Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad

Overview
Headquarters	Durango, Colorado
Locale	La Plata County, Colorado San Juan County, Colorado
Dates of operation	1981–present
Technical
Track gauge	3 ft (914 mm)
Length	45 miles (72 km)

Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. National Historic Landmark
Highline above Animas Canyon
Location in Colorado Show map of Colorado Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	Durango, Colorado Silverton, Colorado
Built	1882
Architect	General William J. Palmer
NRHP reference No.	66000247
Significant dates
Added to NRHP	October 15, 1966
Designated NHL	July 4, 1961

The Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, often called the D&SNG, is a special old train line. It uses a narrow gauge track, which means the rails are closer together than regular train tracks (3 feet wide). This railway runs for about 45 miles between Durango and Silverton in Colorado.

This railway is very important! It's a National Historic Landmark, which means it's a special place recognized by the U.S. government. It was also named a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark because of how it was built.

The D&SNG line first opened in 1882. It was built by the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad (D&RGW). Its main job was to carry silver and gold ore from the San Juan Mountains. The D&RGW had a big network of narrow-gauge tracks. Over time, most of these tracks were removed. But the line from Durango to Silverton kept running. It's one of the few places in the U.S. where steam locomotives have been used continuously.

In 1981, the D&RGW sold this part of the line. That's when the D&SNG company was created. Today, the D&SNG and the Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad are the only parts left of the old D&RGW narrow-gauge system. The D&SNG has many steam locomotives and also some diesel trains. Some of their train cars are even from the 1880s!

In winter, trains go from Durango to Cascade Wye. In summer, they go all the way to Silverton. The Durango train station was built in 1882 and still looks like it did back then.

Building the Railroad

William Jackson Palmer was a former general who came to Colorado in 1870. He planned to build a narrow-gauge railroad from Denver south to El Paso, Texas. In 1871, his company, the Denver & Rio Grande Railway, started laying tracks. Palmer chose narrow-gauge tracks because they were cheaper to build and worked well in the mountains.

In July 1881, the Denver & Rio Grande train reached Durango. They then started building the last 45 miles up the Animas River to Silverton. The first 18 miles were finished by November. The rest of the route went through the narrow Animas Canyon. This canyon has very steep granite walls. Workers, many of them Chinese and Irish immigrants, blasted away parts of the cliffs. This created a narrow, flat shelf for the tracks.

The D&RG reached Silverton on July 10, 1882. Trains immediately started carrying people and goods. The railroad later became known as the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad (D&RGW), or simply the "Rio Grande."

After a financial crisis in 1893, and when silver mining slowed down, the Silverton branch of the railroad faced challenges. There was less mining, and trucks started competing for freight. Also, snowslides and floods often damaged the tracks.

The Silverton Train for Tourists

After World War II, more people started traveling for fun. The Silverton branch became popular because Hollywood movies were filmed along the line. To attract more visitors, the railroad started a special summer-only train service called The Silverton on June 24, 1947.

Soon after, they painted a locomotive and four train cars bright yellow. This "Painted Train" helped start a new era of tourism that continues today. However, freight traffic kept going down. By the 1950s, The Silverton often carried both passengers and freight.

In the 1960s, the D&RGW wanted to stop running the Silverton line. But the government said no because so many tourists were riding it. So, the railroad had to invest in more train cars and improve the tracks and the Durango station. They also helped open gift shops and other tourist businesses. As more people rode the train, the D&RGW sometimes ran a second train to Silverton.

Changes in the 1970s and Beyond

By 1971, the Silverton branch and the nearby Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad were the only parts left of the Rio Grande's huge narrow-gauge system. In the late 1970s, the D&RGW tried to sell the Silverton line.

On October 5, 1980, The Silverton made its last trip under D&RGW ownership. The next day, the D&RGW stopped all its narrow-gauge train operations. This ended an era that had started 110 years earlier.

