Back in May, I had the opportunity to ride the historic Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad in Colorado with my father and my dog. Rio Grande 493, a K-37 class 2-8-2 "Mikado", was our lead engine for the 12-car train. This was a round-trip excursion from Durango to Silverton both 3.5 miles each way on the former 45-mile long D&RGW Silverton Branch (1881-1968) with a 2-hour visit in the town of Silverton. The line follows the Animas River through the scenic San Juan Mountains where silver and gold were once mined for back in its hey days. In March 1981, the Rio Grande sold the line to Charles Bradshaw Jr. who rebranded it as the D&SNG until 1997, when it was sold to its now current owner, American Heritage Railways. Since its recognition as a National Historic Landmark, the D&SNG has become one of the best preserved tourist railways in the US.
I originally intended this video to be included with my tour of the D&SNG Museum from the previous day. Due to technical difficulties while processing, I ended up separating the museum and excursion videos so they would flow a lot better. Enjoy!