Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad

American Heritage Railways
United States
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The Journey

Navigate from Durango Depot, Colorado to Silverton Depot, Colorado across a span of 73km.

Scenery Highlights
  • Animas River Gorge — High Line shelf route above the rushing Animas River
  • San Juan National Forest pine and aspen forests
  • Silverton's preserved 1880s Victorian-era mining town (pop. ~630)
  • Cascade Canyon winter turnaround point (22 km from Durango)
  • Fall aspens (September–October peak)
  • Needleton flag stop — only accessible by train, popular backpacker trailhead for Chicago Basin / Windom Peak
  • Eagle Pass and Tank Creek mountain views
Quick Facts
  • Duration

    3.5 hours

  • Distance

    73 km

  • Est. Price

    Mid-range to Premium

Official Booking Provider
Classes & Accommodations

Meals: None (snacks and beverages available for purchase at Silverton)

Ensuite: No

Meals: None

Ensuite: No

Meals: None

Ensuite: No

Meals: Snacks and beverages included

Ensuite: No

Engine / Locomotive

Authentic 1920s–1930s coal-fired narrow-gauge steam locomotives (Class C and K-Class); K-36 'Mikado' 2-8-2 locomotives (~65 tonnes) are the workhorses; K-28 and historic K-36 variants used on special runs. Winter Cascade Canyon often uses K-Class oil-burning steam or diesel.

Locomotive Weight

~65–80 tonnes for K-36 class 2-8-2 'Mikado' type locomotives

Track Gauge

3 ft (914 mm) narrow gauge — built for 1880s silver ore transport, never converted to standard gauge

Braking Technology

Historic straight-air brake system with manual brake applications on freight cars; steam-powered automatic brake on some units; air brakes upgraded for modern safety on passenger cars

Route Engineering Challenges

  • High Line — narrow rock shelf carved into near-vertical Animas River gorge cliff faces

  • Steep 4% ruling gradient on the climb from Durango to Silverton

  • Multiple tight curves (10–12° curvature) through the canyon requiring careful locomotive placement

  • Flood vulnerability of the Animas River Canyon route (2015 and 2018 flood events caused major closures and track rebuilding)

  • Coal and water resupply required at Silverton for return trips

  • Wildfire smoke impact on summer operations (occasional visibility closures)

Route distance

73 km (45 miles) Durango–Silverton; 22 km (14 miles) Cascade Canyon in winter

Elevation gain

924 m (3,032 ft) from 1,980 m (Durango) to 2,810 m (Silverton)

Ruling gradient

4% (1 in 25)

Travel time

3.5 hours each way

Maximum speed

25 mph (40 km/h) due to tight curves

UNESCO designation

World Heritage Site (2016) — joint with Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad

Historic status

US National Historic Landmark (1970)

2026 schedule

May 2 – November 1 (Silverton Steam Train); Nov – early May (Cascade Canyon Winter weekends)

Quick Facts
  • Duration

    3.5 hours

  • Distance

    73 km

  • Est. Price

    Mid-range to Premium

Official Booking Provider