The Silverton branch was completed in 1882 soon after the Rails of the San Juan extension over the Cumbres Pass reached Durango. Once Chama to Durango was abandoned the Rio Grande continued to operate an isolated Narrow Gaugetourist line until the 1980s until it was sold into private ownership. The line was upgraded in the 1980s to allow K-36s to operate. Here K-36 #486 is seen leading the first ‘Silverton’ of the day north at Hermosa – 28/07/2007