Durango to Silverton Railroad

If you ever get to Durango the train ride is worth the time.  The scenery is beautiful.  The trains that run the line today are the same ones used over 100 years ago.   These trains were used to haul gold and silver ore down from Silverton to Durango for smelting.  Silverton had the ore.  Durango had the coal.

The track follows the Animas River as it makes it way down the mountainside from Silverton.  Silverton is at 9300 foot elevation.  Durango is 6500 so it is a long slow climb.  The trip up took three and a half hours.  It was bitter cold.   We traveled above the snow line and flurries filled the frosty air.  We were bundled up with all we had.  We even wore our pajamas under everything and were very glad we did.  Our car was an open air car sort of like a cattle car.    When we got our tickets the lady asked if we wanted to sit inside or out.  Darlie insisted on outside.   I have to admit, you did see much more in the open car but when you walked into one of the enclosed cars and felt the heat, it made you a bit envious.   We met so many nice people on the trip.  Some from North Carolina, Colorado and even Hamburg, Germany.

The little mining town of Silverton reminded me of Dawson City in the Yukon.  It had dirt streets and brightly painted restaurants, saloons and gift shops.  The buildings looked to be from a time past.   We stopped there for about two hours.  We went to a local establishment for lunch hoping the heat was on.  It wasn't.  It was as cold inside as it was out.  We were just out of the wind.  The people who live up there must have got a laugh out of our outfits.  They were all lightly dressed.  It was springtime.   For polar bears, maybe.

It is still very cold back here at our MH.  We have the heat on and are getting ready to bed down.  We are very tired but it was a great day.  Durango was a very nice place to spend a few days.