The Durango & Silverton Railroad - Part 1

The Durango & Silverton Narrow-Gauge Railroad runs between the two places after which it was named, and is a remnant of a larger rail system called the Denver & Rio Grande.  Originally built to carry supplies to miners in Silverton, the D&S is now used mainly for tourism.  It generally follows the course of the Animas River, but in some places where it flows through a gorge, the railroad runs up to several hundred feet above it.  The D&S was built between 1881 and 1882, and as our one of the conductors warned us, "It feels like it."

Here's the steam locomotive, ready to pull the train out of Durango.

The back of the locomotive and the coal tender:

One of the coaches, with a mountain ridge behind it:

The passengers boarding another coach:

While heading north of Durango, on our left was this house on a hill, with some larger hills behind it.

Further along the way was the Iron Horse Inn and a multicolored mountain.

Looking down into the Animas River gorge:

Some rapids along the Animas, looking north and upstream:

And finally, some more rapids in the Animas, seen while going over a bridge, the shadow of which is clearly recognizable: