I was fortunate enough to be the regular fireman on that "early express" train out of Durango in 1982-84. A short train with no stops other than water with a mid morning arrival in Silverton. I always took in breakfast rather than lunch. The return trip involved a scheduled meet at Elk Park with Train No, 463 if I remember correctly. After the train returned to Durango around 3 PM, it was turned, the locomotive serviced and departed again as the evening Cascade. As BB said, it was a great train because of the early evening. The Cascade had two scheduled meets, one at Home Ranch (462) and the other at Pinkerton (464). After that, it was a slow a leisurely trip as we sometimes set out cars of supplies at Tacoma or Home Ranch. Sometimes, I would get turned along with the express and went out as the fireman on the Cascade as well. Those were loooong days!
Here is a photo i snapped in Silverton in 1982 -83 of that standard train set that was used on both the "Express" and the "Cascade".