July 13, 2008
"Life moves pretty fast, if you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it." Ferris Bueller
Today, Sue and I made the long awaited trip on the Durango to Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. We surely did not want to miss this life experience. We were up early, walked Pooh Bear and were on our way to the Railroad by about 8:10 am. We had been told that if you do not pick up your tickets by 8:30 am, they sell them to other people who are waiting. In any event, we were there on time and got our tickets and got aboard the train. We had the first two seats in the front of a Vintage restored enclosed car three from the back of the train.
The train started promptly at 9:00 am with the sound of its steam whistle and then a billow of black coal smoke as it started to move just as it has for 126 years. We will have the same ride, the same breathtaking views, and the same adventure as others have had for decades. We will experience Colorado at its best...wildlife, waterfalls, and majestic peaks all from the view of an 1880's passenger. What a thrill! There is no smell like the smell of burning coal. There is no sound quite like the shrill whistle of a steam engine. WHOOO-WHOOO... (not at all like the sound we were forced to make to order a drink on the train ride to the Grand Canyon). All of this brought back memories of my childhood in Erie, Pennsylvania in the early 1950’s. We lived relatively near a train repair facility (roundhouse) and heavily used Pennsylvania Lines tracks. I used to take my bike and ride up there and longingly watch the trains and the men working on them. Of course you all know of my fascination with my Lionel trains that Mom and Dad started for me around this same time. My Uncle Bud contributed to this as well, buying for me a large transformer. All of this set has been added to over the years and it still is all very much in operating condition. On occasion, it is set up around our Christmas tree. Sue continues to encourage me to make the train set a permanent display in the basement and add to it as a hobby.
We left Durango at an altitude of about 6,000 feet and headed up. The trip lasted a little over three hours, with several stops to drop off hikers, supplies to little towns accessible only by the railroad and to take on water for the steam engine. We passed through some of the most beautiful country I have ever seen. The mountains, some of which were still snow capped, were spectacular. The entire trip we were running on a narrow gauge track (30 inches) and the ride was occassionally jerky at the track joints. When you stop to reflect on the work involved in building the road bed on the side of a mountain, it is no wonder that they used a narrow gauge. We were experiencing the same trip that the silver and gold miners and early settlers experienced.
The tracks run along the Animas River for the entire trip. At times we ran alongside the River. At other times we were very high above the River looking down into its gorge. We saw a number of white water rafters and passed an Adventure Lodge that can only be reached by the train or helicopter. Sue said that I spent much of the trip with my head hanging out the window and a huge childlike smile on my face. The years definitely fell away. When viewing the rapids on the river, we thought of Brent and his kayak adventures. He would have a blast on the Animas.
Arriving in Silverton, at over 11,000 feet (and sucking air) we took a step back in time again to the late 1880’s. The town is very well restored. Sue and I had lunch at Natalie’s 1912 Restaurant, which is located in a former bordello. That service is no longer provided, but the food is great. Since we had only a little more than two hours in Silverton, we explored a little of the town. Apparently there were 3 Hollywood westerns that were shot entirely in this little town, True Grit, Across the Wide Missouri, and Run for Cover. We wandered into a number of shops featuring Navaho pottery, jewelry and leather goods but did not purchase anything, except some ice cream for the return trip. The skies clouded over a little on the return trip and we were both very thankful we had brought along light jackets.
Coming back, we were in the same seats but going the other direction so we saw some different perspectives on the same trip. We watched the locomotive puff its way up mountains, and held our breath as we looked out the window at the extreme height and the pristine river gorge below. This was a dream come true...another check off on the Bucket List.
The true highlights of this Excellent Adventure IV have been standing under the crystal clear waterfalls in the Grand Canyon, sleeping under the amazing night sky from the Grand Canyon floor, singing to a bus load of strangers “How Great Thou Art” and now this thrilling train ride. The scenery of the trip and the childhood experience of the train will be a lifetime memory. I certainly hope that Sue and I will be able to do this trip again. I think the next time, I will book us a room in Silverton for the night and take the train back to Durango the next day for an expanded experience. Completing the trip in Durango, we saw a town that we would like to explore more. This is a four seasons resort area and we are blessed by the wonderfully cool weather.
