Part Eighteen

“Trains and Travel”

With all of the shitty Wi-Fi at the hotel I was staying in at Durango, today part is a combination of Tuesday and Wednesday. To really appreciate the trains and the traveling, check out the picture blogs of each day.  

As many of you know, I have been a railfan since I was 4 ½ years ago. And there have been a few times that I have ridden the steam train at the Essex Steam Train back in Essex, Connecticut. Even seeing Union Pacific’s Challenger 3985 back in 2010 was a real treat. But on Tuesday, I got to ride what is deemed a National Historic Landmark. It was a moment to travel back in time.

From our friends at www.wikipedia.org,

“The Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad (D&SNG) is a 3 foot (914 mm) narrow-gauge heritage railroad that operates 45.2 miles (72.7 km) of track between Durango and Silverton, in the U.S. state of Colorado. The railway is a federally designated National Historic Landmark and is also designated by the American Society of Civil Engineers as a Historic Civil Engineering Landmark.

“The route was originally opened in 1882 by the Denver & Rio Grande Railway (D&RG) to transport silver and gold ore mined from the San Juan Mountains. The line was an extension of the D&RG 3 foot (914 mm) narrow-gauge line from Antonito, Colorado, to Durango. The last train to operate into Durango from the east was on December 6, 1968. The states of New Mexico and Colorado purchased 64 miles between Antonito and Chama, New Mexico, in 1970 and operates today as the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad. Trackage between Chama and Durango was removed by 1971.

“The line from Durango to Silverton has run continuously since 1881, although it is now a tourist and heritage line hauling passengers, and is one of the few places in the U.S. which has seen continuous use of steam locomotives. In March 1981, the Denver & Rio Grande Western sold the line and the D&SNG was formed.

“Some rolling stock dates back to the 1880s. Trains operate from Durango to the Cascade Wye in the winter months and Durango-Silverton during the summer months. Durango depot was built in January 1882 and has been preserved in original form.”

While going from Durango to Silverton, the locomotive, #473, put on quite the show as she endured a steady climb in elevation. 

Diesel locomotives of today just can’t be compared to the sights and sounds that a steam locomotive makes. Standing next to it at the train stations and feeling the heat and steam coming out of the beast is very surreal. And you have a few ways to ride the train. Either in propane heated coaches:

Out in the elements in an open seat gondola to see, hear and smell the experience:

Or in full comfort in a glass enclosed coach recently built back in 2012. 

For me, I was lucky to upgrade to the glass coach called Knight Sky. When you arrive in Silverton, it is a very colorful town. Many places to eat and lots of gift shops. A tip of the hat to Natalia’s 1912 Restaurant for a delicious BTL sandwich and fries lunch with a scrumptious peach cobbler for dessert.

To really appreciate this piece of history, check out the picture blog and go to Wikipedia.Org for a detailed history of the D&SRR.

Wednesday was a long travel day. Almost 400 miles in 9 hours. But worth it. First stop was the Four Corners Monument. Again from our friends at Wikipedia.org:

“The Four Corners Monument marks the quadri-point in the Southwestern United States where the states of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah meet. It is the only point in the United States shared by four states, leading to the area being named the Four Corners region. The monument also marks the boundary between two semi-autonomous Native American governments, the Navajo Nation, which maintains the monument as a tourist attraction, and the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe Reservation.

“The monument where "visitors can simultaneously straddle the territory of four states" is maintained as a tourist attraction by the Navajo Nation Parks and Recreation Department. Unlike many other attractions based on what are primarily political boundaries, such as the Berlin Wall, Four Corners Monument is an example of a political boundary that is a tourist destination in its own right. The monument consists of a granite disk embedded with a smaller bronze disk around the point, surrounded by smaller, appropriately located state seals and flags representing both the states and tribal nations of the area. Circling the point, starting from north, the disk reads with two words in each state "Here meet in freedom under God four states". Around the monument, local Navajo and Ute artisans sell souvenirs and food. An admission fee is required to view and photograph the monument. The monument is a popular tourist attraction despite its remote and isolated location. As early as 1908, people traveled long distances to take pictures of family and friends at the monument in Twister-like poses, sitting on the disk, in a circle of friends or family around the disk, or for couples to kiss directly over the disk.”

At the end of each state name, you find the Navajo Indians selling their trades. A great place to visit.

Oh, and the individuals laying on the monument? There was a group of German tourists from near Hamberg enjoying their stay in the U.S.

After FCM, it was up into Utah, the third new state for me besides New Mexico and Arizona. Words here cannot describe the immense beauty I have seen today. Pictures hopefully will do justice.

After leaving Utah and entering back into Colorado, I saw what friends of mine out here tell me of the incredible way parts of Interstate 70 were built. From Palisade, east of Grand Junction, to De Beque about 20 miles east, the highway is built thru some very talk mountains and valleys. And some of those curves will force you to keep your speed in check. So gorgeous!!

I arrive in Glenwood Springs, Colorado at about 4:15pm MDT. And an added bonus: the Colorado River runs right by outside my hotel room and up on the embankment is a single track mainline of the Union Pacific. Saw a couple of coal trains and a Maintenance-of-Way train. Good deal.

Thursday we head east via I-70 thru Denver, I-25 north up to Cheyenne and then east on I-80 and US 30 to our next stop in Sidney, Nebraska. This has been one great trip. More to come.

I am Philip J Zocco. On The Road. In Glenwood Springs, Colorado.