Mudslide interrupts train rides Heavy rains trigger trouble along rail line north of Cascade July 23, 2007 By Katie Burford | Herald Staff Writer A mudslide 50 feet deep along the railroad tracks forced two trains to turn around Sunday and caused the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad to cancel its service to Silverton today. Two trains already had pulled out of the depot in Durango when crews discovered the mudslide, caused by heavy downpours Saturday night. Andrea Seid, spokeswoman for the railroad, said the decision was made about 10:15 a.m. to turn the trains around at the Cascade Wye, about 25 miles from Durango. She said crews with heavy equipment began working immediately to uncover track buried by the large slide, which extended 200 feet down the slope and was 100 feet wide. "They're digging and digging, and then what we need to find out is what's underneath and what may be up ahead," she said. The slide occurred at mile marker 485.5, just beyond Needleton, Seid said. Markers show the distance from Denver. Railroad officials were checking records to see if any backpackers or hikers were scheduled to be picked up by the train, and if hikers needed a lift, Seid said, a putt-putt car would be sent to Needleton to pick them up for a ride back to Durango or to Elk Park for a ride to Silverton. Evening thunderstorms have grown more intense as the monsoon season powers up, said meteorologist Jeff Colton with the National Weather Service in Gunnison. "The storms are becoming rain producers. When all that rain comes at once, the soil can't hold it very long," he said. Rainfall ranged between an inch west of Durango to 0.01 inches at the La Plata County Airport. In Durango, weather watcher Joe Creech reported 0.31 of an inch of rain from 6 p.m. Saturday to 6 p.m. Sunday. Steep and fire-scarred terrain is especially vulnerable to mudslides, Colton said. "We'll expect more of these as we go into August," he said. Passengers on Sunday's returned trains were given a partial refund, Seid said. About 1,500 people were schedule to ride the train today; they would be given the option to go Cascade instead or reschedule for later in the week if their schedules permit. "Mondays are one of our biggest days," she said. Train officials will decide late today whether to resume service to Silverton on Tuesday. "The guys will be out working tonight until they cannot work any more, and they'll be out there first thing the morning." It didn't take long for businesses at the train's terminus to notice the difference. "It was pretty slow here in town," said Carole French, a waitress at the Brown Bear Cafe in Silverton. "The train brings us a lot of our business." She said the hiatus was hitting them during one of the restaurant's busiest months. Seid said passengers were understanding about the interruption. "With a mountain railroad like we are there are nature's conditions. We just do the best we can," she said. "We definitely err on the side of caution."
follow up... Slide proves hard to clear D&SNG says Silverton trips may resume Thursday July 24, 2007 By Katie Burford | Herald Staff Writer Train officials said the suspension of service to Silverton will continue today and Wednesday as crews with the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad struggle to clear a slide that buried a section of track under 50 feet of mud and debris. Seasonal downpours during the weekend caused the slide, which was discovered Sunday morning after the first two trains had left Durango bound for Silverton. The trains were turned around at Cascade Canyon Wye, 19 miles from their destination. Although crews with heavy equipment worked throughout the day Sunday and Monday, the railroad was unable to resume service. "They're working fast and furiously," said Andrea Seid, spokeswoman for the railroad. Trains continue to run to Cascade Canyon, where passengers can take in the Animas River, walk around and have a picnic, she said. Though the ride still provided an abundance of beautiful scenery, 79-year-old Art Candelaria, who was visiting from Arkansas with his family, said he was disappointed they were unable to make it to the town where he grew up. "I wanted them to see it," said Candelaria, who left Silverton at 17 after joining the military. He recalled working in the mines "before child-labor laws" and riding the train for 6 bits, or 75 cents, compared to $49 for Monday's trip to Cascade Canyon cost. "The train was our only means of transportation," he said. He remembered coming to Durango and staying at the Strater Hotel for $4 a night. His son-in-law, Duma Sims, said they were given the option to take a bus to Silverton but choose not to. "We decided we wanted to ride," he said. He said they enjoyed the stop at Cascade Canyon, though it was disappointing not to see Silverton. Seid said 1,500 people were scheduled to ride the train on Monday - one of the railroad's busiest days of the week - but 1,000 actually made the trip. "It's still a great day as far as passenger counts go," she