My Walkabout

Trains are my favorite way to see the world. You get the old world nostalgia seeing the steam rise from the locomotive. Walking past the connected cars as you look for the stairs that will lead you to your seat.

 

Hearing that final “All Aboard!” call as The Durango & Silverton narrow gauge railroad gets ready to leave the station.

The cars jostle rhythmically back and forth as we make our way up the mountains. Town fades into the distance, farms roll past my window, the ground starts to show the snow from winter.

 

I get lost in thought as the conductor tells stories of Durango’s past.

Higher and higher we rise, and you can open the window to feel the cold slap your skin as you look down the at the sheer cliff’s edge. We make hairpin turns as we carve through the mountainside. It’s awe inspiring.

We come to the half way point and exit the train so that the engineer can maneuver the train in reverse to turn us around. As we walk in the snow along the river bank, you notice the greenish brown color of the water.

 

We learn it is from the mines that are still in the canyon, leeching out the toxic remains into the water. It’s a sad reminder of the environmental cost of mining.

The train is finally ready for us to head on back. I take one last look at the mighty engine, it’s robust machinery and strong back metal frame.

Train 473 is ready to ride the rails once again, bringing safe passage to it’s occupants back to the city of Durango.