The Return of Three Steam Trains On The Silverton

For the first time since 2019, the Durango and Silverton return a third train to Silverton with the return of train 465, the 3rd Silverton Train. Not only that but it's all bangers, all the time, er, all steam all the time. Yes, the White Pass and Yukon DL535 Alco's are off for the rest of the season until next summer. We catch all three classes of Durango's K class locomotives in service ranging from 100 year old ALCO K-28 # 476, 1925 Baldwin Built K-36 # 482, and 1902/1928 built K-37 # 493 that was rebuilt by the Denver and Rio Grande Western in their Burnham Shops in Denver in the latter year. We'll quote plenty of C.W. McCall along the way as we chase these three along the line and get our hide past the Snowshed Slide.
The dog days of summer are waning as the crisp morning air awakens us on this mid-September morning. We find ourselves in Durango Colorado on the precipice of the autumnal equinox, where for the first time since 2019 one can find three scheduled trains to Silverton. Today, we find the 8:15 am Silverton Mixed, Train # 461 led by K36 # 482 departing on time as the conductor gives the high sign and engineer Kylah gives two blasts of the whistle, eases the throttle open, and we’re rollin’. We’ll follow train 461 up the Valley, while behind it will be trains #463 and #465 departing at 9 and 9:45 am respectively.
We first catch up to train 461 at 32nd Street, one of the few road crossings of the Animas along the length of the railroad
Threading the gap between Animas City mountain and the terminal moraine across the river, the railroad has now entered the Hermosa Valley, carved by glaciers less than a million years ago, just yesterday in geological terms.
Located eleven miles north of the Durango depot, Hermosa is the first water tank along the line. Today we won’t be stopping here as Kylah pulls on the throttle to attack Hermosa Hill, one of the longer sustained heavy grades on the line
Clinging to the narrow shelf of the mini high line, the railroad is well above the valley floor and Baker’s Bridge, This historic crossing of the Animas is the final road crossing of the river until well above Silverton and was the location for some of the shot of our heroes jumping into the river in Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid. We’ll leave 461 and its 1925-built Baldwin here and go high above the canyon through the Purgatory Ski Area and over the lofty Coal Bank and Molas Passes.
We’re now south of Baker’s Park near Milepost 493.9 where we once again meet 461 making its way as a thunderstorm rages deep in the canyon.
Floating down the canyon, we're at milepost 492.95 as we now finally catch train 463, lead by K-37 #493. The 493 was originally a standard gauge 2-8-0 consolidation type locomotive rebuilt in 1928 by the Rio Grande into its currency configuration as a narrow gauge 2-8-2 Mikado in the railroad’s Burnham Shop. 493 is now in its fourth season of service on the Durango and Silverton, having been returned to steam in 2020 after over fifty years of sitting unused.
Later, we find one hundred-year-old 476 leading up train 465. This 1923 Mikado, built by the American Locomotive Company is one of the most iconic locomotives on The Silverton, having hauled cargo and passengers through this narrow defile in the San Juans since the early 1930’s. Let’s watch as it gets its hide past the snowshed slide and heads right into Silverton.
The clouds have been swept away and the sun has returned to the depths of the Animas canyon as the remains of the King Mine’s ore tipple, which burned down in 2007, one of the last such structures along the line. The King Mine was located directly across the river and the ore was ferried via tram over the Animas here.
First in and First out, 482 now leads train 462, the first Southbound Silverton Mixed through the gap at Cataract Falls, which has been reduced to a mere trickle by this time of year.
We find ourselves out of the canyon and into the relatively wide expanse of Baker’s Park as 493 departs from Silverton Yard Limits, leading up what’s now train 464 on its journey home.
Finally, we’re just southwest of the depot as train 466 eases out of Silverton on the drawbar of the 476. We’ll leave the three K’s here as we climb over them via our high mountain passes on our southward journey as we leave the Silvery San Juans behind.

[@rickdee67]

Love your videos!

[@ThePTBRULES]

The K-37s weren't rebuilt standard gauge locomotives, they were new-built narrow gauge locomotives that reused the Boiler and Tenders of standard gauge locomotives.

[@timpetta2974]

They were originally standard gauge.

[@captainkrazee7726]

@@timpetta2974the frames were built new by the burnham shops, boilers were reused

[@genevarailfan3909]

@@timpetta2974 The boilers were originally built for standard gage, but that's it. Everything else was new (except the tenders, which actually were converted from standard gage, I think?). I've seen a video or short somewhere showing that 491's frame is stamped with "1928", proving that it was new.

[@RioGrande486]

They were originally class C-41s, and then new narrow gauge frames, wheels, etc. were made. So the boilers, cabs, and tenders were technically built as standard gauge equipment, while the wheels and whatnot were new.

[@jm_trains]

Sometimes I think my GoPro shots on the Durango & Silverton or the Cumbres & Toltec are solid and then I watch a video like this... Puts me to shame! 10/10 cinematography.

[@slanderedstone]

Love how this is chock full of references to that one film made in 1984! keep up the good stuff!

[@Big_Diehl]

You’re not supposed to notice that!!! 🤣🤣😉

[@kjfenterprises9618]

12:52 Shave and a Haircut... TWO BITS!

[@RioGrande486]

2:18 Love the C.W. McCall reference from the 1984 video!

[@Big_Diehl]

This video is so full of them that if you took a shot for every one of them in the course of runtime, you’d be on the floor

[@CodyShell]

Just found your channel from your 2926 video. Really like your stuff! Not too often do I ring the bell on a channel, but yours is worth it! Thanks for the work sir

[@Big_Diehl]

Welcome aboard! I try and produce something halfway decent...

[@PistonRodProductions]

Great video as always, keep up the good work!

[@OfficialDenverRioGrandeWestern]

That’s cool 3 different K’s to sliverton

[@CrkdFngrGngrBndt]

I really can’t say enough how much I enjoyed my Labor Day train trip; everyone was exceptionally friendly and the trip was just all around amazing

[@markthomas6436]

I'm jealous of you, brother. All that glorious scenery, steam engines, great weather! Ahhhhh! 😊

[@stephensfarms7165]

Thanks 🙏

[@CoalChrome]

It's really cool how the 28s, 36s and 37s all sound different

[@wolfgangpfeilergartenbahnd6530]

Fantastic video, I love those narrow gauge railways in Durango and Chama. Great pictures of these magnificent steam locomotives and the unique landscape. Thanks for showing and have a nice Sunday. Best regards from Germany

[@Big_Diehl]

Thanks, I’ll try and have a good day!

[@rhettrobinson1361]

0:36 All Aboard!!!!

[@NowhereMan260]

Is there anything better then seeing a narrow gauge steamer unironically being crewed by a female engineer and fireman.

[@andrewkuebler4335]

Not to be dramatic, but I would die for Zephyr.

[@rickdee67]

HI Zepher!

[@garryferrington811]

I'm not interested in steam trains. Did they restore any of the engines?

[@ThePTBRULES]

What???

[@timpetta2974]

Huh?

[@zebrashark23]

Love the video, but I still miss the coal. I loved the little excerpt of the C. W McCall song "The Silverton". But as long as we are re-writing history somebody should remake that song it drank a lot of water and slurped a lot of used up motor oil. That probably doesn't rhyme though.

[@Big_Diehl]

Locally, we just say "Shovelin' Oil" even though it's a misnomer...

[@bov634]

I'll bet the fireman don't miss coal lol.

[@RioGrande486]

@@Big_Diehl I prefer “Pumpin’ Oil,” but you do you man.

[@rickdee67]

Hey Big Diehl I hope you are cool with me pirating your soundtrack for my little RR?!