Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad - Through the San Juans

Since 1881, the Silverton Branch of the Denver & Rio Grande Western has been a consistently active railroad. Originally built for Silver mining operations, the railroad evolved over the years into one of the most beloved tourist railroads in the world. While the rest of the D&RGW narrow gauge was abandoned and torn up in the 1960s and 70s, excluding what is now the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad, the Silverton Branch was booming with activity. Many Hollywood movies had been filmed on the Silverton Branch and that boosted its popularity with tourists visiting from around the world, despite the D&RGW's constant efforts to abandon it. Finally, in 1981, Charles Bradshaw purchased the branch line and as many locomotives as possible, rebranding the line as the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, and has been operating ever since. We visited the railroad twice during the 2023 summer season, with a mission to get as many shots, and the best shots possible of the double-headed powered steam trains to Silverton. With either K-28s #473, sporting a D&RGW 3 Chime, and #476, sporting a Southern Pacific 6 Chime, heading the train together or one of the K-28s with K-36 #482, sporting a Crosby 3 Chime, or K-37 #493, sporting a Texas & Pacific replica 3 Chime. The crews and locomotives put on a fantastic show making their way through the beautiful scenery of La Plata and San Juan counties. We would like to thank our friends ‪@PennsyPro‬ and ‪@RailFoxMedia‬ for visiting the railroad with us this year, along with members from ‪@AmericanSteamRailroad‬ who were also visiting the railroad. Without a doubt, we would like to thank all of the railroad employees who work hard every day to keep this amazing and historic railroad alive and well for generations to come. We hope you enjoy our production of the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad!

Chapters
0:00 - Intro
0:17 - Durango
4:18 - Rotary Park
4:50 - 32nd Street
5:18 - 36th Street
6:01 - Oxbow Park
6:26 - Event Park
6:47 - Home Ranch
7:26 - Riverbend Ranch
7:52 - Animas Valley
8:12 - Pond Curve
8:50 - Trimble
9:26 - Hermosa
9:59 - Lockes Mountain Road
10:43 - Milepost 467
11:18 - Elbert Creek
12:37 - Rockwood
15:35 - The Highline
16:11 - Tall Timber
16:23 - Tank Creek
16:34 - Deer Park Creek
17:07 - Cataract Gulch
18:11 - Milepost 495.7
18:55 - Mineral Creek
19:27 - Silverton
21:53 - Wye Operations
26:45 - Silverton
29:00 - Silverton Bridge
29:57 - Onboard
30:41 - Rockwood (Helper)
31:23 - Overland Curve
32:19 - The Highline
34:54 - Rockwood
35:41 - Lockes Mountain Road
36:04 - Hermosa
37:38 - Hermosa Meadows
38:00 - Trimble
38:34 - Pond Curve
39:03 - Animas Valley
39:25 - Riverbend Ranch
39:55 - Home Ranch
40:18 - Event Park
40:51 - 32nd Street
41:26 - 2nd Avenue
41:43 - 15th Street
42:38 - Durango
45:15 - Credits



Instagram:   / arkansas_locomotive_works  


Copyright 2023, Jack Fellure.
Any sort of reproduction or reuse of this footage without permission will have to bring consequences to those who decided to not abide by this request. I take a lot of time money, and effort into these, and I would appreciate it if you respect what I request.