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84-416: The Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad , often abbreviated as the D&SNG , is a 3 ft (914 mm) narrow-gauge heritage railroad that operates on 45.2 miles (72.7 km) of track between Durango and Silverton , in the U.S. state of Colorado . The railway is a federally-designated National Historic Landmark and was also designated by the American Society of Civil Engineers as

168-583: A National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark in 1968. The route was originally opened in 1882 by the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad (D&RG) to transport silver and gold ore mined from the San Juan Mountains . The line was the "San Juan" extension of the D&;RG 3 ft ( 914 mm ) narrow-gauge line from Antonito, Colorado , to Durango . The last train to operate into Durango from

252-595: A coalition of poor, white cotton farmers in the South (especially North Carolina, Alabama and Texas) and hard-pressed wheat farmers in the Plains States (especially Kansas and Nebraska), the Populists represented a radical form of agrarianism and hostility to elites, cities, banks, railroads, and gold. The Free Silver movement arose from a synergy of farming and mining interests. Farmers sought to invigorate

336-474: A continuing trend downward from a high of 3 and 1/8 pence in 1891. In February 1895, the U.S. Government turned to private financial institutions to underwrite the sale of Treasury bonds , stabilize exchange rates , and return the Treasury to its gold reserve requirement. The result was a contract drawn with what was called "The Morgan-Belmont Syndicate". The persistent balance of payments deficit in

420-571: A contributing factor to the depression. The People's Party , also known as the ' Populists ', was an agrarian -populist political party in the United States. From 1892 to 1896, it played a major role as a left-wing force in American politics. It drew support from angry farmers in the West and South. It was highly critical of capitalism , especially banks and railroads, and allied itself with

504-543: A locomotive with two non-powered, pivoting wheels in front of eight driving wheels, which are connected to driving rods powered by the engine's pistons and finally two non-powered trailer wheels located under the cab. The name comes from the fact that the first significant use of the type was a series built by Baldwin Locomotive Works for the Japanese Railways in 1887. The numbers 28 and 36 designate

588-519: A new era of tourism that continues to this day. Freight traffic, however, continued to decline, and during the 1950s The Silverton operated as a mixed train . By the 1960s, a modernized D&RGW did not see the Silverton Branch as worthy to maintain and a petition was filed with governmental agencies to abandon it. The Interstate Commerce Commission declined to grant the request due to the continued increase in tourist patronage. Following

672-543: A run on gold in the U.S. Treasury . Specie was considered more valuable than paper money; when people were uncertain about the future, they hoarded specie and rejected paper notes. During the Gilded Age of the 1870s and 1880s, the United States had experienced economic growth and expansion, but much of this expansion depended on high international commodity prices. Exacerbating the problems with international investments, wheat prices crashed in 1893. In particular,

756-544: A second train to Silverton on certain days. Since 1971, the Silverton branch and nearby Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad (C&TSRR) were the only remnants of the Rio Grande's once extensive narrow-gauge system. During the late 1970s, the D&RGW was actively trying to sell the Silverton branch and, in 1979, Charles Bradshaw, a Florida citrus grower, offered the railroad a legitimate opportunity to divest itself of

840-608: A series of failed attempts to restore reserves by issuing bonds and depreciating specie issued for legal tender , the Treasury negotiated a contract with the Morgan-Belmont Syndicate to restore confidence in the government's ability to maintain the convertibility of legal tender into gold. The full list of syndicate members was not made public, however the contract named Drexel, Morgan & Co ., A. Belmont & Co., J. S. Morgan & Co. , and N. M. Rothschild & Sons . The syndicate achieved its goals through

924-521: A wide three across arrangement and had its name changed to San Juan. It runs during the summer time. Built in 1880, it was originally named the Hildago as Horton chair car number 25. It was changed to car 403 in 1885. It was then rebuilt into an office living car for members of the Valuation Survey in 1919. Valuation Survey was inventorying the entire railroad property after it was returned to

