One reason I enjoy living in Colorado so much is the abundance of interesting things to see and do. Amongst them, the superb collection of functioning vintage railroads. If you are planning to visit Colorado in the future, you may want to make a visit to one or more of these railroads.
Georgetown Loop Narrow Gauge Railroad: Georgetown, Colorado. About 40 miles West of Denver, a fantastic and inexpensive day. You can ride the train and visit the Lebanon Silver Mine. You'll find more information at this link.
http://www.georgetownlooprr.com/
Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad: Durango, Colorado or Silverton, Colorado. An outstanding scenic route on one of the best maintained vintage railroads in the country. During the summer months they run three roundtrip trains each day from Durango to Silverton. Silverton, Co is an entire experience to itself. Located in the San Juan Mountains at an altitude of over 9,300 feet, you'll find a complete history book in the form of an old Colorado mining town, complete with dirt roads and more than enough breathtaking scenery. You'll find more information at this link.
Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad: Chama, New Mexico or Antonito, Colorado. In my estimation, the finest fully operational vintage Narrow Gauge railroad in the United States. Daily trips between Chama, New Mexico and Antonito, Colorado offer a beautiful 60 mile ride through the rugged mountains of Southern Colorado and Northern New Mexico. You'll see a lot of still standing railroad buildings and structures, along with a number of fully functional and historical railroad equipment. The Chama rail-yard is easily accessible and the most complete vintage yards with much of its equipment dating back to the 1880's. A must see. You can find more information at this link.
http://www.cumbrestoltec.com/content/
The Cripple Creek & Victor Narrow Gauge Railroad: Cripple Creek, Colorado. Located just a few miles West of Colorado Springs, it's a perfect day trip for the family. You can find more information at this link.
http://www.cripplecreekrailroad.com/
If you are interested in visiting any of these places and would like some information on getting good photographs, drop me a line. I know the routes and some great places & techniques for photographing the trains.
Here are a few photographs from my collection of the major vintage railroads of Colorado.
Cameras used were the Canon EOS 5D, EOS 50D and EOS 1DsMKII.
If you'd like to purchase any of my Vintage Railroad Photographs, click here.
