DURANGO (AP) - The Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad is cutting its number of daily trains during its summer peak season from four to three in response to soft demand. The railroad is eliminating a 7:30 a.m. departure from Durango from June 17th to August 8th, in response to soft demand. Railroad spokeswoman Andrea Seid says that won't affect how many passengers the railroad can handle, since more cars can be added to the trains. The railroad also will add a fourth train when needed to meet demand. Seid says the economy and gas prices have affected all businesses this season. But she says railroad officials believe travelers from Colorado and nearby states who decide to stay closer to home will still come to Durango.
That is an awesome train ride!! I hope to go again when we get back in that area. *hint hint to someone.
High fuel prices are getting a lot of people. I do most of our grocery shopping and I have been watching us get nickeled and dimed on all sorts of things over the last couple years. I am sorry to see the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge suffer. I know that higher fuel prices makes me think harder about going rail-fanning or running off to any of the nearer railroads. In some ways, it's indicative of our strong dependence on historically cheap fuel prices, and how we've built our transportation infrastructure in response to that. I am not sure fuel prices are ever going to come down appreciably to the levels we were accustomed to seeing in the 1990's. I think there are going to be some structural adjustments in response, and I can only hope that increased rail will be one response.
Just came through therer today. I noted two trains en-route to Silverton. Both were running a larger number of cars than I have seen previously. I think there will be cut backs everywhere like this and it makes me wonder how well the Chama line will do this year...
We have reservations for the 13th of September. After making that ride, we'll drop down to ride the Cumbres & Toltec. My daughter lives in Santa Fe so we'll visit her for a couple of days then head for Williams, AZ to catch the Grand Canyon steam train. Oh yean ... we will be making this entire trip via AMTRAK. LOL
Bill, good for you! Adam, imagine what Bill and I think of the prices compared to the 1950's, not the '90's? :tb-sad:
If you think the D&S is hurting, just imagine the Nevada Northern out in beyond-the-backside-of-nowhere Ely, NV, That town is 90+ miles from the nearest town of size, and 250 miles from either Salt Lake City or Las Vegas. It's a neat place to see (I worked in Ely one summer), but awfully darn remote. Let's face it, tourist-related places are gonna take a hit this year.
On a positive note, the two trains I saw today were packed. They are running one car I have not seen on the line before. I think it is named the "Silver San Juan" and is an open gon-type car that I think may have been on the C & T before this. I myslef have always ridden the "Bar Car" at the end of the train...uh...because it has the best photo angles...uh yeah, that's the reason!!!
Wouldn't have anything to do with the "Colorado Kool-Aid" they serve, would it? (for those who don't know, that's what we at Okie State nicknamed Coors beer, apparently the most popular brand sold in Stillwater in the '70s)
If I remember right the Silver San Juan is a replica. The original car burned up in the 50's?, I think. But the original car used to be used by the DRGW on the Durango line.