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1008-656: A wildfire, named the " 416 Fire ", which was fought by two air tankers, six helicopters and some 400 firefighters on the ground. An estimated 54,129 acres (21,905 ha) of the San Juan National Forest were burned, with losses estimated at more than $ 31 million. Given the fire risk from coal cinder-sparked wildfires, the railroad's owner plans to invest several million dollars to replace coal-power with oil-power for its steam locomotives and has acquired two new narrow-gauge diesel locomotives. The railroad's coal-burning steam locomotives were suspected of sparking

1092-597: Is now on display at the Colorado Railroad Museum in Golden, Colorado . The United States Transportation Corps. also had a six-axle narrow-gauge diesel locomotive (#3000) for trial use in Durango in the 1950s, which saw limited use. The Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad currently operates over 50 pieces of rolling stock. Some of the cars are the oldest passenger cars in existence. Like most of

1176-628: Is one of the few places in the U.S. which has seen continuous use of steam locomotives . In March 1981, the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad (D&RGW) sold the line and the D&SNG was formed. Today, the D&SNG, along with the C&;TSRR, are the only two remaining parts of the former D&RGW narrow-gauge network. The railroad has a total of nine narrow-gauge steam locomotives (eight of which are operational) and ten narrow-gauge diesel locomotives , six of which have been acquired since 2020, on its current roster. Some rolling-stock dates back to

1260-404: Is stocked with provisions to provide shelter and food. Currently out of service. 3 ft gauge railways Three foot gauge railways have a track gauge of 3 ft ( 914 mm ) or 1 yard . This gauge is a narrow gauge and is generally found throughout North , Central , and South America . In Ireland , many secondary and industrial lines were built to 3 ft gauge, and it

1344-560: Is the dominant gauge on the Isle of Man , where it is known as the Manx Standard Gauge . Modern 3 ft gauge railways are most commonly found in isolated mountainous areas, on small islands, or in large-scale amusement parks and theme parks (see table below). This gauge is also popular in model railroading (particularly in G scale ), and model prototypes of these railways have been made by several model train brands around

1428-475: Is the oldest private railroad coach still in service in the United States. It runs daily throughout the summer. The General Palmer was built in 1880 as a business car for the D&RG. In later years it fell into disrepair. It was restored in 2001 at a cost of $ 250,000 by the D&SNG. Its modern amenities include internet service and a twenty-inch flat paneled television. The General Palmer is exclusively used by owner Allen Harper, his family and guests. Built by

1512-461: The C&;TSRR in exchange for K-36 class#482 . This trade was mutually beneficial for both railroads as it gave the C&TSRR a fully operational locomotive, giving in exchange a locomotive that had never run and likely would never operate under C&TSRR ownership. Numbers 493 and 498 are owned by the D&SNG, but #498 is not operational and serving as a parts source. Number 499 was also owned by

1596-455: The Colorado Railroad Museum in Golden, Colorado , on a 10-year lease, where it would be restored to operating condition and run it for those 10 years; then returned to the D&SNG. However, plans were cancelled and #493 sat outside the Durango roundhouse with an uncertain future for some time until early 2018, when she was put in the roundhouse for restoration. In response to the 416 fire ,

1680-560: The National Cordage Company (NCC), then the most actively traded stock, caused its lenders to call in their loans immediately, and the company went into bankruptcy receivership as a result. The company, a rope manufacturer, had tried to corner the market for imported hemp. As demand for silver and silver notes fell, the price and value of silver dropped. Holders worried about a loss of face value of bonds, and many became worthless. A series of bank failures followed, and

1764-609: The Northern Pacific Railway , the Union Pacific Railroad and the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad failed. This was followed by the bankruptcy of many other companies; in total over 15,000 companies and 500 banks, many of them in the West, failed. According to high estimates, about 17%–19% of the workforce was unemployed at the panic's peak. The huge spike in unemployment, combined with

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1848-865: The Pullman Strike . After their defeat in 1896, the Democrats did not regain control of any branch of the Federal Government until 1910 . A rarely talked-about effect is the Love Canal disaster. People who were earlier keen to invest in the Love Canal stopped doing so, which led to the abandonment of its construction. Ultimately the canal ended up being a large toxic waste repository, with severe negative environmental effects. Love Canal remains synonymous with environmental pollution and degradation. The Panic of 1893 affected many aspects of