In March 1981, Charles Bradshaw Jr. bought the Silverton branch. He wanted to improve the railroad and get more passengers. He brought in old D&RGW locomotives and cars that hadn't been used in years. Larger "K-36" and "K-37" locomotives were fixed up. They ran to Silverton for the first time after bridges and tracks were improved. Old 1880s train cars were beautifully restored, and new ones were added.

The Durango train yard also got big improvements. The old roundhouse was extended, and a new car shop was built. The main station was repaired. The number of workers grew, and Durango became a bigger tourist town. Sadly, the original 1881 roundhouse burned down in 1989. All six working locomotives inside were damaged but could be repaired. A new roundhouse was built in 1990 using bricks from the old one.

In 1997, Bradshaw sold the D&SNG. It was sold again in 1998 to American Heritage Railways, which now has its main office in Durango. The D&SNG has two museums, one in Durango and one in Silverton.

Fires and Fuel Changes

In June 2018, the railroad had to shut down for several weeks because of a big wildfire called the "416 Fire". This fire burned over 54,000 acres of forest. People thought the railroad's coal-burning steam locomotives might have caused the fire.

Because of this risk, the railroad decided to change its steam locomotives from burning coal to burning oil. They also bought two new diesel locomotives. By 2023, the railroad plans to have most of its steam locomotives running on oil. The railroad also closed for several months in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

D&SNG Locomotives

As of April 2024, the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad has many locomotives. They have eight steam locomotives that run on oil and nine diesel locomotives.

Number	Image	Type	Built	Status	Notes
42		Steam	1887	Display	On display at the D&SNG Museum.
473		Steam	1923	Operational	Converted to burn oil.
476		Steam	1923	Operational	Converted to burn oil.
478		Steam	1923	Display	Awaiting a full fix-up and oil conversion.
480		Steam	1925	Operational	Converted to burn oil.
481		Steam	1925	Operational	Being converted to oil.
482		Steam	1925	Operational	Converted to burn oil.
486		Steam	1925	Display	Awaiting a fix-up and oil conversion.
493		Steam	1928	Operational	Converted to burn oil.
498		Steam	1930	Stored	Used for parts.
1		Diesel	1957	Operational	Nicknamed "Hotshot".
5	–	Diesel	1960	Stored	Abandoned.
11		Diesel	Unknown	Operational	Nicknamed "PB".
101		Diesel	1969	Operational	Acquired from White Pass and Yukon Route.
103		Diesel	1969	Operational	Acquired from White Pass and Yukon Route.
106		Diesel	1969	Operational	Acquired from White Pass and Yukon Route.
107		Diesel	1969	Operational	Acquired from White Pass and Yukon Route.
1201	–	Diesel	2018–2020	Stored	Built in response to the 416 Fire.
1202	–	Diesel	2018–2020	Stored	Built in response to the 416 Fire.
1203	–	Diesel	1946	Operational	Acquired from the Georgetown Loop Railroad.

Steam Locomotives: The "K" Classes

The steam locomotives used today were built in the 1920s. They are grouped into three classes: K-28, K-36, and K-37. The "K" stands for "Mikado", which describes how their wheels are arranged. A Mikado locomotive has two small wheels in front, eight big driving wheels in the middle, and two small wheels at the back.

The numbers 28, 36, and 37 tell you how much pulling power (tractive effort) the locomotives have, in thousands of pounds. For example, a K-28 can pull with about 27,500 pounds of force.

K-28 Locomotives (470 series)

The K-28 locomotives were built in 1923. They were designed to pull freight trains. These engines are smaller than the K-36s. They are often used for shorter trains or as helper engines on the D&SNG.

Out of the original ten K-28s, only three remain. All three are owned and used by the D&SNG. The other seven were taken by the United States Army in 1942 for use in Alaska during World War II. They were later scrapped.

Locomotives 473, 476, and 478 worked on many parts of the D&RGW. They have been on the Silverton Branch since the 1950s and are still in service today.

• No. 473 is now an oil burner and is running.
• No. 476 is now an oil burner and is running.
• No. 478 is on display at the D&SNG Museum.

