Has anybody taken the ride & can supply with some feedback if it is worth it or not? Thanks. [:)]
Yes and Yes.
Scenically, the D&S is a little better than the C&TS (though not much…Toltec Gorge is pretty spectacular), but I like the operational look and feel of the C&TS better.
Besides, they seem to be in a situation again where they can use all the help they can get. I’m going to make an effort to ride at least twice this year.
In the end, it’s worth it to ride both, but if I could only pick one, it’d be the C&TS.
Ditto on the yes and yes.
You MIGHT want to consider taking the train one way and the bus back, particularly if you have impatient family members with you. The last 10 miles from Hermosa to Durango on the way back at 10 mph is a good place to take a nap. (Now, if they’d just pick up the speed to 30 or so on that strectch, I would improve things a great deal.)
Count me in the double “yes” column too. And I agree with Chris that D&S might have a slight edge in scenery, but I also preferred the “feel” of the C&T. Might have something to do with the fact that the D&S is a private enterprise, and the C&T is (afaik) largely a volunteer organization.
I really liked the fact that C&T lets you wander around in their Chama yard (or at least they did 18 months ago) to take photos and see the equpment up close. And I liked the open gondola on the end of the C&T train. Great view. That’s where I spent 95% of my ride.
We did the two of them, about one week apart, on the same trip. They’re pretty close together. Did a little National Park visiting in between so I didn’t overload DW & junior’s train acceptance quotient. Ranks right up there as one of the best trips I’ve ever taken.
Regards
Ed
My grandparents went and loved it. I watched their video and loved it. So I’d say do it if you can!
Mike
[#ditto] on D&S having the better scenery and the C&TS more fun to ride. Both were an adventure.
On the D&S our train stalled on a dip in the high line during a downpour that washed the sand away before the drivers rolled over it. Our train was doubled up when the previous train lost its locomotive to a blown flue. The trip uphill was in sunny weather. On the C&TS, we “suffered” a minor derailment and had to walk the last 300 yards back into Chama. The CT&S puts on a better show, double-heading from Chama to Cumbres Pass and allowing you to walk around in the yard and from car to car unlike some tourist train operations.
FYI
take at least 8 hours of film, tape, memory sticks, chips, etc for each trip, more if you plan to shoot the scenery. I didn’t. It was a BIG MISTAKE that will cost me another trip out there.[banghead][censored]
cumbres and toltec is much better, its longer, less of tourist train, doubleheaders, free to walk around yard and the list goes on, but the D&S has some good stuff to but just doesn’t have the feel of the C&TS
BTW: the Neveda Northern lets you walk aound too.
The ride on the D&S is well worth it. I rode it in 1953 when it was run by the Denver & Rio Grande, and I would like to get back there again. I have never ridden on the Cumbres & Toltec, and that’s on my 'to do" list.
Yes and yes. Each RR is special in it’s own way. The scenery on both is spectacular and can burn up plenty of memory cards. CATS does allow you to wander in the yard and get up close and personal with the equipment, plus the fact that you can wander the train on CATS, something you cannot do on D&S. The open gon on CATS was always packed with photograpers.
I have also taken the Galloping Goose(RGS motor #5) on D&S during RailFest 2005. That was an experience. I could almost picture my dad riding on the Goose during the 1930’s on business in SW Colorado. I rode CATS on a round trip from Antonito to Chama and then stayed overnite in Chama and rode Chama to Antonito the next day. My first ride on D&S was 1957 when D&RGW still ran it. We hauled mining equipment up to Silverton and then dropped it off on the return trip, A real mixed daily!
Take both RR’s and plan to spend an extra day in Silverton w/o taking the train. There are lots of neat stuff to see.
Both highly recommended!
Thanks for your suggestion but only 2 adult’s will be enjoying the ride
[quote]
Originally posted by oltmannd[:o)]
Thank you all for your opinions
If you go to the D&S, I suggest camping at the campground that is north of Durango. The railroad goes right through it, and when you sit there all day, you will catch 8 trains going both ways. I don’t remember the name of it, though. I like the C&TS better than the D&S because you can walk right through the shops and yards, and they don’t care if you do. About 1/4th miles outside of Chama, there is the Rio Chama RV Park. They have alot of railroad related stuff there, including a homebuilt railbus, a little narrow gague ‘critter’, alot of D&RGW Stock cars, a D&RGW kitchen car, and all around the park there are little homemade depots and water towers. All and all, both railroads are good, but I like the C&TS better.
Phil