1932-544: The U.S. Treasury fell to a dangerously low level. This forced President Cleveland to borrow $ 65 million in gold from Wall Street banker J.P. Morgan and the Rothschild banking family of England , through what was known as the Morgan-Belmont Syndicate His party suffered enormous losses in the 1894 elections , largely being blamed for the downward spiral in the economy and the brutal crushing of

2016-482: The shipping industry , both by rail and maritime. It arrested the acquisition of ships and rolling stock and depressed shipping rates. The bad omen of investors switching from equity based stocks to constant return bonds in 1894 was mirrored in the corporate finance actions of railroads which reduced their acquisition of rolling stock . Railroad expansion including capital expenditures rose again in 1895, but slowed in 1897 during another economic trough. In 1893,

2100-513: The tractive effort (pulling force) of the locomotives in thousands of pounds. The tractive effort of K-28s is rated at 27,500 pounds-force (122.326  kN ) and the tractive effort of a K-36 is a 36,200 pounds-force (161.026 kN). The weight of a K-28 with a full tender is 254,500 pounds (115,439 kg) and a K-36 weighs 286,600 pounds (130,000 kg) with a full tender. The 470 series, or "K-28" class 2-8-2 " Mikado " type locomotives, were ten engines designed for freight service along

2184-460: The "416 Fire" blaze, and some area businesses and residents filed a civil lawsuit against the railroad and its owner in mid-September 2018. As of 2023, the railroad aims to have most, if not all, of its operational steam locomotives converted to oil-power. The railroad closed for several months in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The D&SNG was founded by Charles Bradshaw Jr., of Florida, with

2268-687: The 1880s. Trains operate from Durango to the Cascade Wye in the winter months and Durango–Silverton during the summer months. Durango depot was built in January 1882 and has been preserved in its original form. William Jackson Palmer (1836–1908) was a former Union General (serving in the American Civil War ) who came to Colorado after managing the construction of the Kansas Pacific Railway into Denver in 1870. Prior to

2352-476: The 1890s which drained the Treasury gold reserves, caused concern from both domestic and foreign investors that the U.S. would abandon the gold standard. This prompted further gold withdrawals and bond liquidations which exacerbated the deficit. By February 2, 1895, the Treasury's gold reserves fell to approximately $ 42 million, well below the $ 100 million level required by the Resumption Act of 1875 . After

2436-511: The 1967 season on The Silverton. Between 1982 and 1985 the D&SNG built Open Observation cars 411 and 412. Open Observation cars 406–409 and 413–416 were built between 1982 and 1986 The original Silver Vista was built in 1947 by the D&RGW. It was a popular glass-topped observation car and the only one of its kind. The original Silver Vista was destroyed by a fire in Alamosa in 1953. Because of its popularity, there has been speculation that

2520-599: The C-41s boilers were used to build the Rio Grande 's K-37 class of steam locomotive. At first the D&SNG operated only one K-37: #497, which was rebuilt in 1984 and operated for seven years, being the first K-37 to go to Silverton, and under its own power. It was later determined that the trailing truck was having trouble negotiating the curves in the Animas Canyon. For this reason, the D&SNG traded #497 to

2604-568: The Cinco Animas was originally an immigrant sleeper. Immigrant sleepers had very few amenities and had little consideration for passenger comfort. The original Cinco Animas could seat up to thirty passengers. It was turned into a business car in 1913. In 1963 it was purchased by the Cinco Animas Corporation, where it received its present name. Then, in 1982, the Cinco Animas was sold to the D&SNG. It runs daily throughout

Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad - Misplaced Pages Continue

2688-414: The D&RG in 1887, it had clerestory roof and bullnose ends. It was finished in ash and seated forty-six. It was rebuilt in 1937 at the Alamosa shops. Vestuable ends, train-line steam heat, electric lights, and deluxe Heywood-Wakefield reclining coach seats for 24 passenger were installed. The D&SNG named coach 312 the Silverton. In the winter of 2007–2008 it was rebuilt with overstuffed seating for in

