Durango Colorado USA - Ask a dozen visitors to name Colorado's greatest appeal as a summer destination, and you may get 12 different, strongly felt answers.
 
But for vacationing railroad aficionados, they call themselves "railfans", Colorado is the promised land.
 
Even back in 1892, when rail was still the fastest travel mode, a popular tour touted the scenic splendor of the Narrow Gauge Circle, which took tourists from Denver to Pueblo, Alamosa, Durango, Montrose, Salida, and back.
 
While visitors can no longer travel the complete loop by rail, Colorado still boasts a roster of railroading experiences from the highest railway in North America, the Pikes Peak Cog Railway (It closed in 2018), to the Royal Gorge Route along the Arkansas River.
 
Beyond the appeal of riding the trains and learning about Western history, the state's seven tourist railroads provide glimpses of otherwise inaccessible Rocky Mountain scenery.
 
Many locomotive lovers complete their visit with a step into the past at the Colorado Railroad Museum in Golden and a ride in the present day on Amtrak's California Zephyr from Denver's Union Station to Winter Park and Glenwood Springs.
 
On the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad guests travel along the Animas River and up 2,000 feet through the San Juan National Forest on a 45 mile track originally built by the Denver & Rio Grande Railway.
 
The all-day ride starts in Durango, with a midday, two-hour stop in Silverton, site of the Durango & Silverton Railroad Museum.
 
Summer round-trip fares with vintage coach seating or open-air observation gondola seating are US$75 adults, US$45 kids.
 
Adults also can choose from a variety of first-class seating options in more plush and roomier cars ranging from US$99 to US$179.
 
The train runs year-round.
 
Author unknown.