Coast Z Coast with John & Lynn: Durango Silverton Train Ride

Sunday, October 9

Today we took a seven hour ride on the

Durango & Silverton narrow gage steam railroad. The train wound its way from Durango, Colorado upward through the San Juan range of the Rocky Mountains to reach our destination of Silverton, Colorado at 9318 feet.

We chose to ride in the open

car where there were no windows so the

views were amazing. The result of the open car was that it was quite cold and a little sooty. We had a fantastic time and the views along the way were spectacular.

For much of the time we traveled along the swift moving Animas River through canyon walls so close

we could reach out and touch them. Other times we

were within a few feet of cliffs overlooking deep canyons.

As we climbed higher and higher trees dressed in their fall colors stood out brilliantly against the snow covered mountains. Icicles hung from the rocks where the water falls ran down the sides of the cliffs.

The train crossed over the river on old time wooden bridges (some newer ones too) and stopped to fill the water tender twice during our ride. The coal fed engine heats the water that creates the steam for the locomotion and throws the cinders back on the idiots sitting in the open car. Many times we had to brush the cinder's off our jackets and faces but we loved every minute and would do it all again.

There were several levels of cars to chose from, ours being the least

expensive, however many people who had paid much more than we

did wanted to come to the open car for better views and

club car with great HOT chocolate

great pictures.

We felt as though we had stepped back in time as we got off the train in Silverton among old western buildings set along the dirt streets with Kendal Mountain standing watch at over 13,000 feet. Our two hour layover gave us enough time for lunch at a western saloon, complete with a piano player and a look around town. You know it’s cold when shops advertise ‘come in ~ warn stove’ in their front windows.

complete with dirt roads

one paved road ~ the center of town

At 2:00 we boarded the train for an equally enjoyable return trip to Durango. We were able to view the other side of the canyon on the way back and as we descended the mountain the temperature increased.