Final Curtain

After 143 years of near continuous use of coal-burning power on the Silverton Branch of the Denver and Rio Grande Western, on the 23rd of March 2024. The final r... (more)

Twilight of The Coal Burner

After 143 years of near continuous use of coal-burning power on the Silverton Branch of the Denver and Rio Grande Western, fireman John Hillier thro... (more)

Twilight of The Coal Burner

After 143 years of near continuous use of coal-burning power on the Silverton Branch of the Denver and Rio Grande Western, the last coal burner pose... (more)

The last coal burner, #481, pushes north of Cascade Canyon across Tefft Bridge on a D&S winter photography excursion.

On the last day of the regular tourist season, Mikado #482 leads her train along the Animas River on a glorious but quite cold fall day in the San Juan mountains. Mt. Garfield practically glows wi... (more)

"Head 'em up, move 'em back!"

Fireman/Engineer for the trip, Jon Walden, sits in the fireman's window of Durango and Silverton 481 on her final photographer's train a... (more)

DSNGRR 476 waiting for it's passenger to return.

There Goes The Last DJ...

The last hurrah for coal burning on the Durango and Silverton as K-36, #481 takes charge of the 2024 Winter Photographer's Train for what will be the ... (more)

After a full day of photo opps in the beautiful Animas Canyon, 481 offers up a gorgeous rainbow blowdown as a grand finale for the Durango & Silverton's winter photo special (481's last as a coal ... (more)

"Rocky Mountain High": D&RGW #473 and #476 thunder north to Silverton, CO at Whitehead Gulch on October 16, 2023. This event was the first mid-train helper on the Silverton Branch since ... (more)

Extra 473 North takes to the siding to meet southbound timetable train 464 amid the glowing aspens. We are traveling northbound to Silverton with a mixed train with a mid-train helper (K-28 476) f... (more)

A look straight down from the conductor's side window of the DSNG 107 at the Animas River roughly 200 feet below us. We are headed southbound to Durango as the shadows creep their way into the can... (more)

The morning after a heavy snow storm coated the San Juans in a fresh coat of white, Durango & Silverton coal burner #481 pushes for Cascade Canyon with a sold-out train full of dazzled passengers.

Shooting in Colorado's Animas River Canyon can sometimes be an exercise in futility. The lighting is all sorts of 'wonky' when you're in the earlier parts of the morning and the far canyon wall i... (more)