A shot of D&S 486 from the tender looking forward. It is amazing to think that this unit has been running over 80 years (albeit with some work along the way). The sights this unit have seen must truly be incredible.
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My first real experience in Narrow Gauge came on this trip to Durango! Here, D&S 486 (2-8-2, K-36 class) sits in the small town of Silverton, awaiting for the clock to strike 2pm!
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The obligatory roster shot of D&S 486, our 2-8-2 (K-36 class) steam engine! These old engines are still powered by coal (as tender shows) and they are in fact hand-fired! In a round trip from Durango to Silverton and back, the fireman shovels as much as seven tons of coal into the engine.
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An oldie but a goodie! This 2-8-2, K-37 class steam locomotive was built 105 years ago (at the time of the photo) in 1902! It is non-operational and sits in Silverton as a static display on the railroad. DRG 493 here, and DRG 498 are both static K-37's on display.
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In Silverton, we come across "Big Al", an operational (center-cab) 87-Ton unit built by General Electric in 1975. When the Durango & Silverton is moving cars around (not as a passenger move), it is easier to use a small diesel engine rather than having to fire a steam locomotive.
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Although it's not in use anymore, one of the original water tanks from the Denver and Rio Grande still stands alongside the track and is something of a tourist attraction now. The train is stopped here so our engine can take on water from the new water station just ahead.
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One of the best curves on the high line is near the east end. We are restricted to 10 MPH along the high line as it is a very steep drop to the Animas River several hundred feet below the tracks.
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Our 2-8-2, K-36 class steam locomotives works hard to pull the train to the high line, perhaps the most scenic part of the journey between Durango and Silverton, This K-36 was built in 1925 and was originally delivered to the Denver and Rio Grande.
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Riding on the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge, the train is about to pass underneath US-550 about 15 miles west (north) of Durango. This is a good spot for photos of the train (from the outside) as you can get some elevation.
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