Western Railroad Discussion > Durango --> Silverton, time for the plow train?

I know that winter trains make a short trip out of Durango, turning back about half way to Silverton, but recent reports suggest that enormous snowfalls have cut off Silverton from the outside world. More than 40 inches of snow have fallen on Silverton in the past 24 hours. In some places, 10 foot snow drifts have been observed.

The thought of two or three little DSNG engines pushing a plow or rotary warms my heart.

Durango webcam:

http://www.cotrip.org/atis/web.CCTVMarshal?CCTV=60042&mode=html

Many years ago, D&RGW trains forced their way over Monarch pass. Today's Colorado DOT has monster snow plows and rotary snow blowers stationed there. Lots of snow there tonight...

http://www.cotrip.org/atis/web.CCTVMarshal?CCTV=60041&mode=html

Uh, the Monarch Pass line dead ended at the mine so if the train made it over the pass it was
probably on the highway. Marshall Pass might be a little closer to have been conquered though.

rehunn Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Uh, the Monarch Pass line dead ended at the mine
> so if the train made it over the pass it was
> probably on the highway. Marshall Pass might be a
> little closer to have been conquered though.


And the crew shoulda known since the ride was too smooth!

KK

OK, OK...

Here's La Veta Pass. Pretty snowy at 4.36pm

http://www.cotrip.org/atis/web.WeatherMarshal?Weather=151003&mode=html

D&SNG runs a daily winter roundtrip to Cascade Canyon, about 2/3 the distance to Silverton, avoiding a major slide area between the two places.
Former D&RGW NG rotary plows OY and OM are themselves snowed in the C&TSRwy Chama yard. The ~100 mile track between Chama and Durango has long been removed. D&S has no rotary.
There's a rumor that OY, in mostly operable condition, might be cleaned and oiled up for C&TS use in 2010.