Durango, Colorado by Silverton Railroad to Grand Junction

At 8am Wednesday 12th September we left Doubletree Hotel, Durango got into the coach and crossed the road heading for the Durango Railway Station, opposite the Hotel. It would have been difficult to take us all across the road together. We left our cases and hand luggage on the bus (which was following us via the road) and boarded the Silverton Steam Train. Here we stayed for a few hours travelling up towards Silverton though the mountains hugging the side of the River Animas as it wound down towards Durango.  Pauline 
This railway was built in the 1880s as part of the Rio Grande Railroad's attempt to penetrate the south-west of the USA and cash in on a silver mining boom, but was forced to use a difficult route through the mountains on gradients as steep as 1 in 40.  The locomotive on our train was a 2-8-2 tender type manufactured in the late twenties and was hand fired with coal. On the steeper slopes speed dropped to about 20 mph, so if our train weighed about 200 tons the 120 ton engine must have been developing about 1200 horsepower to keep the thing going. The line often ran on a narrow shelf above the turbulent river with frequent curves, so some of the views were spectacular!  
 Silverton is a real Wild West place with one metalled road and places to tie-up horses. It could be called a one horse town, but half-horse would be more accurate. In summer the place is pure tourist, but it probably comes to life in winter because this is ski country. Alan

Arrived a few moments ago, by coach from Silverton. Wednesday 12th September 2012. After settling into the Hampton Inn, Main Street, Grand Junction we went for a walk further down Main Street. Grand Junction is only small, but perfectly formed. Every few steps they have a sculpture. Alan had his camera so he took all the photos.
Alan liked the sculptures relating to bicycles. We had a lovely time looking at these and photographing them.


There were also loads of restaurants in Main Street. We decided to try Naggy McGees, an Irish Pub. The waiter had spent time at Lake There were also loads of restaurants in Main Street. We decided to try Naggy McGees, an Irish Pub. The waiter had spent time at Lake Windermere, England and agreed to halve the Irish Stew and serve it in manageable portions. He did the same for the dessert; making it the best meal I have had yet in America.

My favourite was the life sized bronze of excentric, old award winning screenplay writer James Dalton Trumbo sitting writing in his bath. Which is something he used to do a lot. The sculpture was actually done from an old photograph of him in the bath with his pad, coffee and cigar.  Trumbo was black-listed for un-American activities by the 1947 McCarthy Senate Committee, in common with many entertainers of the period. Whilst black-listed he wrote screenplays for Roman Holiday, Exodos and Spartacus and was later credited/rewarded for these, which were originally fronted or written under 'Richard Rich'. He stood his ground against McCarthyism and was partly  responsible for its eventual defeat.