August 26, 2015

Durango and Silverton Railroad

Day long trip on train to Silverton and back.  Great experience. 

Train has several types of car to choose from: First class with special seating and private bar, first class open car with clear roof, standard coach, and standard open air.  We took standard open air.  Glad we did in spite of unfortunate weather today.  Best views and seats are assigned so you have different view on return trip.

Some notes and then on some pictures.

First, the river.  I’m sure you all have seen the results of the mine waste spill several weeks ago.  Yellow river.  Scenic wise the river has pretty much recovered – if you don’t look too close.  The running river has returned to normal color and content.  The banks and places where water is still or slow moving have yellow color to varying degree. It will be a long time, if ever, before this is a pristine mountain river.  Still fantastic scenery however.

 

Ready to leave Silverton for return trip

Goin’ round a bend

Ghost train we passed

 

Had a tag-a-long for a while

 

River is still pretty spectacular

Note yellow along banks

 

Second, weather.  For the last week there have been increasing afternoon thunderstorms.  Last a short while and gone.  Today was forecast to be the same and then no rain for next week or more.  We woke up to overcast sky – a little ominous.  Temp cooler than previous days but comfortable.  Silverton is about 50 miles north of Durango and 2000’ higher.  The train ride up is about 3 1/2 hours.  There is a two hour layover and then about a 3 1/2 hour return trip.  As we got closer to Silverton the clouds got heavier with occasional drizzle.  Not uncomfortable at all.  It did rain today for exactly two hours.  Guess which two hour period of the day it rained.  We did fine.  Spent much of that time having lunch in a very funky,very busy restaurant. Each mile of return ride became less and less cloudy and arrived in Durango in sunshine.