Query,
I'm heading to N Mexico in late June. I want to do the D&RGW lines NG trips. Looks like only one may be possible. Which one does the college of cinderheads feel is the best trip.
Joe,
I cannot tell you which is the best railroad to visit, but if you are planning on riding the trains, you better call ahead and check on tickets. Some of those railroads sell out trips as much as six months in advance.
Bob
Having grown up in New Mexico, my opinion may be biased but the Cumbres and Toltec is the one to take. You can get on at Chama (about an hour or so north of Taos) or in Antonito, Colorado. Call ahead for tickets, for sure, but the peak time is September when the aspens and cottonwoods are turning gold!
From a railfan's perspective, the Cumbres & Toltec is by far the best ride to take. You can spend an entire day wandering around Chama, even without riding the trains. Everything's there in the open. There's also the new scenic railroad that runs out of Alamosa, which just got a new standard-gague steamer to run over LaVeta pass. They also run from Alamosa to Antonito, though I don't know if they have "connection" options to run from Alamosa, then catch the train at Antonito. Might be worth looking into.
The downside to the Cumbres & Toltec is that there ain't much else out there for the non-railfan, so if that's an important part of keeping the peace, you may want to head west to Durango.
Durango's a lot more "sterile" of a railroad in terms of hands-on access, but there are museums at both ends--the Durango roundhouse and one in Silverton as well. I've not bee out there since they opened the museums, so I don't know exactly what's there. I've heard good things, though.
Both rides have spectacular scenery, but there's a lot more generic tourist stuff for the family in Durango. Your choices of food and lodging in Durango are far, far greater, too. The closest thing to "civilization" to the Cumbres & Toltec is Alamosa, about 40 miles north of Antonito. There's some food and lodging in Chama, but not much else.
Later,
K
I'd concur as far as the C&TS goes--Take the trip all the way through, with the van back to starting point (or van to beginning, depending on the day's schedule). The lunch at Osier is also worth doing, rather than packing your own.
allow time to roam the yards. Take plenty of film.