• Durango has always been a railroad town.
• The Denver & Rio Grande Railroad Company
founded the town of Durango in 1880.
• The Durango depot looks the same as it was
constructed in 1882.
• The railroad tracks reached Silverton in July
1882. Laborers were paid $2.25 a day.
• The narrow gauge rails are thirty-six inches
apart, standard gauge rails are fifty-six inches.
• Locomotives used by the D&SNGRR are from
the 470-480 series, manufactured between the years
of 1923-25.
• Throughout the course of many years the D&SNGRR
has carried over three hundred million dollars in
precious metals.
• The roundhouse burned on February 10, 1989.
The fire destroyed the roundhouse and damaged 6 of
the locomotives. This did not prevent the train from
running as scheduled that year in May.
• The D&SNGRR Gauge Railroad carries approximately
200,000 passengers a year.
• The D&SNGRR uses 10,000 gallons of water
per round-trip and 12,000 pounds of coal; the coal
is shoveled one shovel at a time.
Has the train “starred” in any
movies?
Colorado Territory (1949), Ticket to Tomahawk (1950),
Denver and Rio Grande (1952), Viva Zapata (1952),
Three Young Texans (1954), Run for Cover (1955), Maverick
Queen (1956), Around the World in 80 Days (1956),
Night Passage (1957), How the West Was Won (1963),
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969), Support
Your Local Gunfighter (1970), Durango & Silverton
Narrow Gauge Railroad (1984), The Tracker (1987),
Rebirth of a Locomotive (1992), Durango Kid (1999),
The Claim (2000).
There are many famous actors and actresses
who starred in movies involving the D&SNGRR. Some
even rode the train:
Robert Redford, Paul Newman, Marilyn Monroe, Marlon
Brando, Anthony Quinn, James Stewart, Debbie Reynolds,
John Wayne, Henry Fonda, Gregory Peck, Cloris Leachman,
James Garner and Suzanne Pleshette, Ernest Borgnine,
Robert Urich, John Denver, Warren Beatty, Michael
J. Fox, Howie Long, Dennis Weaver, Ricky Lee Jones,
Michael Martin Murphy, Kris Kristopherson, President
Gerald Ford, and President William H. Taft among others.
Just how narrow is the narrow gauge?
Narrow gauge rails are three feet (thirty-six inches)
apart, while standard gauge rails are four feet, eight
and one half inches (56 ½ inches) apart.
Why is narrow gauge used?
Actually, General Palmer implemented narrow gauge
and narrow passenger cars because he wanted to prevent
men and women from being able to sleep in the same
bed on the train (the narrow passenger cars only have
room for single sleeper bunks on each side). These
cars are also less expensive and easier to bring through
the rough mountain terrain, so they became popular.
The rails were also less expensive to install (it’s
easier to blast out a narrower track on the side of
a mountain) and can make sharper curves around mountains.
How long has the train been taking passengers
on leisure rides?
Those involved with the train were always aware of
the spectacular experience a ride presented, and they
promoted scenic rides from the train’s inception.
The train was officially promoted as a scenic tour
beginning in July of 1882. It was promoted in 1951
as solely a passenger train and not as a freight train.
How much money in gold and silver had been
carried on the train?
Throughout the course of many years, over three hundred
million dollars in precious metals has been carried
on the D&SNGRR.
Just how much coal and water does the train
need for one round-trip?
The train needs six tons of coal and ten thousand
gallons of water for a round-trip.
How fast does the train go?
The train travels at an average speed of 18 mph (regular
speed with all the coaches).
How fast can one locomotive go?
The K-36’s can reach 25 mph and No. 42 can reach
35 mph.
What is the weight of the heaviest locomotive?
K-36’s weigh one hundred forty-three tons when
loaded with coal and water.
What is the weight of the heaviest car?
The Nomad’s weight is 35 tons. It’s heavy
brass bed and marble top furniture contribute to the
tremendous weight.
How many miles does the train accumulate
after one day?
The train travels 45 miles to Silverton, making a
total of 95-100 miles in one day.
Is mileage recorded?
Unlike automobiles, locomotives do not have odometers,
so it is up to the conductor to keep track of mileage.
Locomotive and train mileage is recorded monthly and
submitted to the Federal Railroad Association. Passenger
miles are also submitted monthly. The number of passengers
on that round-trip multiplies the daily mileage (90
miles approximately) for the total miles traveled.
How many employees does it take to run the
train?
The train requires four employees plus concession
and private car attendants. Two employees work in
the locomotive cab (the engineer and fireman), and
one brakemen and one conductor work throughout the
entire train.
How does one become a conductor? How does
one become an engineer?
Both positions require special exams and on-the-job
training. To become a conductor, one must first become
a brakeman and work under the conductor. It takes
more than four years to become an engineer. One begins
as a brakeman, then progresses to working in the cab
alongside the engineer as a fireman. Then, one must
study mechanical instruction and take student trips.
What is the oldest part of the train?
Concession Car #212 was built in 1879.
What is the oldest D&SNGRR locomotive?
No. 42 was built in 1887 and is on display in the
museum. The locomotives used daily are from 1923 and
1925.
What are the most years a person has been
an employee of the train?
Amos Cordova, former marketing VP, who was hired by
the Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad, was
a railroad employee for 47 years.
Who owns the Durango & Silverton Narrow
Gauge Railroad?
American Heritage Railways of Coral Gables, Florida,
purchased the railroad in the summer of 1998 under
the leadership of Chairman Allen C. Harper and President
Carol Harper.
The D&SNGRR is designated a National Historic
Landmark by the National Park Services and is also
an American Society of Civil Engineering Landmark.
The train was recognized in the “Top ten most
exciting train journeys in the world” by the
Society of American Travel Writers and received the
“5 Star Award for Best Attraction” by
the National Association of Travel Journalists.
For more information, contact Andrea Seid in the
D&SNGRR Marketing
Department at (970) 259-0274.
For tickets or group reservations, call (970) 247-2733
or www.durangotrain.com.