2772-683: The D&RG. They were built by the Schenectady Locomotive Works of the American Locomotive Company (ALCO) in Schenectady , New York in 1923. The K-28s have 28,000 lbf (124.550 kN). of tractive effort, superheated, and the boilers are fed by two non-lifting injectors. Air brakes are 6-ET automatic and also feature a straight air secondary braking system for daily passenger trains. Due to their smaller size, these engines are often used on

2856-435: The D&RGW after World War 1. In 1924 it was converted into a parlor-smoker car. After a rebuild in 1937 it became a parlor-buffet car named Alamosa. The car had a closed vestibule, with steam heat, electric lights and seats for fourteen passengers. In 1957 it was converted for coach service. It was renumbered 350 in 1959. In 1981 it was purchased by the D&SNG and converted to a parlor car and seats twenty-five people. There

2940-581: The D&RGW destroyed it on purpose to drive revenue down so they could abandon the line from Silverton to Antonito. The recreation of the Silver Vista was built in 2006. It runs daily throughout the summer. Built in the winter of 1987–1988, the Rio Grande was originally railbus trailer 1002 and was painted red. It was used with the Animas Canyon Railway Diesel-powered rail-bus. It was stored from 1992 to 1997, until it

3024-551: The D&RGW. Engine 473 served frequently on the Chili Line that operated between Antonito, Colorado and Santa Fe, New Mexico, until the line was abandoned in 1941. 476 and 478 saw an extensive service on the San Juan passenger train, which ran between Durango, Colorado and Alamosa, Colorado until 1951. 473, 476 and 478 operated on the Silverton Branch from the 1950s through 1980 and are still in service today. In July 2015,

3108-457: The D&SNG and C&TSRR had announced an engine-trade proposal by which locomotive 478 would go to Chama, New Mexico , and, in exchange, the D&SNG would get K-36 class No. 483 , which had not seen operation in several years. Since the swap failed to go through, the D&SNG announced in June 2016 that it was going to restore locomotive 476 to operating condition and place locomotive 478 in

3192-485: The D&SNG announced their plans to restore #493 publicly and that the locomotive was their first candidate for an oil conversion, with more to come in the future. #493 ran under its own power for the first time on January 24, 2020, and has been the D&SNG's primary piece of motive power throughout 2020 and 2021. Diesels were first introduced to the Durango Yard in the 1960s with diesel locomotive #50. Today, #50

3276-425: The D&SNG at one time, lacking a tender and was on display in the museum. #499 was later traded for K-36 class No. 486 at Royal Gorge Park, including the tender from #498. No. 493 was shifted around a few times on the railroad on display a few times, last ending up in the Silverton yard until May 4, 2016, when #493 was hauled to Durango from Silverton by K-36 #481. #493 was originally supposed to be transported to

3360-493: The D&SNG for shorter trains, usually the first or last on the schedule, and often for helper service or sectioned trains. Despite being smaller than the K-36 class locomotives, older and less powerful, the engine crews tend to favor a trip on these engines because the design ALCO used was superior in balance and servicing. Firing can be tricky when the engine is working hard, as the clam shell-style firedoors tend to pull into

3444-563: The Denver and Rio Grande Railroad (1886) and ultimately began operating as the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad (D&RGW) on July 31, 1921, after re-organization of the Colorado lines and Rio Grande Western of Utah. Eventually, the railroad became widely known as the "Rio Grande". The Silverton branch, as it became known, struggled under D&RG ownership following the Panic of 1893 and

Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad - Misplaced Pages Continue

3528-400: The Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad were built during the 1920s. There are three classes, K-28 , K-36 and K-37 , which are all based on wheel arrangement and pulling power of the locomotive. As of 2023, of the nine steam locomotives currently owned by the D&SNG, Nos. 473, 476, 480, 481, 482 and 493 are all operational. The K represents the nickname " Mikado " that describes

