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Silverton Region
 Red Mountain view from south 2003
A little north of Red Mountain on the Silverton Railroad, there was a switchback built up Corkscrew Gulch. On the end of the switch back a 50ft. gallows turntable was constructed to turn the locomotives on the main line. This feature was an oddity in railroading and has become a favorite topic of railroaders. In this area the grades were around 5% and the locomotives of the time were not as reliable operating from the uphill end of a train, especially in snow. With the engine on the uphill side, the only thing holding the cars from breaking loose and barreling downhill out of control was the coupler on the engine. Therefore, it was more desirable to have the engine at the front of the train to assist in braking. Furthermore, when going uphill, if the engine was at the rear of the train the cars were in compression and had a greater chance of derailing, especially with snow on the tracks. On the switchback, the train must go in both directions and the turntable made it possible to uncouple the engine from the front of the train, run through the switchback, and end up with the engine at the front of the train again. The grades approaching the turntable were designed so that it was downhill on both legs of the switchback to the turntable. This feature let the cars be run across the turntable and through the switchback by gravity in either direction. The turntable also became famous because it was eventually completely enclosed with snowsheds that allowed continuous operation in winter. Mears Railroads Otto Mears owned three different railroad lines in the Silverton area. The Silverton Railroad and Silverton Northern had facilities just west of the D&RG. The main Ticket and Freight office of the Silverton Northern still stands just west of the D&RG Depot. South of these buildings the Silverton Northern Engine House can been seen.
There were over 200 miles of toll roads to Otto Mears credit when he decided to increase volume by running a railroad in 1887. He owned mining property in the Red Mountain area north of Silverton and decided to lay track along the route of his existing toll road to the mines in the Mineral Creek valley. He called this toll road the “Rainbow Route” Mears hired C.W. Gibbs to engineer the almost impossible task of laying track in this canyon. Gibbs designed fantastic loops and curves up and down the small valleys in order to overcome the steep grades. One section required a turntable on the end of a switchback. This was called the Corkscrew Gulch turntable. The grades reaching 5% were so steep that the locomotive cowcatchers had grooves worn in them from bottoming on the track in front. Even with this wild track work in place, they could not get across the last six mile pass to connect Ouray from Silverton. Eventually they were forced to go around the mountains and enter Ouray from the backdoor of the Rio Grande Southern. The Silverton Railroad was first incorporated in 1887. Operation started with a D&RG 60 class locomotive that was re-numbered from 42 to 100. They named the loco the Ouray. During periods the railroad rented equipment from the D&RG. The track was almost all curves. Minimum curvature was 30 degrees. There were three bridges on the line and several areas had twisting switchbacks and sharp curves that really made the ride a little bit dangerous. In 1922 the Silverton Railroad was abandoned due to lack of activity. Most of the equipment was moved to the still profitable Silverton Northern. The route of the old railroad eventually became the base for the “Million Dollar Highway” portion of the San Juan Skyway.
This is the northern most branch of railroads in the Silverton area that were built by Otto Mears. The existing branch from Silverton to the Silver Lake Mill was extended further up the Animas River valley to Eureka and Animas Forks.
SILVERTON GLADSTONE AND NORTHERLY (S,G&N) The S,G&N railroad was built in 1899 by the Gold King Mine in Gladstone, CO. This line runs northwest from Silverton along the Cement Creek valley. Over 300 tons of ore were hauled on the S,G&N each day to the smelter at Durango. In 1910 the mine had peaked and the eastern owners of the S,G&N were happy to lease the railroad and mine to Otto Mears and his son-in-law, James Pitcher. Later in 1915 Mears purchased the railroad. The line was called the Gladstone Branch by Mears. Pitcher kept the line operating until 1938 when the last hopes of the Gold King mine producing large quantities of ore again were finally gone.
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