K-36 Locomotives (480 series)

The K-36 locomotives were built in 1925. They were the last narrow-gauge steam engines built for the D&RGW. They were used to haul freight all over the D&RGW's narrow-gauge lines. These engines are very powerful.

The D&SNG owns four K-36s: Nos. 480, 481, 482, and 486. All of them are operational or being worked on. The Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad owns five others. One K-36, No. 485, fell into a turntable pit in 1955 and was scrapped for parts.

• No. 480 is now an oil burner and is running.
• No. 481 is being fixed up and changed to burn oil.
• No. 482 is now an oil burner and is running.
• No. 486 is on display at the D&SNG Museum, waiting for a big fix-up and oil conversion.

K-37 Locomotives (490 series)

The K-37 locomotives were built in 1928 and 1930. They were made using parts from older, standard-gauge locomotives.

At first, the D&SNG only used one K-37, No. 497. It was fixed up in 1984 and was the first K-37 to travel to Silverton on its own power. However, it had trouble with the curves in the Animas Canyon. So, the D&SNG traded No. 497 to the Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad for K-36 No. 482.

The D&SNG now owns Nos. 493 and 498. No. 498 is not running and is used for parts. No. 499 was also owned by the D&SNG but was traded away.

No. 493 was moved to Durango in 2016 for restoration. After the 2018 fire, the D&SNG decided to make No. 493 their first steam engine to be converted to oil. It started running again on January 24, 2020.

• No. 493 is now an oil burner and is running.
• No. 497 was traded to the Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad in 1991.
• No. 498 is stored in Durango, partly taken apart.
• No. 499 was traded to the Royal Gorge Park in 1999 and is on display.

Diesel Locomotives

Diesel engines first came to the Durango Yard in the 1960s. Today, the D&SNG has several diesel locomotives.

• Diesel engine #1, called "Hotshot," is a 50-ton engine built in 1957. It's used as a switcher in the Durango shop.
• Diesel engine #5 is a 45-ton engine built in 1960. It's stored in Durango.
• Diesel engine #11, called "P.B.," is a 98-ton engine. It was acquired in 2006.
• Diesels #101, #103, #106, and #107 are all from the White Pass and Yukon Route. They were built in 1969 and arrived at the D&SNG in 2020 and 2021. All four are now running.
• Diesels #1201 and #1202 are custom-built engines acquired in 2018 after the 416 Fire. They are stored in Durango.
• Diesel engine #1203 was built in 1946 and acquired in 2017. It is operational.

• Locomotives
• 

  K-36 steam locomotive #486 and Diesel engine "Big Al" #7 in Durango on October 25, 2012.

• 

  Diesel engine #11 in Silverton on October 25, 2012.

• Trains
• 

  Beautiful colors on the way to Silverton on October 25, 2012

• 

  On the Highline above the Animas Canyon on October 25, 2012

• 

  Along the Animas River to Silverton on October 25, 2012

• 

  Approaching Silverton on October 25, 2012

D&SNG Train Cars

The Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad has over 50 train cars. Some of these are among the oldest passenger cars still around!

Concession Cars

Concession cars are where you can buy snacks and drinks on the train. Many of these cars have been rebuilt and renumbered many times over the years.

• Concession car 64 was originally a mail-baggage car built in 1889. It became a concession car in 1984.
• Concession car 126 was first a baggage car built in 1886. It was changed into a snack bar car in 1963.
• Concession car 212 was built in 1879 as a coach. It was changed into a snack bar car in 1982.
• Concession car 566 was originally a mail car built in 1882. It was rebuilt as an excursion car and is now used as a concession car.

Coaches

The D&SNG has many coaches (passenger cars).

• Combination car 213, named Bitter Root Mine, was built in 1983. It has a special lift for wheelchairs.
• Many other coaches like 257 Shenandoah, 270 Pinkerton, 291 King Mine, and more, were built between 1880 and 1964.
• Coach 503 Crazy Woman Creek was originally a flat car built in the 1940s. It was changed into a coach in 1982.

