Durango Train!
SEPTEMBER 2004 TRIP
The Durango & Silverton Steam Train
Becky and Dave's Wonderful Trip!
On A Historic Steam Railroad!

This is the #1 Rated Steam Train Ride in the USA, And in the top 10 World Wide! Great Museum and only 1 of 2 Machine Shops still capable of total rebuilds! A great round house with 7 engines!

Becky and I only had 2 days here .. not near enough .... we plan on returning soon ... Duango is such a great college town ... Great food .. Fun shopping ... Very temperate for Colorado. The steam trains run in the winter too ... not like the Grand Canyon that only runs the steam from Memorial day to Labor day. We also took the G.C. diesel trip too ... it was still worth it.
Silverton is a great picturesque town too ... The Scenery along this route and in the entire area is just plan fantastic!!!
The period passenger cars are exactly as they were in the late 1800's, they have a snack car, open and closed cars ... the open cars are a little less than the closed cars. They have only one Parlor Car for 1st class travel ... this one you must book way ahead as it seats only a few people. The engineers, brakeman, staff and most of the conductors were really friendly and helpful ... For some reason Rich, the Chief Conductor, was having a bad day ... but then again ... we all have those. (grin)

In Durango we stayed at the 1930's Strater Hotel .. but it is very old, small beds and rooms ... tiny elevator ... very steep and narrow stairs .. feels clostrophobic and like a fire trap ..... But it does have a full sprinkler system and I'm sure it is safe .... Other than that it is a great place to stay ... Oh ... and watch the steep cement steps out front.

















Even a Narrow gauge has a huge set of wheels!


This is our friend and historian Gene Richardson ... Gene gives tours and works at the museum


This is the boss's private car .. it can be rented for $10,000 per day.
It takes 17 passengers .. cost can be split up (still kinda steep huh? grin)


Becky and Gene in the museum


This is shot off their official brochure ... This train runs in the winter too
I still goes about 2/3rds of the way before snow is a problem.


As of 12/28/05 ... But ... It fails and resets to 0 a lot.



  1. Return to the Main Colorado Vintage Railways 2009 Page
  2. Return to Main Train Page
  3. Go to Doc Hemp's Dental Site
  4. Google it! .. Durango steam train and Museum
    And our pal Gene Richardson ... Curator ... For lots of other info and photos!
  5. Go to the Official Durango Railroad Site