Durango, CO: Durango & Silverton/D&RG Roundhouse, Depot and Museums

Roundhouse: (Satellite)

Depot: (Satellite, 22,002 photos!!)

Museum: (Satellite, 153 photos)

Thanks to the Durango & Silverton Railroad, this roundhouse is not only still standing, it is still being used.

Richard Crabtree posted

Spinning around in Durnago

Here we see Denver & Rio Grande Western No. 480 K-36 2-8-2 Mikado (Baldwin 1925)

No. 480 is on the turntable as they line her up for the next run. In the background is D&RGW No. 494 2-8-2 Mikado (Baldwin 1902 / Burnham 1928) in the D&RGW Yard in Durango, Colorado on August 24, 1958 Photo Jim Ozment

Richard Crabtree shared

Tom Gildersleeve posted
This is Durango as it looked in October of 1962. US 550 had not yet been relocated west of the business district and the Rio Grande still ran north and south out of town. Mining was also still an active industry in the area. To the far right you can see the roof of the depot. I and my fellow Air Force friend Paul Orlow had made another trip to the narrow gauge in the hopes of catching some good action and possibly an early snow on Cumbres. The action was achieved but not the snow. The whole trip was eventually cut short by the Cuban Missile Crisis, which forced  our return to our base in Ohio.

Matt Conrad: watering in Durango is accomplished now with about a 2" air hose (gladhand ends) repurposed as a water hose. That or something similar is probably how they did it then. This is actually easier, because you take the hose to the tender wherever it may reach (usually inside the roundhouse), rather than having to move the locomotive to the water tank. The engines get watered overnight right in their cozy stalls!

From what I can tell, the present-day loop track passes right through where the coal tower was, at close to a right angle of course. The yellow motor car in the gon would be right in the middle of Highway 160 now.

Virtual Tour by Viewlio, Nov 2017

 

Tyler Purcell posted
Winter is in full swing here in Durango Colorado. The winter Cascade train has just been turned around and engine 480 is being refueled for the next weeks rides. It doesn't stay like this for long, by the end of March, the snow doesn't stick as long and soon after, it will be opening day to Silverton. One note, the Diesel shed is almost done. (bottom right of image). Shot by Hayden Morrison first weekend of February.

Virtual Tour by Viewlio, Nov 2017

Ryan Robinson posted
Fireworks returned for 4th of July in Durango. July 2024.
Dan Callendar shared

Caoimhin Kevin bunker posted three photos with the comment:

Bob Richardson's photographic glance at the Durango roundhouse in August 1951.  Odd to see full pilot plows in an August scene; but that's the month in DPL's cataloging.

[Whole view and two cropped details]

Denver Public Library, Special Collections (online)

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