May 2026-4. Colorado: Durango-Silverton Narrow Guage Railroad

 May 14-17, 2026

    The main reason for our Southwest trip this year was to ride on the Durango-Silverton Narrow Guage Railroad. In past years driving between Durango, Silverton, and Ouray, we'd always said, Nah, we don't need to do the train. Well, it turns out we did! Leaving Durango last year, we said, You know, we should do that!  So "All Aboard!"

    The last entry found us in Aztec, New Mexico, where we visited Aztec Ruins National Monument before making the short drive to Durango, Colorado for the next morning's train.

    The Animas River flows through Durango and the Durango-Silverton train runs along the river for much of its course, including past our campground in Durango. From its headwaters in the San Juan Mountains near Silverton, it heads ___ into northwest New MExico and joins the San Juan, a Colorado tributary. 

Settled at United Campgrounds on the Animas River, we got our first view of the train as whistled on the return from Silverton early in the evening.

Checking out the open air gondola cars we'd ride in.

    Enough cannot be said of the kindness, generosity, and enthusiasm of the Durango-Silverton Railroad employees. Originally booked for May 4, we rebooked 3 times (Marilyn had surgery then the night before our scheduled May 15 trip became ill). Doug called as soon as the office, explaining that we could not make the train that was to leave in an hour. They gladly rebooked us for the next day. Every station agent was pleasant and accommodating, and we were never charged a rebooking fee. Fortunately, the campground was just opening for the season and glady booked us for a second night.

   So May 16, we checked out of the campground and arrived in Durango's historic district in time for coffee and something sweet. As the station was around the corner, we arrived early and began to take in the vintage trains. Volunteers at the station eagerly directed folks and informed us about the train route, train history, you name it.

We got a look at Engine No. 473, 103 years old, on the rails next to the passenger cars.

She would be joined by Engine No. 482, 101 years old.

    Parts of the route would require 2 engines. The incline of the tracks up the Animas River Canyon averages 2.5%.

Traffic was stopped while the 2 engines chugged into the street then backed up to hitch to the passenger cars.

Hitching the engines.

Doug chatting with one of the engineers, who is a music teacher during the year. 

    Doug later complimented the engineer on the whistle concerto he played as we traveled through a gorge during our ride. We asked the conductor about the train whistles, and he explained that as they had added extra cars that 2 engines had been tasked, and the engineers were mostly "just talking to each other."

Then we were off, with much waving & well wishing.

Doug in our gondola car, definitely the best seats on the train.

So that's where the expression Letting off steam comes from! As Marilyn's mechanical engineer son explained to her, steam trains are also the source of the expression Building up a head of steam.

Our car was just after the box car behind the engines. 

There were perhaps 12 passenger cars altogether. Some were enclosed, which we thought definitely would have muted the experience.

Engines 473 & 482 chugged up the 1st steep grade.

At Rockwood, Engine 473 unhitched & went ahead, as the grade leveled off, plus the upcoming bridge could not support both engines simultaneously. 

Engine 482 carrying on alone, approaching a bridge that can support only 1 engine.

Engine No. 482 alone.

Looking down....The train often hugs the cliffs, so close we could reach out & touch them, with the Animas River far below.

Is this what they mean by being caught between a rock & a hard place???

Signs along the tracks.

    Our 1st water stop was at Tank Creek, where we were able to watch the engineers pull the tank spout down to fill the engines with water.

Tank Creek.

At Tank Creek, Engine 473 rejoined the train for the climb into mining country en route to Silverton.

Back to 2 engines.

Not long after Tank Creek, we dropped off rafters & their equipment, as well as a couple who were going hiking.

Doug chatting with the conductor.

The conductor standing where he can see the engineer to pass signals.

Along the Animas River. We brought down jackets, hats, & mittens but were soon in shirt sleeves, a grand day to be outside. 

Descending into the former mining town of Silverton.

    We had 2 hours in Silverton, which we've visited numerous times before. Small world: the day before in the campground laundry room at the campground a woman had introduced herself to Marilyn. She and her husband turned out to be from Lemoore, near our home town of Visalia. We ended up seated next to each other on the train and having lunch together in Silverton. Aside from the proximity of our homes, Lemoore is home to a Naval Air Station that Doug flew into often as a Navy pilot, and one of our best friends grew up there.

After lunch, it was back on the train to chug up & down the San Juan Mountains back to Durango. We were in the same seats but now looking at the other side of the tracks.

    Engine 473 had already returned down the tracks, while Engine 482 pulled the train back to Durango.  

Crossing a trestle across the Animas River.

At Cascade Flagstop, we picked up the 2 hikers we'd dropped off earlier in the day.

At Tacoma Flagstop, we picked up the rafters.

Crossing another trestle.

Yikes! It's kind of a long way down to the Animas River.

And at times we could reach out & touch the cliffs, with vegetation clinging bravely to random pockets of dirt.

Happy narrow guage steamtrain travelers.

    Soon we were back in Durango, a bit tired after our 9 hour experience but carrying big smiles. It was then time to drive a half hour  to Haviland Lake Campground where we'd reserved a site for the night.

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Next up: Silverton, Ouray, and snow!