Colorado Vacation 1963 - date needed?

In July 1963 our family took an extended holiday to the USA west coast. My dad was a closet railfan, and even at 11 years old I was an ardent one. We passed through Colorado both ways, and initially hit Alamosa & Chama, with not a wheel turning. Stayed in Durango and the next morning found that a freight had come in and that it would be heading to Farmington. But also we were told that the first ever second section of the Silverton train would be run. I was given the choice of following the freight or ride the Silverton. Having a sense of ocassion even at that age, I chose the Silverton. Oh to have that choice again.

Anyway, this is all from a kid's memory from 56 years ago. A reporter from the Silverton Standard was on the train, and interviewed my dad, but of course the copy of the paper we kept is long gone. Does anyone out there have a record of what day that first ever second section was run?

In the meantime, here's a couple photos from that trip:

Cheers,
Ralph


Here's 498 by the roundhouse. I think it may have been the engine on the previous night's freight??? Maybe not.





Two shots of 473 by the coal tipple. In this day and age it's amazing that a kid could wander around the yard and not get any flack.







Derelict 464. A hazy memory is that the Silverton Northern rail car was in the roundhouse. No pics of it tho.





Silverton train, July 1963 - although I can't vouch that this was the actual train we rode. Have lottsa other photos somewhere taken on the train, but there's a million other Silverton train shots out there.