40 years ago yesterday

It occurred to me yesterday while at work that the last eastbound passenger train left Durango for Alamosa. The date was October 9,1966. It was a charter, and tickets were sold to the public, the usual circumstances for these excursions. For years the D&RGW would run excursions before and after the tourist season on the Silverton branch.The cars were then repaired over the winter in Alamosa. In 1967 and 1968 there were no excursions over the old San Juan extension. However, a special private train was run in the fall of 1968 for the National Park Service, who contemplated purchasing the line.