Near the End
Rio Grande history - 5
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Near the End |
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The D&RGW's narrow-gauge equipment was old and much was shabby, no direct narrow-gauge connection existed to Denver anymore (indeed, the last passenger service eastward from Durango ended in 1955), the railroad infrastructure was worn out and needed heavy repair, and "silver-less" Silverton was run down. There was no good reason for the attention, but it kept growing. Attracted by real steam locomotives when other railroads nationwide were destroying them, and pampered by Conductor A.F. Lyons and his crews, and his pot of hot coffee, people spread the word about this unique little train.
By 1962, business was so good the D&RGW did something railfans never expected. It built a dozen brand-new narrow-gauge coaches and, in 1964, began operating two all-passenger Silverton trains every day. Its authentic steam locomotives were recognized as a powerful attraction by international tourist guidebooks. The whole line from Durango to Silverton was officially recognized as a Registered National Historical Landmark in June 1967.
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A crewman on the Silverton takes tickets once the train is underway. The ticket stub becomes a souvenir, complete with specially punched hole. The crew is also responsible for passenger and equipment safety, observing proper operating procedures, and—giving a running historical commentary as time allows. |
But the Rio Grande's management kept hoping the quaint, picturesque, old-fashioned, historical, anachronistic, immensely-popular narrow gauge would go away. Even as the national press published photos of the freshly-repainted Durango depot and its shiny historical plaque, Rio Grande quietly closed the curtain on 87 years of service over Cumbres Pass. Except for work trains, no through traffic moved between Durango and Alamosa after summer 1967.
In July 1970, the D&RGW's attorneys finally convinced the ICC to approve abandonment of 110 miles of never-to-be-used-again freight-only narrow gauge rail line between Antonito, and Durango, Colo.. From Antonito to Alamosa, Colo., the dual-gauge track was shorn of its inside rail, ending forever this ingeniusly innovative marriage of narrow and standard gauge. From Chama, N. Mex., to Durango, and Farmington, N. Mex., every item of value was salvaged, including rails, ties, switches, and rolling stock. The right-of-way reverted to ownership by the farms which it formerly bisected.
Because of years of legal opposition to the abandonment, another 64 miles of the D&RGW, from Antonito to Chama, was transferred to joint ownership by the state governments of Colorado and New Mexico, which now lease it to a private contractor for use as the narrow gauge tourist Friends of the Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad. This section includes the only two narrow gauge tunnels, the narrow gauge's longest highest bridge, the scenic Toltec Gorge, and the 10,500-foot high Cumbres Pass.
The narrow gauge was, literally, a line looking hard for a purchaser to take it off Denver management's hands. Enamored of high-horsepower, high-speed, high-profit, standard-gauge diesel freight trains, Rio Grande headquarters applied repeatedly to the U.S. Interstate Commerce Commission for abandonment, to which the state governments of Colorado and New Mexico objected vehemently. And—still, the line pulled more and more tourists each year.
The Silverton's incredible tourist appeal convinced businessman Charles E. Bradshaw Jr. in 1980 to invest in railroading's past. He strengthened bridges to support larger locomotives, built new shop facilities, started long-delayed maintenance on the equipment, and developed a business plan for the railroad's future. Renamed the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, the reinvigorated baby road is busily and productively growing its own history.
At just the start of the 1989 season, a roundhouse fire in the Durango yards severely damaged the #473 and badly burned the other four locomotives. Though fearing the K-28 beyond repair, D&SNG's owner mustered every resource and quickly put the locomotives back into service. Only a few days of operation were missed, though engine repairs and roundhouse reconstruction cost over $2 million.
This is a benefit, since abandonment of the line east eliminated the narrow gauge shops at Alamosa and cut off access to the heavy locomotive repair facility at Denver's Burnham Yard. Since the fire, D&SNG's roundhouse has been capable of doing the heaviest of engine repairs right in Durango.
TIP: If you'd like more detail about the "Silverton Train," often called A Trip to Yesteryear, I've listed quite a few good books—excellent information, superb storytelling, and fantastic photos—in the bibliography.
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