Nature's glory at Toltec Creek. Nature's annual festival of fall color is in full bloom as a Denver & Rio Grande Western Freight rumbles across Toltec Creek on its westbound run toward Chama, NM.
The train is passing the historical location of the old D&RG Toltec Station Complex, which was built back in 1882. There was once a depot, a section house, a bunkhouse, a coal house and a water tank at this location. The tank was removed in 1925, as the D&RG acquired larger locomotives with better efficiency and greater water capacity, and the rest of the building complex had pretty much been removed by 1938. Today, little remains to tell the story of what was here, except a rare photograph or two and some historical records. Located far from civilization, the site is probably little noticed by the passengers on the modern-day Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad, but just about every fall, a photo charter or two will stop here and take advantage of a killer shot of narrow gauge trains amidst nature's glory.
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.
