The Durango to Silverton Narrow Guage Railroad

This day was a definite highlight. We took the steam train for a 45 mile scenic day trip from Durango to Silverton.

The vintage coal fired steam train at Durango. It has been making the trip up into the San Juan Mountains for over 130 years.

Durango's old Victorian railway station.

Two of the train staff looking the part.

This is one of the Victorian open carrages. Over three and a half hours there and the same return, you would be wind blown, cold and full of soot.

Luckily we were luxuriating in the Alamoso Parlor car.

Our carrage was at the very back, so we were able to stand outside on the balcony if we wished.

First we passed typical US farms etc outside Durango.

We passed many lakes with stunning reflections..

The front of the train on one of the many bends.

Going through a cutting and all the time we are climbing.

Over looking the Animas River, which we follow all the way.

Around a river bend.

Bridge crossing the Animas River.

The higher we go, the rougher the river and the colder it got. We began to see white river rafters.

Also waterfalls.

Signs of the mining for gold and silver that happened in these hills.

Arriving high up at cold Silverton, Dan leads the way to the Grand Imperial Hotel for lunch. Silverton is an old 19th century silver mining town (yes, they had silver by the ton) and is regarded as a National Historic Landmark.

What a Wild West place this hotel turned out to be. (Did they do hamburgers in the Wild West?)

We even had the honky tonk pianist playing the old time American favourites.

Yep, this is the Wild West all right!

Time to hop on the parlor car for the ride back to Durango after a truly memorable day.