The Old West may have been won by soldiers and gunfighters, but it was the mining industry which brought millions of settlers past the Mississippi River to explore the region. The city of Durango, Colorado was founded by the Denver and Rio Grande Railway in 1879; the railroad first arrived there on August 5, 1881 and construction of the line to nearby Silverton began the same year. The gold and silver rush in Colorado ensued when those precious metals were discovered in the nearby San Juan Mountains. Over $300 million worth of gold and silver has been transported by the railway there.

The mines in the region were largely exhausted by 1895. Yet, the Durango to Silverton Railroad continues to take visitors on coal-fired, steam powered trains through beautiful scenery and historic mines. The Railroad was named a National Historic Landmark in the late 1960's.

Several movies have been filmed in the area using the railroad as a backdrop including "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid", "Viva Zapata" and "Around the World in Eighty Days". Today the railroad has been refurbished and remains popular with tourists who want to relive the glory days of American railroads, experience the luster of the mining industry and catch a glimpse of life in the Old West amidst some of the most beautiful scenery in the United States. More about the Durango-Silverton Railroad...