Durango and Silverton, USA

well, finally for today we have a number of cards in one post, since somehow, in a rather short time (all during this year), I had managed to acquire all these Durango and Silverton cards...I have a feeling that another one has remained in some pile, but I just couldnt keep on looking...well, 4 for now would be more than enough :)

US-1686917

the first one comes as an official...just as a short intro...The Durango and Silverton Railroad (D&SNG) is a narrow gauge heritage railroad that operates 45 miles (72 km) of 3 ft (914 mm) track between Durango and Silverton, in the US state of Colorado. The railway is a federally designated National Historic Landmark and is also designated by the American Society of Civil Engineers as a Historic Civil Engineering Landmark. No wonder they have so many postcards with it :)

here we have a number of not so orderly glued stamps (I guess this would be comforting for people who somewhat miss the straight line for just a bit ;-)) the stamp on the very right is a Forever stamp issued this year as a part of the Year of the Dragon series. The one in the middle is another Forever stamp issued this year, called heart-health (with the U.S. Postal Service hopes to raise public awareness about the importance of maintaining a healthy heart). The three small stamps show the American toleware...a stamp issued in 2004.

the second Durango card comes from dear Andrea, who sent me this lovely surprise for the WOTM lottery earlier this year. The back of the card says: Locomotive 482 leaves Silverton on its trek back to Durango. Without a doubt, the most spectacular 45 mile ride in the world.
Ok people, this is NOT fair! Do you know how many SPECTACULAR rides there are? Ill never get to go on all of them =/

well, the third and the fourth Durango cards came for the Dec-May RR, the first one from Angee and the second one from Naomi.
On the back of this one it is written: One of the formidable engines of the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad puffs a cloud smoke as it makes its way to the Colorado wilderness.

three stamps on this card...the right one is a Forever stamp issued in 2011, featuring Gregory Peck. the middle one is also a Forever stamp issued in 2011, celebrating Hanukkah, while the third stamp on the left represents George Washington and was issued in 2011 as well.

the back of this card says: Narrow Gauge Railroad offers spectacular views of the San Juan mountains of Colorado.
The route was originally built between 1881 and 1882, by the Denver and Rio Grande Railway, in order to carry supplies and people to and silver and gold ore from mines in the San Juan Mountains. The line from Durango to Silverton has run continuously since 1881, although it is now a tourist and heritage line hauling passengers, and is one of the few places in the United States which has seen continuous use of steam locomotives

and a bunch of stamps here too...starting from the top right, we again have the Year of the Dragon stamp and below it is the well-known Tiffany lamp. As for the other three stamps, they did give me a hard time, but I am glad to have this variety here and to see some different US stamps. the top left stamp was issued in a set of two 'special delivery' stamps in 1954 (the other stamp is blue). The stamp below it, to the left, is an airmail definitive issued in 1968...and the stamp btw the airmail one and the Tiffany lamp is from a set of 10 stamps issued in 1973, representing the US postal service.

Thanks a lot to Priscilla, Andrea, Angee and Naomi for such great choices!

And thanks a lot to you for reading! Have a great week ahead!