner at the luxurious Strater Hotel, which will make your trip even better. The numbers 28 and 36 designate the tractive effort (pulling force) of the locomotives in thousands of pounds. No. The Silverton branch, as it became known, struggled under D&RG ownership following the Panic of 1893 and the end of free coinage of silver. Many of these pieces run during the railroad's annual Railfest held every August. The D&SNGRR travels 45.4 miles each way along the Animas River from Durango to Silverton during our summer season May through October. Motive Power and Equipment Solutions, Inc. Acquired from Motive Power and Equipment Solutions (MP&ES) in 2018 in response to the, Restored to operating condition in 1984. While being owned by several parties between 1951 and 1982 the Fairplay was renamed the Nomad. Relive the Wild West on the Historic Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad! Since 1971, the Silverton branch and nearby Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad (C&TSRR) were the only remnants of the Rio Grande's once extensive narrow-gauge system. When the snow flies, Silverton turns into a winter wonderland boasting of great snowmobiling, snow shoeing, groomed tracks for cross country and skate skiing, groomed and lift-accessed backcountry skiing,and amazing landscapes! The ceiling of the Prospector features an enlarged route map, making it easy for passengers to follow the train's progress along the route. 473, 476, 480, 481, 482 and 493 are all operational. For the safety and protection of guests and employees, the D&SNG suspended all operations until at least June 23, 2020. The line was an extension of the D&RG 3ft (914mm) narrow-gauge line from Antonito, Colorado, to Durango. 1880s vintage coaches were exquisitely restored and new coaches were added to the roster of rolling stock. It was then rebuilt into an office living car for members of the Valuation Survey in 1919. [9], By the 1960s, a modernized D&RGW did not see the Silverton Branch as worthy to maintain and a petition was filed with governmental agencies to abandon it. The engine weighs 35 tons and pulls with 17,100lbs of tractive effort. A 12:01p.m. trip for Cascade Canyon ran until October 29. It was converted to a coach-snack bar by the D&RGW in 1963 then reconverted in 1979 to a coach. Built in the winter of 19871988, the Rio Grande was originally railbus trailer 1002 and was painted red. We took the Express optionand thank goodness we did! This is our third time taking the train. 5 was built with a 1928 Pierce-Arrow limousine body and running gear, and was rebuilt in 1946-47 using a World War II surplus GMC gasoline truck engine and a Wayne Corporation school bus body. How long does it take to ride the train from Silverton to Durango? Due to the COVID-19 reduced capacity requirements, the railroad is currently only offering 2 hour train rides out of Rockwood station that travels an hour to Cascade Canyon (18 miles) and back. Traded to the, Previously nicknamed the "PB-II". As of 2023, of the nine steam locomotives currently owned by the D&SNG, Nos. Given the fire risk from coal cinder-sparked wildfires, the railroad's owner plans to invest several million dollars to replace coal-power with oil-power for its steam locomotives and has acquired two new narrow-gauge diesel locomotives. We ended up waiting until others had left to make it easier to turn around. Looking to start your trip in Silverton? Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. Diesel engine #1, nicknamed the "Hotshot", is a 50-ton center-cab diesel built by, Diesel engine #2, nicknamed the P.B. Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad | Durango CO - Facebook We will stop at our office in Silverton for . The seats on the train (in the car with the glass top) reversed so we always were able to sit going forward. By July of 1882, the tracks to Silverton were completed, and the train began hauling both freight and passengers. Though there are no longer any operating mines, the mining legacy pervades every aspect of the town, as a visit will show. There was another car with the same name that was destroyed in a derailment on the Rio Grande Southern Railroad. The add-on will be Emailed to your PayPal address. We were given 2 hours to check out the town and get food- but many of the shops/restaurants were closed since it was before Memorial Day. There are bathrooms and a concession car that people were using. Eureka and Palisade No. In June, 2018, the railroad shut down for several weeks due to a wildfire, named the "416 Fire",[12] which was fought by two air tankers, six helicopters and some 400 firefighters on the ground. At the time, American Heritage Railways was headquartered in Coral Gables, Florida. Was built in 1984 as a coach and was named Hunt. The "Skyway Tour" option saves time & rewards . The female bus driver was great and talked the whole trip giving us a tour and filling in with great stories of her life in the area and other items. [citation needed]. Take the train to Silverton & ride the bus back to Durango, or take the bus to Silverton & ride the train back to Durango. Some of the cars are the oldest passenger cars in existence. They had breakfast nachos, hotdogs and coffee and other drinks. Today it is the oldest private railroad coach still in service in the United States. It was acquired by the D&SNG in 1982. [7] Eventually, the railroad became widely known as the "Rio Grande". The railroad arrived in Durango on August 5, 1881 and construction on the line to Silverton began in the fall of the same year. Mail baggage car No. They are used mainly to take passengers to Tall Timber to go zip lining. The tractive effort of K-28s is rated at 27,500 pounds-force (122.326kN) and the tractive effort of a K-36 is a 36,200 pounds-force (161.026kN). The fun doesnt have to stop here, with easy access to hiking and mountain biking trails in the Uncompahgre and Weminuche Wilderness areas you have access toan abundance of alpine lakes, waterfalls, and fields of wildflowers. The seats were padded and comfortable. Relive the sights and sounds of yesteryear for a spectacular journey on board the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. THE DURANGO AND SILVERTON ADD-ON ROUTE NOW FOR TRAIN SIMULATOR 2016. . 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There are many ways you can experience the Durango train.