• Museum exhibits
• 

  Animas City 323 in Silverton, October 2012

• 

  Durango 327 in Silverton, October 2012

• 

  Cascade 330 in Silverton, October 2012

• 

  La Plata 332 in Silverton, October 2012

Cinco Animas B-2

Built in 1883, the Cinco Animas was first a sleeper car for immigrants. It became a business car in 1913. In 1982, the D&SNG bought it. It runs daily during the summer.

Nomad B-3

The Nomad was built in 1878 and was originally named Fairplay. It was a favorite car of the D&RG president. It even hosted Presidents William H. Taft, Ulysses S. Grant, and Theodore Roosevelt! It was renamed Nomad in 1951. The D&SNG got it in 1982. Today, it's the oldest private railroad coach still running in the U.S. It runs daily in the summer.

General Palmer B-7

The General Palmer was built in 1880 as a business car. It was restored in 2001 by the D&SNG. It has modern features like internet and a TV. This car is mainly used by the owner, Allen Harper, his family, and their guests.

San Juan 312

Built in 1887, this coach was rebuilt in 1937 with new features. The D&SNG named it the Silverton. In 2007-2008, it was rebuilt again with comfy seats and renamed San Juan. It runs in the summer.

Alamosa 350

Built in 1880, this car has had many names and uses. In 1937, it became a parlor-buffet car named Alamosa. In 1981, the D&SNG bought it and made it a parlor car with 25 seats. It runs daily during the summer.

Prospector 630

This car was built in 1984 as a coach. In 2009, it became a fancy family coach called the Prospector. It has comfy table and chair seating. The ceiling has a big map of the train's route, so passengers can follow along.

Tall Timber Legend 631 & Tall Timber Legacy 632

These cars were built in 1985 and 1986 to help with more passengers. In 2009, they were updated with soft, overstuffed seats. They are mainly used to take passengers to Tall Timber for zip lining.

Open Observation Cars

These cars are open to the air, giving passengers great views. Many of them were built from old standard-gauge boxcars or stock cars between 1963 and 1986.

Silver Vista 313

The first Silver Vista was built in 1947. It was a popular car with a glass roof for amazing views. Sadly, the original was destroyed by fire in 1953. A new Silver Vista was built in 2006, looking just like the original. It runs daily in the summer.

• Original Silver Vista 313
• 

  The original D&RG Silver Vista car

• 

  Side view of the car in 1951

• 

  The observation car on the Silverton route in 1951

Rio Grande No. 410

Built in 1987-1988, this car was first a railbus trailer. It was rebuilt as an open observation car in 1997. After the new Silver Vista was built, it became open observation car 410. In 2006-2007, it was rebuilt again with comfy seats. It runs daily in the summer.

Cabooses

• Caboose No. 0505 was built in 1886. It's stocked with food and shelter supplies. It is currently not in service.
• Caboose No. 0540 was built in 1881. It carries tools and supplies for track maintenance.
• Caboose No. 0500 was built in 1886. It was restored to its original look. You can charter it for up to eight people. It's on display in the Museum and not in service.

Rail Camp Car No. 3681

This car was originally a boxcar. In 1984, the D&SNG rebuilt it with a kitchen, bathroom, and beds. It's used for "elegant camping" at Cascade Canyon Wye. It can hold up to eight people. It is currently not in service.

Coaches Not in Service

• Mail baggage car No. 66 was built in 1887. It was used as an office and waiting room for another railway.
• Mail baggage car No. 119 was built in 1882. It was sold to a private person in 2020 for restoration.
• Coach No. 460 is a rare narrow-gauge tourist sleeper from 1886. It's being preserved as it is and won't be put back into service.

• 

  Maintenance of way train in Silverton on October 25, 2012

• 

  Maintenance crane in Silverton on October 25, 2012

• 

  Speeder #9002 in Silverton on October 25, 2012

Railroad Museums

The D&SNG has two museums: the D&SNG Museum and the Silverton Freight Yard Museum. Both show off old railway equipment used on the D&RGW line.