3612-451: The ICC's ruling, the railroad reluctantly responded by investing in additional rolling stock, track maintenance and improvements to the Durango depot. The railroad purchased some of the property around the depot, cleaned up the block extending north to Sixth Street and facilitated the opening of gift shops and other tourist-friendly businesses. As ridership continued to grow, the D&RGW operated

3696-610: The Pullman Company was a railroad car company, this only increased the difficulty of acquiring rolling stock. The maritime industry of the United States did not escape the effects of the Panic of 1893. The total gross registered merchant marine tonnage employed in "foreign and coastwise trade and in the fisheries", as measured by the U.S. Census between 1888 and 1893, grew at a rate of about 2.74%. In 1894, U.S. gross tonnage decreased by 2.9%, and again in 1895 by 1.03%. In 1894,

3780-403: The backhead of the boiler due to the draft, and if any flues in the boiler are leaking, the loss of draft on the fire is much harder to work around than on the K-36 locomotives. Firing while the engine is working hard is done with a large "heel" pattern, generally with as little coal on the flue sheet as possible, and gradually sloping the fire bed towards the door sheet to the height or higher than

3864-452: The century. Bolstered by the assistance of former Rio Grande operating managers and a relatively sizeable staff of new employees, Bradshaw's plans were set in motion immediately. Included in the sale were former D&RGW locomotives and rolling stock that had not seen service in Durango for many years. "K-36" and "K-37" class locomotives were eventually restored to operating condition, and these larger classes of engines operated to Silverton for

3948-447: The choice of 3 ft ( 914 mm ) narrow-gauge would be well suited to the mountainous country, and relatively less expensive construction costs would enhance the viability of the new railroad. The original north–south plans of the D&RG eventually expanded to include extensions throughout the booming mining country of central and southwestern Colorado. In July 1881, the Denver & Rio Grande reached Durango and started building

4032-412: The coaches on the D&SNG, the concession cars are good examples of how coaches were renumbered and rebuilt several times by the D&RGW. The D&SNG operates one combination car 213 named Bitter Root Mine, it was previously named Home Ranch and was built in 1983 by the D&SNG. It has a hydraulic lift for passengers in wheelchairs. The D&SNG operates several other coaches: Built in 1883,

4116-471: The continually-growing passenger trade. The Durango yard facilities also saw dramatic improvements. An extension was added to the old roundhouse, a new car shop was built on the site of the original "car barn", and the depot saw extensive repair and internal modifications. The workforce grew with the railroad, and Durango's tourist image expanded as new businesses and revamping of the old railroad town continued to take shape. The original 1881 Durango roundhouse

4200-455: The country and the Silverton branch of the railroad would benefit. Bolstered by national exposure via Hollywood movies being filmed along the line in the late 1940s, the railroad created The Silverton , a summer-only train service, on June 24, 1947. A short time later, the railroad adorned a locomotive and four coaches with a colorful yellow paint scheme and launched modest public promotion. With this effort, "The Painted Train" officially started

4284-419: The destitute. Facing starvation, people chopped wood, broke rocks, and sewed by hand with needle and thread in exchange for food. In some cases, women resorted to prostitution to feed their families. To help the people of Detroit, Mayor Hazen S. Pingree launched his "Potato Patch Plan", which were community gardens for farming. President Grover Cleveland was blamed for the depression. Gold reserves stored in

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4368-492: The east was on December 6, 1968. The states of New Mexico and Colorado purchased 64 miles of track between Antonito and Chama, New Mexico , in 1970, which is operated today as the Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad (C&TSRR). Trackage between Chama and Durango was removed by 1971. The line from Durango to Silverton has run continuously since 1881, although it is now a tourist and heritage line hauling passengers, and

4452-459: The economy and thereby end deflation , which was forcing them to repay loans with increasingly expensive dollars. Mining interests sought the right to turn silver directly into money without a central minting institution. The Sherman Silver Purchase Act of 1890, while falling short of the Free Silver movement's goals, required the U.S. government to buy millions of ounces of silver above what

