Wying the steam train at Silverton Colorado. July 1981.

I took this photo in Silverton Colorado in July of 1981. Me and My Family, had taken a motor coach vacation tour from Chicago to Colorado and New Mexico that year. One of the attractions our tour had visited and had ridden aboard, was the Durango & Silverton Narrow Guage Railroad, wich was operating in it's first year under this new name. Prior to it's sale and privitatization in 1981, this was an old steam powered narrow guage branchline of the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad, still being operated by the D&RGW, but in Tourist service.
The train to the left is the one I had arrived into Silverton on from Durango. After the passengers unloaded, it is seen backing up to the wye switch, so to be turned around for the next outbound trip to the city of Durango 50 Miles away. The train to the right is boarding passengers, and will soon be departing for Durango. The locomotives date to the 1920's era, while the open platform wooden coaches from the hail from the early 1900's. Well maintained and still in service today.