A Powerful Flood Hit This Historic Colorado Railroad

Heavy rains and flooding recently rocked one of Colorado’s most recognizable historic railroads, leaving the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad in need of repairs. The flooding washed away ballast and undercut sections of the railroad bed along the Animas Valley, but the rails and ties remained intact.

Officials say the damage could have been much worse, though crews still face a race to get everything ready for winter and holiday operations.

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Floodwaters Battered Colorado's Historic Railroad

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Heavy rains and flooding impacted Colorado's Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad for the second time over Halloween weekend, as high water undercut sections of its route through the Animas Valley. Crushed rock, the ballast that supports railroad tracks, washed away in several places in the Animas Valley, but the rails and ties are in place. General Manager Jeff Johnson told the Durango Herald that the hardest repairs will be in places where tracks have disappeared completely. Photos show Junction Creek reaching the rail bridge in Durango, which will require repairs before trains can return.

This Wasn't the Railroad's First Flooding Problem This Fall

The remnants of Hurricane Trudy hit southwest Colorado in late October and dumped 3 to 5 inches of rain in about 24 hours. Animas River flowed near 11,200 cubic feet per second on October 23 (eight times its previous peak). The railroad had to suspend service before introducing modified Highline Express rail trips from October 27 through November 1. Another round of heavy rain in early November brought additional damage.

How Much Will Railroad Repairs Cost?

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With all the water that came down in early November, the extent of the damage is still unclear. Crews are still inspecting bridges and rockfall near the rails. Contract crews are still working to replace ballast before restoring missing tracks. Management hopes to complete the repairs before more winter weather arrives. The November 3 assessment did not provide a dollar estimate or final repair timeline.