In 1882, a rail line between the mining town of Silverton, Colorado and the railroad town of Durango was opened in order to transport gold and silver. Three feet wide, the narrow coal-fired steam engines originally carried ore, miners, cowboys, and settlers, and it now transports visitors on an original train on the very same line.

The forty-five mile trip takes four and a half hours to ride, as it is still coal-fired, and winds along narrow mountain paths and in and out of canyons. Historic narration is available on the trains for interested tourists.

Both the Silverton and Durango ends of the line have railroad museums. The Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad and Museum contains artifacts pertaining to the history of railroading, and the Silverton Museum displays a Baldwin Locomotive from 1902 in the original 1882 Depot.

479 Main Avenue, Durango, Colorado 81301, Phone: 970-247-2733

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