My Project will be a visual story of the people who ride the train from Durango to Silverton on opening day. These people are part of are a group which re-enact the original travel of this steam engine.
1860-1882
Durango was founded by the Denver & Rio Grande Railway in 1880. The railroad arrived in Durango on August 5, 1881 and construction on the line to Silverton began in the fall of the same year. By July of 1882, (only 11 months after construction began), the tracks to Silverton were completed and the train began hauling both passengers and freight.
From the very beginning, the railroad was promoted as a scenic route for passenger service although the line was constructed primarily to haul mine ores, both gold and silver, from the San Juan Mountains. The trains are now owned by the American Heritage Railways.