Today, Sue and I made the long awaited trip on the Durango to Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. We surely did not want to miss this life experience. We were up early, walked Pooh Bear and were on our way to the Railroad by about 8:10 am. We had been told that if you do not pick up your tickets by 8:30 am, they sell them to other people who are waiting. In any event, we were there on time and got our tickets and got aboard the train. We had the first two seats in the front of a Vintage restored enclosed car three from the back of the train.
The train started promptly at 9:00 am with the sound of its steam whistle and then a billow of black coal smoke as it started to move just as it has for 126 years. We will have the same ride, the same breathtaking views, and the same adventure as others have had for decades. We will experience Colorado at its best...wildlife, waterfalls, and majestic peaks all from the view of an 1880's passenger. What a thrill! There is no smell like the smell of burning coal. There is no sound quite like the shrill whistle of a steam engine. WHOOO-WHOOO... (not at all like the sound we were forced to make to order a drink on the train ride to the Grand Canyon). All of this brought back memories of my childhood in Erie, Pennsylvania in the early 1950’s. We lived relatively near a train repair facility (roundhouse) and heavily used Pennsylvania Lines tracks. I used to take my bike and ride up there and longingly watch the trains and the men working on them. Of course you all know of my fascination with my Lionel trains that Mom and Dad started for me around this same time. My Uncle Bud contributed to this as well, buying for me a large transformer. All of this set has been added to over the years and it still is all very much in operating condition. On occasion, it is set up around our Christmas tree. Sue continues to encourage me to make the train set a permanent display in the basement and add to it as a hobby.
We left Durango at an altitude of about 6,000 feet and headed up. The trip lasted a little over three hours, with several stops to drop off hikers, supplies to little towns accessible only by the railroad and to take on water for the steam engine. We passed through some of the most beautiful country I have ever seen. The mountains, some of which were still snow capped, were spectacular. The entire trip we were running on a narrow gauge track (30 inches) and the ride was occassionally jerky at the track joints. When you stop to reflect on the work involved in building the road bed on the side of a mountain, it is no wonder that they used a narrow gauge. We were experiencing the same trip that the silver and gold miners and early settlers experienced.
The tracks run along the Animas River for the entire trip. At times we ran alongside the River. At other times we were very high above the River looking down into its gorge. We saw a number of white water rafters and passed an Adventure Lodge that can only be reached by the train or helicopter. Sue said that I spent much of the trip with my head hanging out the window and a huge childlike smile on my face. The years definitely fell away. When viewing the rapids on the river, we thought of Brent and his kayak adventures. He would have a blast on the Animas.
Arriving in Silverton, at over 11,000 feet (and sucking air) we took a step back in time again to the late 1880’s. The town is very well restored. Sue and I had lunch at Natalie’s 1912 Restaurant, which is located in a former bordello. That service is no longer provided, but the food is great. Since we had only a little more than two hours in Silverton, we explored a little of the town. Apparently there were 3 Hollywood westerns that were shot entirely in this little town, True Grit, Across the Wide Missouri, and Run for Cover. We wandered into a number of shops featuring Navaho pottery, jewelry and leather goods but did not purchase anything, except some ice cream for the return trip. The skies clouded over a little on the return trip and we were both very thankful we had brought along light jackets.
Coming back, we were in the same seats but going the other direction so we saw some different perspectives on the same trip. We watched the locomotive puff its way up mountains, and held our breath as we looked out the window at the extreme height and the pristine river gorge below. This was a dream come true...another check off on the Bucket List.
The true highlights of this Excellent Adventure IV have been standing under the crystal clear waterfalls in the Grand Canyon, sleeping under the amazing night sky from the Grand Canyon floor, singing to a bus load of strangers “How Great Thou Art” and now this thrilling train ride. The scenery of the trip and the childhood experience of the train will be a lifetime memory. I certainly hope that Sue and I will be able to do this trip again. I think the next time, I will book us a room in Silverton for the night and take the train back to Durango the next day for an expanded experience. Completing the trip in Durango, we saw a town that we would like to explore more. This is a four seasons resort area and we are blessed by the wonderfully cool weather.
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1 comment:
I just read about the Animas river at American Whitewater's website. If you're going to kayak the Animas, (which I probably won't since it's a Class V+) they recommend travelling to the put-in on the river by train. Probably the same train you took. Maybe someday I'll be good enough to attempt a powerful river like that but for now I'd probably grab a seat with you guys on the train rather than a seat in my boat on the river.
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