4536-511: The economy deepened, people rushed to withdraw their money from banks, and caused bank runs . The credit crunch rippled through the economy. A financial panic in London combined with a drop in continental European trade caused foreign investors to sell American stocks to obtain American funds backed by gold. The economic policies of President Benjamin Harrison have been characterized as

4620-461: The end of free coinage of silver. Typical of many portions of the surviving narrow-gauge branches into the middle of the twentieth century, the line faced sagging revenue due to ever-declining mining ventures, highway trucking competition and insignificant passenger revenue. Annual snowslides and several major floods on the branch would only continue to challenge the railroad's ability to survive. After World War II, domestic tourism began to grow across

4704-664: The engines are less comfortable than the others as well, with the crew seats being farther back from the backhead and the engineer having to lean forward constantly to adjust the throttle and use the sanders. The running gear on the locomotives also tend to wear out faster than the ALCO -designed K-28s , and the resulting pounding and rough ride can take a toll on the engine crew. The D&SNG owns four K-36s: Nos. 480, 481, 482 and 486, all of which are operational. The Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad (C&TSRR) owns Nos. 483, 484, 487, 488 and 489. Locomotive No. 485, unfortunately, fell into

4788-609: The final 45-mile stretch up the Animas River to Silverton. The first 18 miles to Rockwood were completed by late November. The remainder of the route entered the narrow Animas Canyon, which has steep granite walls. The labor crew, made up of mostly Chinese and Irish immigrants, blasted the canyon cliffs off and left a narrow, level shelf to lay the tracks on. Grading was completed by late spring 1882. The D&RG reached Silverton on July 10, 1882. Trains hauling passengers and freight began immediately. The D&RG soon re-emerged as

4872-486: The firebox is among the largest built for a narrow-gauge locomotive and is fed by hand-firing. Firing is simpler on these engines compared to the K-28s ; however, the larger surface area requires more fuel. A typical trip uses around 3–5 short tons (2.68–4.46 long tons ; 2.72–4.54  t ) on the way up to Silverton and another 1–2 short tons (0.89–1.79 long tons; 0.91–1.81 t) on the return to Durango . Ergonomically,

4956-455: The firedoors. This results in the draft being forced through the fire bed in the thinner areas towards the flue sheet, which usually is hindered by the lack of draft between the grates and the arch brick. New firemen sometimes have a hard time learning this, because the art of "reading" a fire takes time to learn and the amount of time working on the K-28 class locomotives is much-reduced compared to

5040-403: The first time ever following bridge and right-of-way improvements to the line. 1880s vintage coaches were exquisitely restored and new coaches were added to the roster of rolling stock. For the first time in many years, double-headed trains (trains with two locomotives) and additional scheduled trains, beyond the former summer-only passenger trains operated by the Rio Grande, were employed to handle

5124-406: The frame, resulting in the utilitarian look the engines are known for. The engines currently use 6-ET automatic air and the secondary straight air used on regular service equipment. The railroad runs 12-car passenger trains behind these engines; however more cars require the train to be double-headed. Despite popular belief that the railroad does not doublehead trains out of Durango because of smoke,

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5208-548: The inauguration of U.S. President Grover Cleveland , with the appointment of receivers for the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad , which had greatly overextended itself. Upon taking office, Cleveland dealt directly with the Treasury crisis and convinced Congress to repeal the Sherman Silver Purchase Act , which he felt was mainly responsible for the economic crisis. As concern for the state of

5292-470: The intent of purchasing the right-of-way and equipment while expanding the infrastructure and passenger revenue. His plans were fulfilled with the March 25, 1981, acquisition of the D&RGW's 45-mile (72 km) Silverton branch and all of its structures and rolling stock. The improvements to the railroad in the 1980s would prove to be the most dramatic growth on the Silverton Branch since the earlier part of

5376-523: The labor movement. Established in 1891 as a result of the Populist movement, the People's Party reached its height in the 1892 presidential election , when its ticket, consisting of James B. Weaver and James G. Field , won 8.5% of the popular vote and carried five states (Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Nevada, and North Dakota), and the 1894 House of Representatives elections when it won nine seats. Built on

