Rio Grande 2-8-0 340 Returns “Home” For Rare June Excursions on the Durango & Silverton

Published: May 15, 2026

Durango, Colo. - The Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad has announced a once-in-a-generation homecoming: former Denver & Rio Grande Western (D&RGW) 2-8-0 Consolidation steam locomotive No. 340 will operate on its original Colorado narrow-gauge rails for a limited series of special trips in early June 2026.In partnership with Knott’s Berry Farm in Buena Park, California, where No. 340 has served as the star attraction of the Ghost Town & Calico Railroad for more than seven decades, the locomotive will pull passenger consists into the scenic Animas Canyon. This marks the first time the 145-year-old engine has operated in Colorado since the early 1950s.

A Brief but Memorable Return

Following a major rebuild completed in the D&SNG’s Durango shops in 2024–2025, No. 340 will headline three special excursions before returning to its permanent home at Knott’s Berry Farm. An added highlight: the freshly restored 1881 D&RGW coach/baggage car No. 211 (courtesy of the Hinsdale County Historical Society) will ride in the consist. The historic combine car has just completed a full restoration in Durango and will head to Lake City for public display in July.

Scheduled Trips (All Departing from the Durango Depot)

Friday, June 5 and Saturday, June 6 – Cascade Canyon Excursions

Departure: 9:15 a.m.
Return: 2:15 p.m.
Route: Durango to Cascade Canyon and return (approximately 5-hour round trip)
Consist: Nineteenth-century vintage coaches pulled by No. 340
Onboard: Light snacks and beverages available
Special feature: Guests will have brief opportunities to view the restored coach/baggage No. 211 en route
Fare: $170 per person (adults and children; same price)
Seating: Coach class only

Sunday, June 7 – Photographer’s Special

Departure: 7:00 a.m.
Return: 5:00 p.m. (approximately 10-hour day)
Consist: Small mixed train featuring a freight car, caboose, and coaches behind No. 340
Experience: Multiple scheduled run-bys and photo stops along the Animas Canyon route, with possible opportunities above Cascade Canyon (conditions permitting)
Onboard: Box lunch available with ticket purchase
Age requirement: Guests must be 10 years or older; minors must be accompanied by an adult
Fares: Coach: $540 (limited to 40 seats) Caboose: $650 (limited to 6 seats)

Seats on all trips are extremely limited and are expected to sell out quickly. To book your trip please visit the Durango & Silverton at: https://durangotrain.com/excursions/locomotive-340/

The Remarkable History of Locomotive No. 340

Built in 1881 by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in Philadelphia as Denver & Rio Grande Railway No. 400, this C-19 class 2-8-0 Consolidation was a workhorse of the late-19th-century narrow-gauge network. It hauled freight and passengers across Colorado’s rugged mountain lines for more than 70 years, serving the D&RGW system until the early 1950s. Only three locomotives of this classic narrow-gauge Consolidation design remain in existence today.

In the early 1950s, visionary entrepreneur Walter Knott acquired the engine—along with other vintage D&RGW and Rio Grande Southern equipment—to create the Ghost Town & Calico Railroad at his new Knott’s Berry Farm theme park in Southern California. Renumbered 40 and converted from coal to oil firing for operational efficiency, No. 340 became one of the park’s most beloved attractions, delighting millions of guests for over seven decades.

In 2024, the locomotive returned to its Colorado birthplace for a comprehensive mechanical rebuild at the D&SNG shops. The brief June 2026 excursions represent a rare chance for railfans, historians, photographers, and families to experience this living piece of Western railroad heritage steaming through the same dramatic Animas Canyon scenery it once knew so well.

After these special trips, No. 340 will head back to Buena Park to continue entertaining guests at Knott’s Berry Farm for years to come.

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