Back to Durango

We took another trip in to Durango, Colorado today, about 30 miles north of Aztec, New
 Mexico.
There is a narrow gauge steam train that runs between Durango and Silverton. We didn't take the train as we had already driven to Silverton two weeks ago, but we went into the train museum which was full of interesting stuff.
As well as train paraphenalia, locomotives, model train sets there was this

 

It was part of an exhibit showing how the area and the trains had been used in movie making back in the 50's. It also made me think of my son Jeff, a huge John Wayne fan.

And no train museum is complete without taxidermy. These animals represent creatures you might see on your train trip and have all been collected by the Parks and Wildlife people (cough, cough). I would be a taxidermy collector if I lived in the states where it is allowed. Can't get this stuff over the border, though.

And then there are dioramas, all hand carved and painted by one individual.

This diorama is a replica of the small town where a gentleman (who's name escapes me) lived in Colorado when he was six years old. It was a mining town then but it is a ghost town now. He started building this when he retired. He carved everything...buildings, figures, trees, and painted everything

And of course the huge model railroad with working trains and roundhouses and other neat stuff. Or perhaps you would like to tour a private rail car. 40 tons of modern luxury, if by modern you mean by the standards of the day in the late 1800's.