# Durango & Silverton to buy two narrow gauge diesels from South Carolina



## Stumpy (Mar 19, 2013)

http://trn.trains.com/news/news-wir...two-narrow-gauge-diesel-from-south-carolina-1

On one hand it seems like the end of an era. On the other I guess it's good they're willing to "adapt".


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## Deane Johnson (Sep 19, 2016)

I would guess those steam engines are becoming difficult to keep in operation due to their old age.

Since the passenger business is a very important element of the community and the area, keeping that flourishing is going to be their major focus in moving to diesel.


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## Chet (Aug 15, 2014)

Steam operations was shut down for a while this summer because of the risk if fire.


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## santafe158 (Jul 14, 2010)

Deane Johnson said:


> I would guess those steam engines are becoming difficult to keep in operation due to their old age.
> 
> Since the passenger business is a very important element of the community and the area, keeping that flourishing is going to be their major focus in moving to diesel.


Steam locomotives aren't much more difficult to take care of than they were when new. Parts wear out, new parts are made. As long as we have access to machine shops, foundries and workers who care, they can keep running.

They are not focusing on diesels, they are simply buying them to have as an option so they can run even if the danger of fire is high. A good chunk of their money making season was lost this year due to the fires and their inability to run due to the spark hazard.


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## Dudlee99 (May 6, 2018)

It would be nice if they could make the new diesels resemble the steam engines but that would likely cost another $3 or $4 million.
Great article, thanks for posting it.


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## PoppetFlatsRR (Jul 29, 2018)

I was lucky to ride the original last year. What a wonderful day spent on the train thru the wilderness. I do a lot of 4x4 events that are north of Silverton. We went last September and would highly recommend it to anyone that hasn't done it. We rode in the moderated car and the stories were fantastic. 

As stated, I don't think these are replacements in a system, they are just going to be there in case the weather does not allow the steam units to run. 

I am headed back to the Silverton area this September and plan to spend a great deal of time at the main terminal in Durango. Truly fascinating. Got to watch them make a new wheel a couple of years ago. They can make just about anything on the train we were told. The employees seem to be a family affair. 

Talking abot the riding the narrow gauge in New Mexico, can't think of the name of it, but is similar to the Silverton to Durrango ride.


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## santafe158 (Jul 14, 2010)

PoppetFlatsRR said:


> Talking abot the riding the narrow gauge in New Mexico, can't think of the name of it, but is similar to the Silverton to Durrango ride.


Cumbres and Toltec. The D&S and C&TS are the last operational remnants of the Denver & Rio Grande narrow gauge system. They were once connected and part of the same railroad, hence the similar equipment.


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## PoppetFlatsRR (Jul 29, 2018)

Thanks Santafe158. 

They told the story on the ride from Durango to Silverton, but my old brain does not remember the whole story.


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## santafe158 (Jul 14, 2010)

PoppetFlatsRR said:


> Thanks Santafe158.
> 
> They told the story on the ride from Durango to Silverton, but my old brain does not remember the whole story.


They're a couple of neat railroads. One of these days I'll have to go see them for real instead of through my computer screen


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## PoppetFlatsRR (Jul 29, 2018)

I have some picturs from last fall, I can post them if you guys like.


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## ebtnut (Mar 9, 2017)

Through the 1940's there was what was called the "Narrow Gauge Circle Route". It combined the D&RGW with the Rio Grande Southern. You began at the major narrow gauge terminal at Alamosa, CO and proceeded to Durango. There you transferred to the RGS (probably in a Galloping Goose) for the ride up to Ridgeway. Transfer there back to the D&RGW up to Montrose. From there east via the Black Canyon of the Gunnison to Salida, then south back to Alamosa. That last segment included a 50+ mile long section of dead straight track. The circle got broken with the abandonment of the RGS around 1950. By the mid-1950's only the Alamosa-Durango-Farmington-Silverton line was left and that operation ended in 1968. The Farmington branch and the main line between Durango and Chama were torn up, leaving the Silverton line for the current tourist trains. The states of New Mexico and Colorado bought the Chama-Antonito line and lease it to the C&TS for their operations.


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