The Labor Day weekend flood of 1970 was much like this current weather event. The tributary creeks all were overflowing, especially S. Mineral Creek in Silverton, and aside from destroying the sewage plant in Silverton, considerable trackage was lost in the canyon. Everything is saturated now, and after much rain this late summer, there's not much absorption left in the ground. Since 1970, the railroad has been on a continual rebuilding program to address the weak spots in the canyon and in the valley. A river in flood stage can be pretty impressive in what it can do. But as I drove back up to my office now, at just before 11 pm, the rain has stopped briefly and I saw some clear sky. Maybe we are past the worst, but who knows. Both trains are sitting at the end of track on 12th street, and an engine watchman was sent up from Durango for the night.
We walked the canyon from Teft to Rockwood about a week after the 1970 flood and I was looking at my pictures recently. It took all fall and through the winter to repair that damage. Let's hope this isn't anywhere near a repeat of that flood.