There's a reason the Animas Valley is called a CANYON. A D&RGW Mixed Train hugs the steep east wall of the Animas Canyon as it works north toward Silverton on a sunny winter day. From Rockwood north to Silverton, the old D&RGW tracks run along the edge of the Animas River with granite walls rising hundreds of feet on either side. In some spots, such as the one seen here, the horizontal distance from the rock wall to the river is not much more than the width of the railroad bed. This particular location is called "Cement Wall" because of the long, concrete retaining wall that was added to stablize the track bed after a major washout event back in 1970.
The Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad and the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad are all that remains of the legendary Denver & Rio Grande Western narrow gauge system. Here you'll find some of my favorites from these two beautiful railways.
