Scenic Colorado Railroad on Track to Resume Trips

DURANGO, Colo.--The Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad planned to resume its service to Silverton over the weekend after canceling it June 20 because of fire danger. Cinders from the coal-fired engines’ stacks have been known to start fires.

Owner Allen Harper said last week that his railroad expects ridership to be 30% or more below normal for the rest of the season. The train usually carries about 200,000 passengers a year. For updates, call (888) 872-4607 or visit www.durangotrain.com.

Saying that some Durango-area tourist businesses may not survive because of the decline in tourist traffic as a result of wildfires, Harper was lobbying Congress for disaster grants and low-interest loans of up to $25 million for hotels, restaurants, rafting companies and other operations. More than 70,000 acres have burned near Durango in a fire that was nearly 90% contained as of the Travel section’s press time Tuesday.

--Associated Press