Animas River Canyon
AA-2026-B94D6F
On the image
A magnificent steam locomotive, a relic from a time when progress meant emitting vast quantities of smoke, churns along a riverbank in the 1970s. Its passengers are likely enjoying the distinct novelty of slow travel, where the journey itself is the point, not the destination.
The train, with its distinctive yellow cars, hugs the muddy Animas River through a steep Colorado canyon. It was, even then, primarily a tourist attraction, maintained at considerable effort for those who wished to experience the past, one carbon-rich puff at a time.
This dedication to historical reenactment ensures that future generations will know exactly what a heavily polluting, yet charming, mode of transportation looked and smelt like. Sometimes, progress means going backward, but with better marketing.
The historian's note
The image depicts a steam locomotive of the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad traversing the Animas River Canyon in Colorado during the 1970s. This railway, originally built in the 1880s, was instrumental in hauling silver and gold ore from the San Juan Mountains.
By the 1970s, the D&SNG had largely transitioned into a significant heritage railway, attracting visitors who sought to experience the rugged beauty of the canyon from an authentic, historic mode of transport. Its continued operation preserved a vital piece of American railroad history.
The distinctive yellow passenger cars seen here were a hallmark of the line for many decades, contributing to its iconic visual identity as a tourist attraction.
Subjects & keywords — each links to a search
Visually related — by likeness
Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Train, Animas River Canyon, 1970s. 1970–1979. Archive & Atlas, Historical Image Library, AA-2026-B94D6F. https://thearchive.archiveandatlas.com/library/durango-silverton-narrow-gauge-train-animas-river-canyon-1970s.
@misc{aaAA2026B94D6F,
title = {Durango \& Silverton Narrow Gauge Train, Animas River Canyon, 1970s},
year = {1970–1979},
howpublished = {Archive \& Atlas, Historical Image Library},
note = {Accession AA-2026-B94D6F},
url = {https://thearchive.archiveandatlas.com/library/durango-silverton-narrow-gauge-train-animas-river-canyon-1970s}
}TY - ART TI - Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Train, Animas River Canyon, 1970s PY - 1970–1979 PB - Archive & Atlas, Historical Image Library AN - AA-2026-B94D6F UR - https://thearchive.archiveandatlas.com/library/durango-silverton-narrow-gauge-train-animas-river-canyon-1970s ER -
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