October 5 Durango – Silverton Narrow Gauge Railway
We were on the second train of the day. We were all rugged up as we
thought it would be cold. The journey takes 31/2 hours and covers 45 miles. The
train arrived in Durango in 1881 and construction of the line to Silverton
began the same year. It was constructed to haul silver. The trip is really
beautiful and we were lucky that the fall colours were all over the mountains.
The train follows the Animas River through valleys, canyons and forests and at
times there was only 8 inches between the carriages and the walls of the
canyons.
On arrival at Silverton, we walked around the town looking at the
shops. The area we arrived in was
the Notorious Blair Street. It was the home to 32 saloons, gambling halls and
houses of ill-repute, all in a three-block stretch.
We had lunch at Grumpy’s in the Grand Imperial Hotel. I had their
famous French onion soup while listening to a live Honky Tonk Piano. We did not
arrive back in Silverton until 6:30
so we grabbed a pizza, had a ride in a horse drawn carriage and headed back to
the motel.
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