5460-628: The loss of life savings kept in failed banks, meant that a once-secure middle-class could not meet their mortgage obligations. Many walked away from recently built homes as a result. As a result of the panic, stock prices declined. Five hundred banks closed, 15,000 businesses failed, and numerous farms ceased operation. The unemployment rate hit 25% in Pennsylvania, 35% in New York, and 43% in Michigan. Soup kitchens were opened to help feed

5544-675: The museum where locomotive 476 previously sat in. The 480 series, or "K-36" class 2-8-2 " Mikado " type locomotives, were ten engines designed for the D&RGW. They were built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1925. The 480s were the last ten narrow-gauge locomotives constructed for the D&RGW. The 480s were used for freight-hauling throughout the D&RGW 3 ft ( 914 mm ) narrow-gauge network. The "36" stands for 36,200 lbf (161.026 kN). of tractive effort . These engines are outside- frame Mikados, and all drive wheels have counterbalancing outside of

5628-775: The network in the early 2000s, they were converted to 1,000 mm ( 3 ft  3 + 3 ⁄ 8  in ) metre gauge . Panic of 1893 The Panic of 1893 has been traced to many causes, one of them pointing to Argentina; investment was encouraged by the Argentine agent bank, Baring Brothers . However, the 1890 wheat crop failure and a failed coup in Buenos Aires ended further investments. In addition, speculations in South African and Australian properties also collapsed. Because European investors were concerned that these problems might spread, they started

5712-437: The now-isolated route. On October 5, 1980, The Silverton made its last run under D&RGW ownership and, after operating a work train the following day, the railroad finally concluded its 3 ft ( 914 mm ) narrow-gauge train operations, bringing to a close an era that began 110 years earlier with its narrow-gauge railroad from Denver to Colorado Springs . In June 2018, the railroad shut down for several weeks due to

5796-438: The opening of numerous mines in the western United States led to an oversupply of silver, leading to significant debate as to how much of the silver should be coined into money (see below). During the 1880s, American railroads experienced what might today be called a " bubble ": investors flocked to railroads, and they were greatly over-built. One of the first clear signs of trouble came on 20 February 1893, twelve days before

5880-600: The railroad was sold again, to American Heritage Railways. At the time, American Heritage Railways was headquartered in Coral Gables, Florida. Since then, its headquarters were moved to Durango, Colorado . The D&SNG has two museums, one each in Durango and Silverton . As of April 2024, the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad appears to operate nineteen locomotives, eight converted oil-fired steam locomotives and nine diesel locomotives. The current roster goes as follows: The steam-powered locomotives used today on

5964-637: The railroad's usual K-36 workhorses, which have a larger firebox and are more forgiving in technique. Out of the original ten only three 470s remain, and all are owned and operated by the D&SNG. The other seven were requisitioned by the United States Army in 1942 to be used on the White Pass & Yukon Route in Alaska during World War II . They were later dismantled for scrap in 1946. Locomotives 473, 476 and 478 operated on many parts of

6048-487: The rate for a bushel of wheat by rail dropped from 14.70¢ in 1893 to 12.88¢. This rate continued to decrease, reaching a terminal rate in 1901 of 9.92¢ and never reached 12 cents between 1898 and 1910. Between 1893 and 1894, average shipping rates by lake or canal per wheat bushel decreased by almost 2 cents, from 6.33¢ to 4.44¢. Rates on the transatlantic crossing from New York City to Liverpool also decreased, from 2 and 3/8 pence to 1 and 15/16 pence, but this reflected

6132-451: The real reason is the weight restriction on the bridge at 15th Street, not allowing more than one K-36 at a time (K-28 class engines, however, are still doubleheaded from Durango). The engines were delivered with Master Mechanics-design smokeboxes for draft; however at some point the D&RGW converted them to Andersson (cyclone) front ends. Water is fed to the boiler by two non-lifting injectors. The 40-square-foot (3.7 m) grate surface in

6216-537: The summer. Built in 1878, the Nomad was originally named Fairplay. In 1886, it was rebuilt as Business Car N. It is reportedly the favorite car of D&RG 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 the Fairplay was renamed the Nomad. It was acquired by the D&SNG in 1982. Today it

