Jim Murray The San Juan Southern RR
QUOTE: There is a book avaliable that describes the Durango Silverton route with alot of colored pictures. I think it can be obtained online from there web site.
I am modeling the D&RGW Silverton Branch in the 1940s in SN3. There were industries on the Silverton branch. Durango had alot of industries such as a flour mill, sawmill, freight station, stockyards, and some small industries. Along the branch at Hermosa there was sheep or cattle loading, merchandise, MOW. At Rockwood there was a Wye track, siding sheep loading etc. At Tacoma there was a power plant with passing track and siding. At Ah Wilderness they got merchandise. At Tefft there was a sawmill spur and town and they got merchandise. At Needleton there was a small stockyard, siding, and tank. At Elk park there was stock loading, spur, wye and passing track. At Silverton there was Ore loading, oil dealer, several lumber dealers, coal, hay, and interchange for three other railroads. There were several mines, mills, and one smelter early on. There wasnt much traffic in the 1940s, just two trains a week but there were much more early on from the 1880s to 1930s. Traffic picked up again in the 1950s and 60s with tourist traffic. There are good possibilities for models and alot of incredible scenery on that line. More guys model from Durango to Chama though as there was more traffic on that line.
Bob Helm
I missed this thread the first time around...
I also model the Silverton Branch, but in HOn3. I compensated for the real-world lack of traffic by imaging a Silverton with the three "little lines" still serving active mines, so there's plenty of traffic.
I also put a saw mill at Rockwood, where one was in the early days. At Tefft, my mythical Cascade Branch heads further into the mountains to bring down timber, stone, and oil. http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/88/t/219241.aspx?page=1 And Durango is much busier, still dual-gauge, and is now located on a standard gauge secondary main that runs from Moab down to Grants, New Mexico. You can see many more pics in the last year or so of the weekly WPF.
I also put a saw mill at Rockwood, where one was in the early days.
At Tefft, my mythical Cascade Branch heads further into the mountains to bring down timber, stone, and oil. http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/88/t/219241.aspx?page=1 And Durango is much busier, still dual-gauge, and is now located on a standard gauge secondary main that runs from Moab down to Grants, New Mexico. You can see many more pics in the last year or so of the weekly WPF.
At Tefft, my mythical Cascade Branch heads further into the mountains to bring down timber, stone, and oil. http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/88/t/219241.aspx?page=1
And Durango is much busier, still dual-gauge, and is now located on a standard gauge secondary main that runs from Moab down to Grants, New Mexico.
You can see many more pics in the last year or so of the weekly WPF.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
The train set sold in Durango, I believe, but am not sure might be a Bachmann set in standard gauge HO and doesn't have much correct in it at all. For the reality, you have to model in narrow gauge. Real good scale engines do not have to be brass. Blackstone makes a high scale K-27 and a C-19 in metal with fabulous sound that can be had for a fraction of a modernized brass engine for about $320-$340 at the right train show. Next year they are planning to release a K-28 and a K-36. So you will have engines available at lower prices and better functionality than brass for much less, if you choose HOn3.
Choose an era and model that. Earlier it would have to be the D&RGW which a small section of it became the Durango and Silverton. Most all of the Blackstone engines are 1900-1940's representations of D&RGW locos; most of which still run over the D&S tracks. Specifically these are the K-28 and K-36 models. To my mind, the prettiest narrow gauge engines are the K-27 "mudhens" and K-28 "sports model" Except for the 1890's C series consolidations, all post 1900 D&RGW engines were mikados.
Good luck with your efforts.
Richard
If I can't fix it, I can fix it so it can't be fixed
Hi,
Like other posters, I have taken the trip before (twice) and found the scenery to be second to none. To make a layout based on it, you would have to have significant vertical landscaping, and be content with a town on each end and nothing in between. As pointed out, there are no industries of note, and very little secondary trackage in between the towns.
That being said, one could take modelers license and include a Durango in the layout, and have the trackage include mining, oil, and cattle ranching along the right of way.
BTW, while the Durango and Silverton trip has beautiful scenery, the Cumbres & Toltec trip is (IMO) a much better view of railroading "back when".
ENJOY !
Mobilman44
Living in southeast Texas, formerly modeling the "postwar" Santa Fe and Illinois Central
Blackstone has not yet officially released the K28 and K 36 engines but they should come out late 2014 according to dealers and blackstone sales staff. I have some K-28s on order for my now HON3 Silverton branch layout. Couldnt afford to do SN3 due to the cost of cars and brass.
D&RGW