On the Rio de Los Pinos. Along the route from Osier, CO to Cumbres Pass, the old D&RGW line makes a couple of rather interesting detours that enable the railroad to gain considerable elevation, while keeping the grades manageable. The longest of these off-course meanderings is the 5-mile Los Pinos Valley stretch. Here, a westbound Rio Grande freight, destined for Cumbres Pass, has turned compass north to run along the babbling Rio de Los Pinos for about 2.5 miles. At the north end of the valley, she'll swing around a 180 degree horseshoe curve and proceed back compass south, ending up less than a half mile west of where she started this detour....but a few hundred feet higher in elevation. The famous Virginia & Truckee has been dubbed "the crookedest railroad in America", but anyone who has ridden the D&RGW line from Chama to Antonito might beg to differ.
The Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad and the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad are all that remains of the legendary Denver & Rio Grande Western narrow gauge system. Here you'll find some of my favorites from these two beautiful railways.
