D&S photo by: Thomas
Bones
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The Durango
and Silverton Narrow Gauge
Railroad (D&SNG) is a narrow gauge heritage railway in the U.S.
State of Colorado that operates over the 45 miles (72 km) of 36-inch
(914 mm) track between Durango in La Plata County and Silverton in San
Juan County. 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 trackage was originally built between 1881
and 1882, by the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad, in order to carry
silver and gold ore mined in the San Juan Mountains. The line was an
extension of the D&RG narrow gauge from Antonito, Colorado to
Durango. The Cumbres
and Toltec Scenic Railroad operates the line from Antonito to
Chama, New Mexico. The line from Chama to Durango has been abandoned
and removed. The line from Durango to Silverton, however, 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 United States
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.
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