Promised Pictures of Durango Train

[dclong]

Oh heck! I know I'm really late with these, but I finally went through them. Here are some good ones (in my humble opinion, anyway!):

First photo op coming across a big bridge over the Animas river
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u304/dndlong/WMSTR/DSC_3443.jpg


Next two are the second photo op at Cascade Canyon

http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u304/dndlong/WMSTR/DSC_2163.jpg

http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u304/dndlong/WMSTR/DSC_3488.jpg


Third photo op was at a siding where we waiting for another steamer to pass us

http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u304/dndlong/WMSTR/DSC_2521.jpg

http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u304/dndlong/WMSTR/DSC_3521.jpg

http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u304/dndlong/WMSTR/DSC_3525.jpg

This last one shows our car we rode in on the way back--a deluxe gondola type car--open air, they called it. Would have been a gorgeous ride if we had it on the way there (this day), but unfortunately, we rode it on the way back (tomorrow) in the rain. It's a cold car in the rain, with no windows.

[dclong]

The water tower was at the siding area
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u304/dndlong/WMSTR/DSC_2868.jpg

This next one is Art Spencer (with thumb's up) coming into Silverton after riding in the cab that Monday after. He was like a kid on Thomas's Train!!
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u304/dndlong/WMSTR/DSC_3568.jpg

And this is us while staying in Silverton for awhile. Imagine living there and being able to meet a train 4 times per day in the summer. How perfect!

http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u304/dndlong/WMSTR/DSC_3640.jpg

The black corners are from my UV filter AND my polorizer as I was too lazy to interchange them--just screwed them on one right after another! Get a little bit of tunnel vision when you do that!

[JCShellyG]

Hi Dawn! Great pics! Thanks for sharing them! My lens hood does the black corner thing at wide shots too. Annoying but oh well. :)
Take care
Shelly

[dclong]

Hey Thanks, Shelly! Will we see you guys next weekend??

[M Kerkvliet]

Saw this last week Dawn, but I was short of time to comment and then forgot!

Katy and I really want to go out there some day and check out the Durango and Silverton Train. I had no idea the scenery was so beautiful! Those are some outstanding photo's too... Thanks for sharing them!

How long does the ride take? What are some of the highlights?

It really isn't that far from Fargo. I think 2 tanks of gas in the Geo would get us there! :D ! I just have to talk Katy into riding that far in it...

[dclong]

Normal rides all the way to silverton (summer) are the whole day. Morning to Silverton and lunch there and the afternoon to get back.

Short trips to Cascade Canyon (Winter) are shorter. Probably morning and into early afternoon.

The whole trip is a highlight! You see the Animas river at all kinds of heights. There's a cliff that the track was blasted into to complete the line. That overlooks the animas from dizzying heights.

http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u304/dndlong/WMSTR/DSC_3322comp.jpg

Dan and I hiked a path down to the river to get this picture. I almost died hiking back up, but it was worth it!!

Cascade Canyon is a nice spot. On this particular trip we took, it was a photo excursion so we were allowed off the train and there were multiple run bys. If you can fight with all the other professional photographers, its a fun time! Silverton is definately a highlight! It's a real nice western town the train pulls up into. That street is all dirt and there are old time saloons and hotels on it. Very neat! Many gift shops a block up. And the view is gorgeous!

Durango is a pretty neat town too. Plenty of neat shops to see. Except, I hear the durango quilt shop closed, so that's a bummer, but there were alot more!

I'd go in whatever vehicle I could get my hands on! It's a nice trip! Even in a GEO!