said. Those with tickets can take the truncated trip or reschedule for another day. Officials have not decided whether to resume the full route Thursday. Seid said it wasn't immediately known what the railroad's loss in revenue would be because of the suspension. "We won't know until it's all said and done," she said. Many Silverton businesses, heavily dependent on the influx of tourists this time of year, also were feeling the dip. The mudslide occurred at milepost 485.5, 25 miles from Durango and just beyond the Needleton stop. Milepost distances are measured from Denver. The slide stretched 200 feet down the slope and was 100 feet wide. Seid said work car went to Needleton to pick up hikers, who use the mid-way stop as a jumping-off point for backpack camping trips. The car couldn't make it until later Sunday and the group spent several uncertain hours wondering where their ride was. The last major mudslide was on Oct. 6, 2006, about a mile further along the track, and caused service to Silverton to be shut down for a day. Click here to send an email to the author
My concern is what will need to be done, in order to stabilize that hillside? Minimizing chances of a future repeat. I sure hope it's not too costly! :sad: Boxcab E50
This area has been hit by slides since time began and the RR was always been able to get things cleaned up and running again. The below shot shows the area near where this latest slide happened
I am glad that didn't happen when I was there. I took a lot of photos on the ride but I couldn't tell which one(s) would be at or near the site in question. My album is here if you're curious: http://rides.webshots.com/album/552131137MZYKgn
Just another hazard of operating a mountain line in rugged territory. Perhaps a slide fence should be installed in this location? They could use a D&RGW-inspired fence that could send a signal to Durango and trains could be stopped, as necessary...
more... D&SNG unsure about reopening Crews reach within 3 feet of track July 26, 2007 By Katie Burford| Herald Staff Writer Workers with the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad on Wednesday were close to uncovering the tracks from a slide that had buried the mountain route under 50 feet of mud and debris. "They're about 3 feet from the track," railroad spokeswoman Andrea Seid said. "They've made tremendous progress." But until they reach the track, it won't be known whether it has sustained serious damage that could require more time to repair, she said. The large slide was discovered Sunday morning after a night of heavy rains. Since then, trains have been forced to cut the Silverton trip short, turning around at the Cascade Canyon Wye, 26 miles from Durango. The slide stretched 200 feet down the side of the canyon, spilling over the bank of the upper Animas River at No Name Rapid. The newly bottle-necked section of white water previously was designated a Class V, or extremely difficult, rapid. It was not clear if anyone had tried to navigate it since the slide. The train will run only to Cascade Canyon today. It has not been determined whether it will resume its normal route Friday. "We're still taking it day by day," Seid said. Ticket holders can either go to Cascade Canyon and get a partial refund or reschedule for another day. Crews with three bulldozers and a trackhoe have been working from 6 a.m. until dark to try and clear the 100-foot-wide slide, Seid said.
Open again! Railroad resumes Silverton trips today after mudslide July 27, 2007 Herald Staff Report The Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad will resume service to Silverton today after mud, boulders and trees closed the tracks last weekend. Courtesy of Waldo Excavation By today, crews are expected to finish clearing a landslide that closed the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad train runs to Silverton. This photo shows the extent of the work Wednesday. A large mudslide sometime late Saturday or early Sunday north of Needleton prevented the train from carrying passengers past Cascade Canyon. The slide covered the tracks and entered the upper Animas River at No Name Rapid, approximately 34 miles from Durango. Railroad crews have been working since Sunday morning with bulldozers and a track hoe to clear the slide, estimated to be 30 to 40 feet deep, 100 feet wide and 200 feet long. Service to Silverton has been suspended for the last five days, although excursions to Cascade Canyon have been available for passengers. Trains will leave Durango for Silverton today at the normal departure times. The D&SNG has been in continuous operation since 1881. The railroad operates authentic coal-fired, steam-powered locomotives through the remote wilderness and high-mountain landscape of the San Juan National Forest in Southwest Colorado.
What did they do with the muck? Were they able to dispose of it on site? Or was it hauled away? Boxcab E50
My guess is muck cars, like Difco side-dumpers. Unlikely it was dumped into the Animas. A slide that large could dam the river, methinks!
