Courtesy/Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad
DSNGR News:
The Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad (D&SNGRR) announces its highly anticipated summer operating schedule. The 2025 season features the new Highline Express evening excursion and celebrates the 100th anniversary of the K-36 class locomotives.
Following a successful trial run last year, the Highline Express returns this summer with an extended schedule, offering more opportunities for passengers to experience this scenic evening excursion. This 3.5-hour evening round trip excursion offers travelers a flexible way to experience the railroad’s most iconic scenery, including the Highline, a dramatic section of track perched 400 feet above the rushing Animas River. Tailored for families, photographers and adventure seekers, the Highline Express combines shorter travel times with some of the railway’s most dramatic scenery and rugged terrain.
The Highline Express is designed for convenience, departing in the evening and returning to Durango as the golden hour fades into alpenglow, casting a warm, vibrant hue over the peaks. It’s a new way to experience the magic of the San Juan Mountains, offering travelers flexibility without compromising the awe-inspiring vistas.
In addition, this year marks a major milestone for the K-36 class locomotives, which are celebrating their 100th anniversary. Built in 1925 by Baldwin Locomotive Works, these steam engines have been at the heart of the railroad’s operations for decades.
As living history, the K-36 class locomotives continue to power the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, connecting passengers with Colorado’s railroading legacy. Of the 10 remaining K-36 locomotives, D&SNGRR owns four and operates three, with the fourth on display in the museum—preserving the largest active collection of this historic locomotive class. This centennial celebration honors the craftsmanship, endurance and legacy of these remarkable machines.
The Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad kicks off its 2025 summer season May 3 through Nov. 1, offering scenic excursions through the San Juan Mountains. The Scenic Roundtrip Silverton Train runs daily, while the Cascade Canyon Summer Express operates May 23-26 and June 2 through Aug. 11. The new Highline Express is available June 30 through July 9, July 14-16, July 21-23, and July 28-30. Tickets are available at durangotrain.com, and advanced reservations are recommended.
About Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad
The Denver and Rio Grande Railroad established Durango in 1881 to supply miners working in the San Juan Mining District. Since then, the narrow gauge railway has connected passengers to the rugged wilderness and high-mountain landscapes of the San Juan Mountains for over 142 years. The Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad (D&SNGRR) is recognized as a registered historical landmark by the National Park Service and attracts thousands of visitors annually. Passengers can experience the historic charm of the 1880s, discovering Colorado’s colorful pioneering and mining histories while exploring some of the state’s most scenic and impressive terrain. D&SNGRR offers year-round excursions to Silverton from May to November and to Cascade Canyon in the winter. Learn more at durangotrain.com.