Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad

The Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad is a 3-foot historic narrow gauge heritage railroad that runs 45 miles (73 km) from Durango, CO to Silverton, CO, part of the old Denver & Rio Grande Western (D&RGW) narrow gauge system. 
The railroad is one of two portions of the D&RGW narrow gauge system still surviving today, the other one being the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad (C&TS), which operates between Chama, NM and Antonito, CO. Typical daily round trips are seven-hour, at a top speed of 18 MPH (29 KPH), through the Animas River Canyon and San Juan Mountains. 
The D&SNG rolling stock includes eight fully restored operational 2-8-2 "Mikado" type coal-fired and converted oil-fired steam locomotives, consisting of three class K-28s, four class K-36s, and one class K-37, along with several passenger coaches, dating from the late 1800s, most inherited and preserved from the old D&RGW. As of July 2018, due to severe wildfire danger and long-term drought conditions in Southwestern Colorado, the railroad is slowly converting most, if not all, of their operable steam locomotives from coal burners to oil burners.
During the winter, the railroad runs the winter Cascade Canyon services from Durango to Cascade Canyon. Also during the Christmas season, the railroad runs the annual Polar Express services, which also run from Durango to Cascade Canyon in November and December. The normal Durango to Silverton services run every year from May to October and the winter Cascade Canyon services run from November to April.
==Locomotive Roster==
====Current Locomotives====
Image 	Number	Builder 	Build Date	Motive Power	Wheel Arrangement	Railroad 	Notes
 	42 	Baldwin Locomotive Works 	1887 	Steam 	2-8-0 	Denver & Rio Grande Western
Rio Grande Southern	The locomotive was built for the D&RG in 1887, and sold to the Rio Grande Southern Railroad in 1916, which renumbered it as their No. 42. It has been restored to as it appeared in the 20th-century. On display at the D&SNG roundhouse museum.
 	473 	American Locomotive Company (ALCO)	1923 	Steam 	2-8-2 	Denver & Rio Grande Western	Struck by a runaway truck loaded with 60,000 pounds of potatoes on June 25, 1987. Converted to burn oil in May 2021.
 	476 	American Locomotive Company (ALCO)	1923 	Steam 	2-8-2 	Denver & Rio Grande Western	Taken out of service in September 1999. Placed on display at the D&SNG roundhouse museum from 1999 to 2016. Restored back to operating condition in February 2018. Converted to burn oil on May 25, 2022.
 	478 	American Locomotive Company (ALCO)	1923 	Steam 	2-8-2 	Denver & Rio Grande Western	Almost traded to the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad (C&TSRR) in exchange for K-36 No. 483 in 2015. Taken out of service in April 2016. Restoration work and conversion to burn oil are expected to begin in early 2024.
 	480 	Baldwin Locomotive Works 	1925 	Steam 	2-8-2 	Denver & Rio Grande Western	Restored to operating condition in July 1985. Converted to burn oil in June 2021.
 	481 	Baldwin Locomotive Works 	1925 	Steam 	2-8-2 	Denver & Rio Grande Western	Became the first D&RG K-36 Class to run to Silverton under its own power. Was the last active coal burner on the D&SNG until March 23, 2024. Being converted to burn oil as of April 2024.
 	482 	Baldwin Locomotive Works 	1925 	Steam 	2-8-2 	Denver & Rio Grande Western	Sold to the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad (C&TSRR) in 1970. Traded to the D&SNG in exchange for K-37 No. 497 in October 1991. Restored to operating condition in May 1992. Converted to burn oil on December 16, 2021. Undergoing FRA mandated 1,472-day Boiler Inspection and Overhaul as of October 2023.
 	486 	Baldwin Locomotive Works 	1925 	Steam 	2-8-2 	Denver & Rio Grande Western	Sold to the Royal Gorge Park for display in December 1967. Traded to the D&SNG in exchange for K-37 No. 499 in May 1999. Restored to operating condition in August 2000. Taken out of service in October 2019. Awaiting a future overhaul and conversion from burning coal to burning oil as of 2023. Tender converted to oil-burning setup in August 2022.
 	493 	Baldwin Locomotive Works
Burnham Shops	1928 	Steam 	2-8-2 	Denver & Rio Grande Western	Placed on display in Silverton until being moved to Durango on May 4, 2016 for restoration. Restored to operating condition and converted to burn oil on January 24, 2020. Became the first former D&RGW 2-8-2 type narrow gauge locomotive to be converted from burning coal to burning oil.
 	498 	Baldwin Locomotive Works
Burnham Shops	1930 	Steam 	2-8-2 	Denver & Rio Grande Western	Stored in Durango serving as a parts source for other locomotives. Tender was sent with K-37 No. 499 when traded to the Royal Gorge Park in May 1999.
 	1 	General Electric (GE) 	1957 	Diesel 	(B-B) 	Arkansas Limestone 	Nicknamed the "Hotshot".
Used as the Durango yard and shop switcher.
Frameless	5 	General Electric (GE) 	1960 	Diesel 	(B-B) 	Algoma Steel 	Abandoned on a standard gauge flatbed behind the Durango roundhouse.
 	11 	US Steel
General Electric (GE) 	Unknown 	Diesel 	(B-B) 	Unknown 	Nicknamed the "PB". Built using General Electric parts.
 	101 	Montreal Locomotive Works 	1969 	Diesel 	(C-C) 	White Pass & Yukon Route
Sociedad Colombiana de Transport Ferroviaro	Acquired from the White Pass & Yukon Route (WP&Y) in April 2020. Arrived in Durango in late September 2020.
 	103 	Montreal Locomotive Works 	1969 	Diesel 	(C-C) 	White Pass & Yukon Route
Sociedad Colombiana de Transport Ferroviaro	Acquired from the White Pass & Yukon Route in May 2021. Arrived in Durango in September 2021.
 	106 	Montreal Locomotive Works 	1969 	Diesel 	(C-C) 	White Pass & Yukon Route
Sociedad Colombiana de Transport Ferroviaro	Acquired from the White Pass & Yukon Route in May 2021. Arrived in Durango in September 2021.
Stored in the Durango yard awaiting maintenance.
 	107 	Montreal Locomotive Works 	1969 	Diesel 	(C-C) 	White Pass & Yukon Route
Sociedad Colombiana de Transport Ferroviaro	Acquired from the White Pass & Yukon Route (WP&Y) in April 2020. Arrived in Durango in late August 2020.
 	1201 	Electro-Motive Diesel (EMD)
Motive Power & Equipment Solutions, Inc.	2018-2020 	Diesel 	(B-B) 	Tri-Rail 	Acquired from Motive Power & Equipment Solutions (MP&ES) in 2018 in response to the 416 Fire. Originally going to be numbered D&SNG 550. Arrived in Durango in early November 2020. Rebuilt from an ex-Tri-Rail F40PHL-2. Stored in the Durango yard.
 	1202 	Electro-Motive Diesel (EMD)
Motive Power & Equipment Solutions, Inc.	2018-2020 	Diesel 	(B-B) 	Tri-Rail 	Acquired from Motive Power & Equipment Solutions (MP&ES) in 2018 in response to the 416 Fire. Originally going to be numbered D&SNG 416. Arrived in Durango in late October 2020. Rebuilt from an ex-Tri-Rail F40PHL-2. Stored in the Durango yard.
 	1203 	H. K. Porter, Inc. 	1946 	Diesel 	(C-C) 	US Gypsum
Georgetown Loop 	Acquired from the Georgetown Loop Railroad in March 2017 in trade for GE 92-ton Center Cab diesel No. 9.
====Former Locomotives====
Image 	Number	Builder 	Build Date	Motive Power	Wheel Arrangement	Railroad 	Notes
 	18 	Baldwin Locomotive Works	1911 	Steam 	4-6-0 	Nevada-California-Oregon
Southern Pacific	Leased to the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad (D&SNG) in Durango, CO for oil-fired testing in 2019 and 2021. In early July 2022, SP 18 visited the Nevada State Railroad Museum in Carson City, NV to participate in their Great Western Steam Up event.
 	497 	Baldwin Locomotive Works
Burnham Shops	1930 	Steam 	2-8-2 	Denver & Rio Grande Western	Restored to operating condition in 1984. Traded to the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad (C&TSRR) in exchange for K-36 No. 482 in October 1991. Taken out of Service in October 2002. Currently out of service awaiting a possible future overhaul.
 	499 	Baldwin Locomotive Works
Burnham Shops	1930 	Steam 	2-8-2 	Denver & Rio Grande Western	Placed on display in Durango until being traded to the Royal Gorge Park in exchange for K-36 No. 486 in May 1999.
Frameless	2 	General Electric (GE) 	1951 	Diesel 	(B-B) 	Algoma Steel 	Previously nicknamed the "PB-II". Sold to the Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad in May 2006. Now operates as YMSPRR No. 402.
 	4 	General Electric (GE) 	1955 	Diesel 	(B-B) 	Algoma Steel 	Sold to the Colorado Railroad Museum in 2004. Now operates as Golden City & San Juan No. 4.
 	7 	General Electric (GE) 	1975 	Diesel 	(B-B) 	Algoma Steel 	Nicknamed the "Big Al". Sold to the Colorado Railroad Museum in December 2021 and later moved there on April 20, 2022.
