19th Century Rocky Mountain Snow Fighter in 2026

In the second part of our trip with ‪@Hyce777‬ , Jeff, Brett, and Dusty on their escape from the @coloradorailroadmuseum with the famed Rio Grande Southern 20, we return to the Silvery San Juans where we find the 20 pulling the Durango and Silverton's snow fighting flanger, as it heads into a blizzard like white out conditon near Purgatory Ski Area. We're on a @LerroProductions charter on the second and third days now of this 3 day event put on by them as we ride behind the most famous train in all of Colorado, on one of the most scenic lines in the world. Restored in the Strasburg Railroad's capable backshop from 2006 to 2019, the Schenectady graduate returned home in 2019 and was reassembled by the CRRM's staff and volunteers when she would take her first steps under steam in the Centennial State the next year. The following year, she'd head south, passing through her former home of Cripple Creek the northern terminus of the 'Florence and Cripple Creek' en route to the Victorian Iron Horse Roundup on the Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad. While not an official part of the festivities, she would run on charters put on by the late Jim Wrinn of 'Trains Magazine' and Pete Lerro of Lerro Productions. In 2025, she'd once again hit the pavement, this time retracing her route over Lizard Head Pass and her long ago pulled rails of the famed Rio Grande Southern that made her famous. From Telluride to Ophir, down to Rico and over Dolores, she returned to Durango for the first time in near seventy five years. Before these trips put on by Pete, she would also run on special trains put on by the D&SNGRR such as a Presidential Special (   • Rio Grande Southern 20's First Revenue Run...  ) We start this video on the night of Feburary 17, 2026, where Pete is performing a night session with the 20, flanger, and caboose 404 (not-not found). We immediately go into the 18th of February where the 20 and its snow fighter head into the, now-very, Silvery San Juan Mountains of Colorado where white out conditions test the auto focus of all (though it looks like the new Nikon Zr handles it quite well). We'll hit up Needleton Tank as it's no problem to make it there because of the mega-drought gripping the region (only the WORST snowpack on record!) followed by by usual winter haunts of Goblin Fire, Bubling Rock, Tefft, and the world-famous Horseshoe Curve (the cool one, not the not nearly as scenic one gonna be mobbed when the 4014 Big Boy goes over it). We venture out onto less seeen winter locations such as Gladel's Gap and the Old Toll Road as well plus a new location (for us), Happy German Curve. On 19th of February, we ride a mixed train through the aftermath of this snow storm, leaving bluer skies as we hit Granite Point, Bicycle Point, The Horseshoe, Goblin, Happy German, and the Tacoma High Bridge. So come along with me as we explore the second part of photo trains on The Silverton featuring Colorado's Most Famous Steam Loco, if you haven't already, be sure to watch the first part:    • A Legend in The Snow: Rio Grande Southern ...   (and if out) the third part. 0:05 Intro 1:17 Needleton Tank 2:47 Heading South 3:33 Goblin Fire 4:42 Jeff Johnson: GM of the D&SNG 5:59 Bubbling Rock 6:44 Old Toll Road 7:43 Tefft Bridge 8:59 Gladel's Gap 10:12 Rockwood 10:45 The Reunion 12:24 Michigan Speaks 14:08 Granite Point 17:35 Gladel's Gap Northward 19:05 Bicycle Point 21:10 The MOST PHOTOGRAPHED Horseshoe Curve (not that imitation in Pennsylvania) 22:52 Goblin Fire (with sun!) 24:21 Happy German Curve 25:24 Tacoma High Bridge 27:02 Hey Kids, it's NOT Diehl 28:06 Horseshoe Redux 30:41 Roll That Beautiful Bean Footage!