D&SNG Museum

Opened in 1998, the D&SNG Museum is in the Durango roundhouse. Half of the roundhouse is used for steam engines, and the other half is for the museum. It has items from the D&RGW and other railroads, plus artifacts from Durango and Silverton. There's a model train layout and a movie car used in the film Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.

Engine No. 42

Engine 42 is on display in the museum. It was built in 1887. It was used by the Rio Grande Southern Railroad until 1952. It was later sold to different places before coming to Durango in 1983. It has not been restored to run again.

Baggage Car No. 127

This car was rebuilt in 1968 as a baggage car for the film Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. It later became a concession car for the D&SNG. Now, No. 127 is used as a movie theater in the museum.

• Museum exhibits
• 

  1900 Mobile steam car

• 

  1925 Buick Roadmaster

• 

  1923 Nash Roadster (left) and 1924 Model T Ford (right)

• 

  Sears & Roebuck buggy from the 19th century

• 

  railroad velocipede

• 

  19th century wheelchair

• 

  1911 Curtiss Model D

Silverton Freight Yard Museum

This museum opened in 1999 at the Silverton train station and rail yard. It displays old train cars and local items inside the depot.

• Museum exhibits
• 

  D&SNG W0473 and D&RG 3543 on display, Silverton, October 2012

• 

  K-37 steam locomotive #493 on display before its restoration to operation, Silverton, October 2012.

• 

  Freight Yard Museum in Silverton, October 2012

• 

  Freight Yard Museum with the Silverton depot, October 2012

• 

  The Silverton Depot on October 25, 2012

Visiting Trains

It's rare to see old narrow-gauge trains running today. So, when old equipment is fixed up, there are few places it can run. The D&SNG often hosts special events where other historic trains visit.

D&RGW No. 315

D&RGW No. 315 is a steam locomotive built in 1895. It worked in Durango until 1949. To save it from being scrapped, it was put on display. From 1998 to 2007, it was restored to run again. It has visited the D&SNG and the Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad for special trips.

E&P No. 4

Eureka and Palisade No. 4 is a steam locomotive built in 1875. It was used in many films by Warner Bros.. After being damaged by a fire, it was bought and restored by Dan Markoff. He sometimes brings it to the D&SNG to operate.

Casey Jones Railbus

The Casey Jones railbus was built in 1915 from a Model T car. It was first used as an ambulance for a mine. It could carry 11 passengers. It has visited the D&SNG a few times for special events. It is now on display in Silverton.

Galloping Goose Railbuses

The Galloping Goose Railbuses were homemade railcars used by the Rio Grande Southern Railroad during the Great Depression. They carried mail and passengers. Six of the seven original "Geese" still exist. A couple of them, especially No. 5, have visited the D&SNG. Galloping Goose No. 5 was restored in 1998.

Southern Pacific No. 18

SP No. 18 is a narrow-gauge steam locomotive built in 1911. It was restored from 2009 to 2017. It visited the D&SNG from 2018 to 2019 and again in 2021. It was used to help train D&SNG crews on how to use oil-fired steam engines. It has also helped pull longer trains on the D&SNG.

In Movies and TV

The Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad has been featured in many movies and TV shows!

• The song The Silverton by C. W. McCall is about this train.

D&RGW Films

• 1950, A Ticket to Tomahawk
• 1952, Denver and Rio Grande
• 1954, Siege at Red River
• 1955, Run for Cover (train scenes on the "High Line")
• 1956, Around the World in 80 Days
• 1957, Night Passage (train on the "High Line")
• 1965, The Sons of Katie Elder (opening scenes along the Animas River)
• 1966, Gunpoint
• 1969, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (famous "cliff jump" scene)
• 1971, Support Your Local Gunfighter

D&SNG Films and TV

• 1988, The Tracker (a TV movie)
• 1991, a Lexus LS400 commercial
• 2006, The Prestige (the train at the beginning of the movie)

See also

• List of Colorado historic railroads
• List of heritage railroads in the United States
• Colorado Railroad Museum
• Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad
• White Pass and Yukon Route
• Great Smoky Mountains Railroad
• Texas State Railroad