My father and I are going to be staying in Durango for a week in August before and during Railfest and I was wondering if anyone here has been before could tell me what exactly goes on? I havent been able to find much if any information online, plenty of photo's but nothing really saying what goes on
Were going a few days before it starts because I want to also visit the C&TS & Gorgetown Loop and visit Cimarron, Ridgway, Gunnison, Alamosa and Golden (Coors brewery woohoo!)
Should we plan to be in Durango every day of railfest though? I mean is it like diffrent stuff each day or just the same thing? We are booking a trip in the Silver Vista car on a normal trip reguardless im just trying to plan this trip better.
http://www.durangotrain.com/events/index.htm
Incase anyone else was wondering, they posted a couple links on there events page with whats going on this year at D&SNG Railfest.
315 and Goose 5 will be running if anyone missed them at C&TS
What a blast! Besides the railfest stuff did ALOT of driving about 1200 miles worth checking out D&RGW & RGS stuff. Woke up at 5:30-6 every day and in bed around 11:30-12 every night. Never made it to Antonito or Alamosa like I wanted to but oh well there is allways next time!
Day 1 - Drove from Durango to Silverton, watched the trains come in and had lunch. Drove on to Ridgway to visit the Ridgway railroad museum then followed the RGS route back to Durango stopping in all the towns along the way checking out the old RGS ROW, depot's, watertank's, bridge's and ofcorse the scenery! Lizard Head is quite a sight!
Day 2 - C&TS to Osier and back from Chama, K36 489 back in action after 5 years in the shop with fresh paint was helper engine on the way up to cumbres. I rode it the Parlor car both ways was a very fun trip though we did get some rain & hail at Osier
Day 3 - Goose 5 to Tacoma powerplant, lots of photo run-bys + President's Reception and 315 viewing outside the roundhouse in durango later that night
Day 4 - Chased 315 a few miles out of Durango (consist was 315 - RPO/Consession and 3 coaches lettered D&RGW) then drove back to catch the 9am train, rode the Silver Vista up to Silverton passing 315 and her passenger train at cascade. Had lunch in Silverton then rode the Alamosa Parlor car back down to Durango. Later that night took a couple pictures of 315 on the turntable in Durango during the night photo shoot
Day 5 - Drove up to Silverton again and rode Goose 5 down from Silverton to Elk Park, we didnt meet 315 there like we were saposed to I guess they were doing to many photo run-bys lol we did a bunch too! We returned to Silverton and watched 315 come into the station with her mixed train (consist was 315 - boxcar, flat car, boxcar, long caboose & 2 coaches) before driving on to Cimarron to see 278 and then on to Gunnison to visit 268 and have dinner
I took some 350 pictures and will be posting some the next few days, sucks I had to go back to work today wish I was still in Colorado :(
Mr. Ash
STOP IT !!!!
Your making me daydream....
I'm glad you had a great time, I haven't been to the area in several years, but love it. It sounds like you had a great time, maybe I need to make plans for next year. There is nothing better than mountain railroading.
GS
"The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination."-Albert Einstein
http://gearedsteam.blogspot.com/
Have fun with your trains
lol yeah! so far I only have the C&TS pic's uploaded with a few from D&S in silverton from the first day and a couple of goose 4 in Ridgway.. Ill post them now but i still need to get off my lazy bum and get the rest of the pictures uploaded! Been real busy with work since I got back from my trip though
Here is me infront of 315 after the presidents reception, forgot about this one I uploaded it first to email it to my mom
D&S ADA Combine 213, formerly named Home Ranch.... no idea why they renamed it
D&S freshly repainted and renamed "San Juan" closed vestibule coach (same seating arrangment as Silver Vista)
K-37 493 near the Silverton Depot, she's missing a few parts but has fresh paint and is sporting a green boiler jacket!
Few pictures of RGS Goose 4 in Ridgway, This is the Goose from Telluride its getting restored at the Ridgway RR Museum (Really cool place to visit!!!)
Next up are the C&TS Pic's!
Cool! I just checked out the information on that on there website, is that somthing they do annually? Also do they letter everything D&RGW?
PS - I will be uploading all the rest of my pictures from D&S, RGS, Cimarron & Gunnison today when I get home, working late again boss has a bunch of meetings today
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