Steam & Excursion > "Destination: Silverton"

I made my first visit ever to the Durango & Silverton riding up to Silverton, Colorado today. Nos. 486 and 481 powered a fourteen-car train. I was in the thirteenth car and spent nearly the entire trip out in the open. Beautiful weather, great trip.

Here's the video.

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Some parts show doubleheaders upgrade and then a single header in canyon, then doubleheaders separated in Silverton. Please give me a brief explanation as other wise a very enjoyable video.

SuperChiefDon

ATSFSuperChief Wrote:
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> Some parts show doubleheaders upgrade and then a
> single header in canyon, then doubleheaders
> separated in Silverton. Please give me a brief
> explanation as other wise a very enjoyable video.
>
> SuperChiefDon

Rules held over from the D&RGW still hold weight on the D&SNG and the C&TS,  in this case, no doubleheading downhill.  After a deadly wreck on Bocea Hill during a doubleheaded movement in the later years of the narrow gauge, the practice was outlawed.  While you could say the line rises from Durango to Silverton, the stretch between Rockwood and Tacoma is down.

There are a couple of bridges where doubleheading is prohibited.  One being leaving Durango, and the other is the high bridge near Tacoma.  Fortunately, they located where the grades are easy, so the helper can be removed from the train at these spots.

The train leaves Durango behind one engine.  The helper running light ahead to Hermosa, the bottom of the 2.5% pull to Rockwood,  From Hermosa to Rockwood the train is doubleheaded.  At Rockwood the helper is cut off and runs light ahead across the high line, across the Tacoma high bridge and ahead to Tank Creek where water is taken.  It is down grade from Rockwood across the highline, then across the Tacoma highbridge.  From Tacoma the grade starts again but is relatively gentle as far as Tank Creek where the water stop is made.  During the water stop, the helper is re-coupled to the train and the train is doubleheaded the rest of the way to Silverton.  The return trip to Durango is with one engine. 

Comparing the "ride" in  the video with the C&TS you can clearly see the D&SNG needs to continue to improve the ROW. This is NOT a line taking the miners to their work site. This is a tourist line! That D&SNG can. if it wants to, reduce the rocking cars to a minimum just as the C&TS did. Apparently Mr. Harper simply does not choose to do so!

Interesting video, John, and you were a long way from Utica!  Gotta love steam.

Thanks for the video. I enjoyed the view from the train. 

Victor A. Baird
http://www.erstwhilepublications.com