Sustain the Train is working to protect area lives, health, economy, and the environment by encouraging the Durango Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad to adopt cleaner, healthier, and safer practices that benefits our community and ensures a sustainable future.
The 2018 416 Fire traumatically impacted Durango, our visitors, and our neighbors. As a result, in the fall of 2018, a diverse group of concerned local citizens from across the political spectrum came together to advocate for a long-term economically viable and sustainable path forward for the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad that acknowledges the train’s history in Southwest Colorado and importance to our community. The goal of the Sustain the Train group is to find forward-thinking ways to work with the train to keep our families, homes, and forests safe from fire; improve our air and water quality; provide for a healthy citizenry; and support a strong and resilient economy for our region now and into the future.
Small business owners, lifelong La Plata County residents, train buffs, doctors, transportation and tourism leaders, scientists, farmers, parents, historians, government officials, home owners, teachers, public health experts, members of religious communities, engineers, inventors and economists. We are a group that is open to anyone who shares our mission and wants to get involved.
Main areas of foci for the Sustain the Train group are to research and gather information around forward thinking solutions and next steps on topics like public health impacts through air quality monitoring, as well as sustainable and economically viable alternative fuel options.
Sustain the Train is currently focused on several areas that we have identified as being critical to both our mission and to the community. These include: