Elizabeth and I slept in and then prepared for the day and packed up and left the key on the counter and walked out to the car and loaded it. Since there were no restaurants open in Chama, we did the same thing as we did yesterday by going to the Speedway station where I bought two packs of doughnuts and a lemonade and Elizabeth had an apple fritter and orange juice. Not the best breakfast but there was nothing we could do. I drove us via Pagosa Springs and we stopped for a picture of Chimney Rock.
Chimney Rock is a National Monument and I do not understand why there are two Chimney Rocks in the United States as there is also one in Wyoming. On the outskirts of Durango, we gassed up the car and then went to the Durango and Silverton parking lot and parked for free because the ticket booth was closed.
Durango and Silverton Roundhouse TourCheck out a unique tour of the yard and roundhouse! Get the inside story on this train’s 140 year history. This is your chance to see the inner workings of the yard and shops with an experienced guide. Take our one-hour tour of the D&SNG yard, machine shop, roundhouse, car shop, rolling stock and museum with one of our tour guides. Hear the history and see the behind-the-scenes operation of the railroad.
The two of us walked over to the station where we our attention was diverted.
Durango and Silverton DL-535 101, nee White Pass and Yukon 101, built by Montreal Locomotive Works in 1969.
Durango and Silverton caboose 0540 built by the railroad in 1881.
Durango and Silverton 44-ton switcher 1 "Hot Shot" built by General Electric in 1957 and acquired from Arkansas Limestone.
Denver and Rio Grande Western freight house.
Another view of the Hot Shot which was switching the caboose.
Two more former White Pass and Yukon engines up on blocks as their trucks had not yet arrived.
We then went into the station and at this window we bought our two roundhouse tour ticket and were given a discount because we had ridden the train recently. We then visited the gift shop and bought two T-shirts. On the way back to the car, we had to stop to take some pictures.
Hot Shot is moving former White Pass and Yukon 101 around the yard.
The yard tower. Our tour group was Elizabeth and I and a gentleman from Cedar Falls, Iowa. Our tour guide was Jeff Ellingson, Museum Curator, who was full of information.
Durango and Silverton K36 2-8-2 482 built by Baldwin in 1925 undergoing conversion from coal to oil. During this process, any other work that needs to be done on the steam engines is being performed.
The tender of the 482. Jeff explained the process of converting an engine from coal to oil.
The new flues waiting to be installed.
A look into the firebox with the workers busy inside and underneath.
Southern Pacific 4-6-0 18 "Slim Princess" built by Baldwin in 1911.
Looking out of the roundhouse.
Another view of the 482.
Activity on the turntable. Next we went into the machine shop.
This machine shop is so capable that they never have to outsource any activities. All work is done in these buildings and the equipment dates from the 1930's and 1940's. From here, Jeff took us outside into the yard.
Durango and Silverton box car 6634 built by the railroad in 1956 from a standard gauage boxcar.
Durango and Silverton coach 257 "Shenandoah" built in 1880, originally numbered 267 until sold to the Rio Grande Southern Railroad, later reacquired by the Durango and Silverton.
Durango and Silverton coach 331 "Trimble" built in 1963.
Durango and Silverton MP2000NG 1201 and MP2000NG 1202, awaiting their trucks.
Durango and Silverton flanger OF.
Durango and Silverton caboose 0505 built in 1886.
The sanding tower.
The coaling bin.
The ash pit. Both this and the coaling bin above will be obsolete if all the steam engines are converted to oil.
The car shop.
View of the two engines near the turntable.
The 101 has a bad front traction motor that needs to be replaced.
The Hot Shot pulled the 101 off the turntable.
The 65' turntable built in 1963 which replaced one from the 1940's.
One last picture of the 101 as it leaves the turntable area.
Views looking into the roundhouse from the outside.
Various tenders are off to the side of the roundhouse.
This Rio Grande Southern tender belongs to Rio Grande 42 which is on display inside the museum. I asked if we could photograph the three steam engines and Jeff said "yes". He then asked Elizabeth and I if we wanted our pictures taken up in the cab. So I went first.
Chris sitting in the engineer's seat of 476.
Elizabeth took her turn.
Durango and Silverton K28 2-8-2 476 built by American Locomotive Company in 1923.
Durango and Silverton K36 2-8-2 481 built by Baldwin in 1925.
Durango and Silverton K37 2-8-2 498 built by Baldwin in 1930. The tender is being used behind D&RGW 2-8-2 499 at the Royal Gorge Bridge & Park in Canon City, Colorado.
Both these engines still burn coal but may be converted to oil in the future.
Durango and Silverton water car 0470.
The site where Durango and Silverton is going to build their diesel servicing building.
Durango and Silverton observation car B3 "Nomad". Built in 1878, "Nomad" was originally named "Fairplay". In 1886, it was rebuilt as Business Car N. It is reportedly the favorite car of Denver and Rio Grande president William Jackson Palmer. The "Fairplay" has hosted Presidents William H. Taft, Ulysses S. Grant and Theodore Roosevelt. While being owned by several parties between 1951 and 1982, "Fairplay" was renamed "Nomad". It was acquired by the D&SNG in 1982. Today it is the oldest private railroad coach still in service in the United States. It runs daily throughout the summer.
Denver and Rio Grande Western open air car 03161 built by American Car and Foundry in 1904, which came from the Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad. It was converted to C&TS coach 214.
We next went into the car shop.
The wood finishing shop.
A Florence and Cripple Creek sign from a box car.
The Gold Belt line, Caboose Coffee and D&RGW 5679 on the shop wall.
In the Car Shop was concession car 566 built by Billmeyer & Small in 1882 and rebuilt to an excursion car.
Another car in the car shop. We all went back outside.
A yard view.
A front view of Southern Pacific 18.
Looking into the front of 482.
Durango and Silverton DE75CT 80 ton switcher 1203, built by H.K. Porter in 1946, nee US Gypsum. Acquired from Georgetown Loop Railroad in 2017.
Museum views.
Rio Grande Southern C-17 2-8-0 42 built by Baldwin in 1887 as Denver and Rio Grande Western 420. It was sold to the Rio Grande Southern in 1916, re-numbered 42 and worked until the railroad was dismantled in 1952. In 1953, the engine was sold to the Narrow Gauge Motel in Alamosa, Colorado. In 1958, it was bought by the Magic Mountain Amusement Park in Golden, Colorado, where it was converted to burn oil and operated for a short time. In 1969 it went on display in Monument, Colorado, in front of a bank. In 1971, it returned to Golden as a restaurant display at Heritage Square. Finally in 1983, it was bought by the Durango & Silverton Railroad.
Durango and Silverton K-28 2-8-2 478 built by American Locomotive Company in 1923. It was restored to operation in 1981 and taken out of service in December 2016. It is awaiting future overhaul and possible conversion to burn oil after D&S 481 and 486 both get converted.
Durango and Silverton K-36 2-8-2 486 built by Baldwin in 1925. Acquired from Royal Gorge Park in trade for 499 in 1999. Restored to operation in August 2000 and taken out of service in October 2019. It is also waiting future overhaul and conversion to burn oil.
Museum scene.
Museum scene.
Durango and Silverton caboose 0500, built by the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad in 1886.
Union Pacific car Museum theater prop from the film "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid".
Durango and Silverton B7 "General Palmer" business car, built by Billmeyer & Small in 1880 as Denver and Rio Grande 17.
The inside of "General Palmer".
Chris on the platform.
Elizabeth on the platform.
The drumhead on "General Palmer".
The first airplane to fly in Durango and an altitude of one foot above the ground.
One of Jeff Ellingson's painting. We thanked Jeff for the most excellent tour of the Durango and Silverton Roundhouse complex.
Durango and Silverton box car 3453 built by American Car and Foundry in 1904.
Durango and Silverton box car 3653 built by American Car and Foundry in 1904.
Durango and Silverton box car 3614 built by American Car and Foundry in 1904.
Durango and Silverton box car 3551 built by American Car and Foundry in 1904.
Durango and Silverton coach 257 "Shenandoah".
Durango and Silverton coach 331 "Trimble".
The Rio Grande station used by the Durango and Silverton Railroad built in 1881.
My last picture was Durango and Silverton 44-ton switcher 1 "Hot Shot".
Across the street was something I had never seen before, the Rio Grande Mexican Restuarant. We went back to the car then drove to Subway for lunch.
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