By Photo: Michael Gäbler, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
The Denver & Rio Grande Railway built the line between Durango and Silverton in 1881 and 1882 to carry silver and gold ore out of the San Juan Mountains. The track, three feet between rails, follows the Animas River for about 45 miles and climbs through a narrow canyon that is still unreachable by road in places.
Mining declined, but the line survived on passengers. By the mid-20th century, tourists riding behind steam engines were its main traffic, and Hollywood used it for Westerns.
Ownership
The Rio Grande sold the line in 1981, and in 1997 it was bought by American Heritage Railways. The company runs steam locomotives on most trains, along with heritage cars and some open gondolas. A trip from Durango to Silverton takes about three and a half hours each way, and many riders stay a couple of hours in Silverton before the return.
The economic link
The railroad is a major employer in Durango and, in summer, the reason many visitors come to Silverton at all. Hotels, shops and restaurants in both towns depend on it.
That dependence became obvious in 2018, when the 416 Fire burned north of Durango and the railroad suspended service for weeks. Lawsuits followed, alleging a train started the fire. The railroad settled with the federal government in 2022 and has since added more diesel locomotives for fire-prone days. Wildfire risk remains one of the biggest uncertainties for the business.
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