6300-424: The total railroad mileage in the U.S. was 176,803.6 miles. In 1894 and 1895, railroads only expanded 4,196.4 miles, although 100,000 miles of rail was added from 1878 to 1896. In 1893, the year following the panic, one fourth of all rail mileage went into receivership. The U.S. Census placed this value at close to $ 1.8 billion (not adjusted for inflation), the largest amount recorded between 1876 and 1910. This

6384-583: The train's progress along the route. 631 was built in 1985 and named the North Star. 632 was built in 1986 and named Teft. Both cars were built as general passenger cars to help with the increase in passengers. In 2009 the cars were converted with overstuffed seats. They are used mainly to take passengers to Tall Timber to go zip lining. Open observation gondolas 400–402 were built in 1963, equipped with passenger car trucks , steel roofs , tile floors and tramway seats. Gondolas 403–405 were built for

6468-510: The turntable pit in Salida, Colorado , in 1955. It was scrapped for parts thereafter; however, some accessories, running and valve gear were salvaged and used on other locomotives. The 490 series, or "K-37" class 2-8-2 " Mikado " type locomotives, were part of a class of thirty standard-gauge class 190 (later, class C-41) 2-8-0 " Consolidation- " type engines built in 1902 for the D&RG by Baldwin Locomotive Works . In 1928 and 1930, ten of

6552-504: The war, he had risen within the ranks of the Pennsylvania Railroad , serving as secretary to the president. After arriving in Denver, he formulated a plan to build a 3 ft ( 914 mm ) narrow-gauge railroad southward from Denver to El Paso , Texas (see Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad ). In 1871, the Denver & Rio Grande Railway began to lay rails south from Denver. Palmer and his associates had agreed that

6636-591: The world, such as Accucraft Trains (US), Aristo-Craft Trains (US), Bachmann Industries (Hong Kong) , Delton Locomotive Works (US), LGB (Germany) , and PIKO (Germany) . The Ferrocarril de Sóller and the Tranvía de Sóller are located on Majorca in the Balearic Islands . The other railways of the Majorca rail network were also 3 ft ( 914 mm ) gauge, but with expansion and reconstruction of

6720-548: Was another car with the same name that was destroyed in a derailment on the Rio Grande Southern Railroad . It runs daily throughout the summer. Was built in 1984 as a coach and was named Hunt. In 2009 it became a family upscale coach. The Prospector features comfortable table and chair style seating. The ceiling of the Prospector features an enlarged route map, making it easy for passengers to follow

6804-601: Was completely destroyed by fire in the winter of 1989. All six operable locomotives had been inside at the time and were damaged, but not beyond repair. All locomotives were eventually restored to operating condition. A new roundhouse was constructed on the same site, opening in early 1990, and its facade made use of bricks salvaged from the original building. In March 1997, Bradshaw sold the D&SNG to First American Railways, Inc., located in Hollywood, Florida. Then, in July 1998,

6888-593: Was over $ 1 billion (also not adjusted for inflation) more than the next largest amount, in 1884. In 1894, the U.S. Army intervened during a strike in Chicago to prevent property damage. The Pullman Strike began at the Pullman Company in Chicago after Pullman refused to either lower rent in the company town or raise wages for its workers due to increased economic pressure from the Panic of 1893. Since

6972-412: Was rebuilt as an open observation car 313. It was given number 313, because it resembled the Silver Vista. After the Silver Vista was built in 2006, it became open observation car 410. In the winter of 2006–2007 it was again rebuilt into an open air observation car with comfortable and large overstuffed seats for a more expansive view. It runs daily during the summer. Caboose No. 0505 was built in 1886 and

7056-457: Was required by the 1878 Bland–Allison Act (driving up the price of silver and pleasing silver miners). People attempted to redeem silver notes for gold. Ultimately, the statutory limit for the minimum amount of gold in federal reserves was reached and U.S. notes could no longer be redeemed for gold. Investments during the time of the panic were heavily financed through bond issues with high-interest payments. Rumors regarding financial distress at

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