RV Trip to the High Mountains

Day 9 - September 30, 2018

Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad

The final big event was our trip on the D&S to "Yesteryear." Now, for most passengers a trip to Silverton is a novelty, but we'd just spent 2 nights there and it was sort of like going home.

We got up early and I disconnected the RV while everyone prepared to move out. By 0745 we were on our way to catch our 0845 departure on Train 463 with locomotive #482, a 1925-built Baldwin K36.

Our power for the day is 1925-built Baldwin K36 #482.

#482 used to be on the C&T in Chama.

Headin' for the train!

Departure time!

Farewell Durango

Crossing the Animas River for the first of MANY times.

The Wye at the north end of town. I believe it's called "Event Park."

The Conductor checks our tickets.

Hermosa, Colorado

2018 was a bad year for the D&S. 

A disastrous wildfire shut down the railroad for weeks. Just after it re-opened, a torrential rain caused a couple of severe washouts. They got the railroad fully restored just a week before we arrived. This is the location of the worst washout, between Hermosa and Rockwood.

The fire patrol was prevalent.

Shalona Lake

Rockwood

Tail of the Rockwood wye with its stud switch.

Entering the wilderness!

Timeless

Tacoma Power Station

It smells so good down in the canyon.

Fresh mountain air. The river. Aspens. Coal Smoke!

Ah! Wilderness ranch

Tefft Bridge

Looking upstream towards Silverton

The Animas was very low.

I've never seen the Animas this low.

Pop car pull out

Not cool

Original Needleton Tank

Old bridge at MP 489.85

Elk Park Wye

Old D&RG Telegraph pole. There aren't many left in the canyon because of rock and snow slides.

Old locomotive boiler

Ol' Champion Mine at the south end of Baker's Park

Silverton

Drone

Train 461 on the wye. It'll leave as Train 462.

Train 464, our ride back to Durango.

*Note the dude on one knee on the left.

Yeah, he just proposed and she appears to have agreed.

Good for them!

Silverton Northern Engine House

Heading out of town

Champion Mine again

Pictures like this make Daddy very happy.

Storage box for chainsaw fuel/oil.

The new Needleton Tank

New Needleton Tank

Original Needelton Tank

That is a very content Daddy.

Fire damage

Bitter Root Mine - MP 479.5

Cascade Wye

Art?

Photo of me taking the photos above and below.

Returning to Rockwood

US 550 overpass.

New fire-break

Pinkerton Siding - MP 465.7

Washout repairs

Hermosa Tank

Hermosa MOW Yard

Outdoor railroad just south of Hermosa

United Campground.

Final crossing of the Animas, near 12th street in Durango.

Arriving in Durango Yard.

Roll-by Inspection

For dinner, we returned to Steamworks Brewery. Simply the best pizzas in the world. Period.

After dinner, I put Noah on my shoulders and we hiked (in the dark) back to the RV parked near the rail yard. 

We drove it over to Steamworks to pick up the rest of the crew before heading back to United Campground.

It was another great day in Narrow Gauge Country.