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Fritz Klinke
Crews will still use the depot, the rail photographers who work the train will still use the upstairs for their photo processing, but the museum is no more and the ticket office is gone as well. So if you missed your chance to visit this wonderful and truly authentic relic of the Rio Grande days, it's too late.
Fritz, according to a
Durango Herald article titled "Durango train company opens new customer service center in Silverton", the closure is only temporary:
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“While this is exciting news for both the railroad and its guests, it also marks the end of an era, and a bittersweet moment in the colorful history of this railroad, with the temporary closure of the Silverton depot. However, this is not the end of the line for this marvelous structure,” said Al Harper, owner of the train, in a statement.
First constructed in 1882, Silverton’s train depot on 10th Street was turned into a ticket office and museum after the Harper family bought it in 1999.
While it’s closed, the company plans to update plumbing and electrical services in the building, as well as the outdoor platform, John Harper said.
The first floor of the train depot could reopen this summer with tourism-focused vendors, he said.
The second floor, formerly used for employee housing, may be upgraded to be used as temporary housing again, so crews don’t have to spend so much time traveling to work on the north end of the railroad, John Harper said.
The company will continue to use the building as office space for photographers, storage and a staff break area while it’s closed.
It sounds to me like the D&SNG is following the precedent the Colorado Historical Society / History Colorado set with the Silver Plume depot -- the historical displays in the depot are going to be replaced with revenue generators.
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Chris Webster
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/06/2017 04:27PM by Chris Webster.
