Re: "What if" - RGS tourist operations.

tomc Wrote:
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> Hank,

> Dolores is to far but a nice ride thru Lost
> Canyon. Interesting thought.

Durango-Dolores times:

1919 (Mixed trains # 6 & 5):
lv Durango 9:00 am arr Dolores 12:55 pm 3hr, 55 min
lv Dolores 1:05 pm arr Durango 5:00 pm 3hr, 55 min

1941 (Goose trains 371 & 376):
lv Durango 4:25 pm arr Dolores 7:32 pm 3hr, 7 min
lv Dolores 5:38 pm arr Durango 8:23 pm 2hr, 45 min

1951 (from tourist service flyer)
lv Durango 9:00 am return about 5:00 pm

So more or less the same as the Silverton on time.

Not sure how fast a non-mixed steam powered train could have made it but, assuming the track were put back into good repair (ties, ballast, & some of the lightest and/or most worn rail replaced) I'd expect 3.5 hrs each way would have been doable. and no law says you couldn't have also offered shorter runs (Durango-Mancos and/or Mancos-Dolores) perhaps some with the Geese?

Too much of the grade gone on the first 12 miles out of Durango to rebuild now tho.

hank