Today we rode the historic Durango – Silverton Narrow (rails 3 ft. apart) Gauge Railroad. It was built in 1881 – 1882 by the Denver and Rio Grande Railway to take supplies to mining camps and transport the rich minerals out.
Our trip took us through the San Juan National Forest in the San Juan Mountains. The scenery was breathtaking! (Bill took over 400 pictures.) Traveling along the Animas River, we saw the beautiful green water, rocks and boulders, rapids of various sizes and forests of towering evergreens and aspens on the tall mountainsides. The back and forth rocking of the train car, the clicking of the wheels on the tracks, the “chuf chuf” sound of the steam engine, and the whistle signals were so relaxing!
The attendant in the parlor car where we were seated was a former middle school teacher who had worked on the train in various positions since she was a teenager. She shared a wealth of knowledge of the history and sights along the route.
Nestled at the end of the railroad tracks was the little town of Silverton. In 1870, with news of a gold strike nearby, miners flocked to the area to stake their claims. Silverton was well established by 1875 and was incorporated in 1876. Today Silverton covers about two blocks and has only one paved street. With buildings dating back to the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, we felt like we had been transported back in time to an old west mining town.
50-in-50 Challenge 
Looks like day 2 was an interesting history lesson with beautiful scenery!
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