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Overview
Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge -- A Quick History, sets the scene for the historcal and still present Durango to Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. The land, the people, the events included in this book bring the colorful history of railroading in Southwest Colorado to life, and provides a way to relive "yesterday's" train ride today, traveling through some of the most pristene and beautiful scenery in Colorado.Synopsis
Duane Smith does a wonderful job of pointing out the spectacular engineering feats that were necessary to conquer the rugged, isolated mountains of the San Juan country. Yet the rich gold and silver strikes needed the cheap and reliable transportation afforded by the railroad. Durango was the jumping off point - reached in July 1881 by the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad. Then the railroad headed north. Its goal was Silverton and northward to the rich San Juan mines. Not only did the construction crews battle the rugged steep mountains, but they had to deal with the snow - deep snows - and the constant danger of avalanches. For many years the railroad was the lifeline to Silverton as it was the only way in and out. Now it still is a lifeline as it brings thousands of tourists each day in the summer to the bustling little town of Silverton, Colorado.
Internet Book Watch
Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge: A Quick History is a superbly presented regional history of one of Colorado's colorful rail systems originally developed to service the 19th century gold, silver, lead, and copper mining districts in the San Juan mountain range. This rail roading history is set within a contextual framework of the region's overall development, economics, personalities, settlement, and population expansions from its beginnings in the 1871 as the Durango & Rio Grande down through its current incarnation to 1998. Duane Smith's informative and engaging text is peppered with historical photographs and route maps. Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge is a welcome and much appreciated addition to the railroading history shelf and reference collection.
Editorials
Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge: A Quick History is a superbly presented regional history of one of Colorado's colorful rail systems originally developed to service the 19th century gold, silver, lead, and copper mining districts in the San Juan mountain range. This rail roading history is set within a contextual framework of the region's overall development, economics, personalities, settlement, and population expansions from its beginnings in the 1871 as the Durango & Rio Grande down through its current incarnation to 1998. Duane Smith's informative and engaging text is peppered with historical photographs and route maps. Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge is a welcome and much appreciated addition to the railroading history shelf and reference collection.