 	9 	General Electric (GE) 	Unknown 	Diesel 	(B-B) 	Unknown 	Traded to the Georgetown Loop Railroad in exchange for Porter DE75CT type No. 1203 in March 2017.
==Trivia== 
*Locomotive 480 appeared in Lots and Lots of Trains.
*Locomotive 482 was acquired from the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad (C&TS) between Chama, NM and Antonito, CO in trade for locomotive 497, which was previously operated by the railroad from 1984 to October 1991.
*Locomotive 486 was acquired from the Royal Gorge Bridge & Park in Canon City, CO in trade for locomotive 499 in May 1999.
*As of June 2022, locomotives 493, 473, 480, 482, and 476 have all been converted to burning oil instead of coal. Locomotive 486 is likely the next one in line to be converted.
*As of April 2016, locomotive 478 is awaiting a future overhaul to be put back into service. It is currently on temporary display in the Durango roundhouse museum. But on October 17, 2023, it was taken off display for the first time April 2016, and one day later, on October 18, 2023, it was announced that work to restore it back to operation again is expected to begin in early 2024, including a conversion to an oil burner.
*As of October 2019, locomotive 486 is awaiting a future overhaul and conversion to burn oil to be put back into service. It too is currently on temporary display in the Durango roundhouse museum.
*As of 2023, locomotive 481 is currently the last operational coal burner on the railroad after the others were either converted to oil burners or taken out of service. It will continue running as a coal burner until after the 2023-2024 winter season, after which, it will be converted to an oil burner.
*As of today, locomotives 473, 476, 478, 480, 481, 482, 486, and 493 still continue to be operational locomotives.
*Eventually, most, if not all eight, of the operable steam locomotives on the railroad will be converted to burn oil instead of coal.(risk of loosing it's status as a historical landmark when the engines originally burnt coal then modifying the same engines despite the strict rules against it)
*On February 10, 1989, the 108-year-old Durango roundhouse caught fire damaging all six operable steam locomotives inside at the time (locomotives 473, 476, 478, 480, 481, and 497) and the tools and machinery used to maintain them. While the new Durango roundhouse and a state-of-the-art locomotive repair shop were being built, all six locomotives were eventually repaired and returned to service.
*In September 1999, locomotive 476 was taken out of service and placed on display in the Durango roundhouse museum, but it was later restored back to operation in February 2018. Locomotive 478 was taken out of service in April 2016 and placed on display in the spot where locomotive 476 used to be displayed in.
*In 2018, the railroad temporarily suspended all operations from June 1st to July 11th due to the 416 Fire near Durango and resumed operations on July 12th.
*In 2018, the railroad acquired two custom-built MP2000NG diesel locomotives from the now-defunct Motive Power & Equipment Solutions, Inc. (MP&ES) in Greenville, SC in response to the 416 Fire near Durango. They were both originally going to be numbered 550 and 416, but were ultimately assigned the numbers 1201 and 1202.
*From November 2018 to October 2019, the railroad leased SP 4-6-0 locomotive 18, nicknamed the Slim Princess, from the Eastern Railroad Museum in Independence, CA for oil-fired testing. The Slim Princess later made a return trip to the railroad in 2021 and operated from May to October.
*In 2020, the railroad temporarily suspended all operations from late March to June 22nd due to the COVID-19 pandemic and resumed operations on June 23rd.
*In April 2020, the railroad acquired four former White Pass & Yukon Route (WP&Y) DL-535E diesel locomotives in Skagway, AK. Locomotives 101 and 107 were both delivered between August and September 2020 while locomotives 103 and 106 were both delivered in September 2021.
*In 2022, the railroad temporarily suspended all operations from May 16th to May 18th due to a level 4 wildfire risk and resumed operations on May 19th.
==Gallery==
Images:
File:D&RGW K-36.jpg|D&SNG No. 481 Departing Silverton, CO For Durango, CO
File:SP 18.jpg|The Durango & Silverton is giving Southern Pacific 18 an oil-burning test run.
File:84 Preperation.jpg|D&SNG locomotive 473 operating on the Durango & Silverton in 1984. It was converted to burn oil in late May 2021.
Videos:
File:"Love Those Trains!" National Geographic Society Special - 1984
File:D&RGW K-28 -478 on "The Silverton"
File:Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad- -476 (10-10-11-2023)
Category:Built in 1882
Category:Narrow-gauge rail
Category:Durango, Colorado
Category:Silverton, Colorado
Category:Heritage Railways
Category:Companies
Category:North American Railroads
Category:Tourist Railways
Category:Tourist Attractions