It began as a simple challenge when one brother challenged another to a bicycle race against the Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad train from Durango to Silverton.
It inspired others to test their cycling prowess, and, in 1972, 36 riders embarked on the 47-mile race against the train in the first Iron Horse Bicycle Classic.
In the event’s 43-year history, plenty has changed, but the one constant has been the race against the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge train to Silverton.
With all of that history, cyclists were surprised Saturday morning when there was no train accompanying their ride, even after race organizers made the decision to shorten the race to just 26.5 miles to Purgatory at Durango Mountain Resort after snow moved through Coal Bank and Molas passes Friday evening.
The D&SNG planned to send a train to Silverton at the same time that riders set off from Durango, but the railroad canceled the train after the Iron Horse shortened its race because of weather.
“That was a decision the railroad made,” IHBC first-year race director Jeff Frost said. “We spent time on Friday trying to convince them, and I know they tried to work it out. We all tried to reach an agreement, but it wasn’t deemed feasible with no riders taking the train back from Silverton to Durango.”
Al Harper, owner of the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, said they love having the train be a part of the annual race, but with the race ending at DMR, it just didn’t work out logistically this year.
“We consider it a huge event for the railroad, and we feel so bad for the Iron Horse guys because we couldn’t of had worse conditions for the race activities this year,” Harper said. “When they canceled the race to Silverton; we canceled the train.”
Harper said the IHBC committee hoped to have the train available for a photo shoot, but that didn’t work, either.
“Once I put a crew on and fire the steam engine up, it is the same cost as if I ran it up there to Silverton. I easily would’ve lost $3,000 or $4,000 taking it up there just for a photo (opportunity).”
Harper said only 46 people were signed up to ride the train to Silverton. The train typically fills up for the return trip from Silverton to Durango.
“The only way we could be successful taking only 46 people to Silverton is when there is the promise of 200 riders coming back on the train,” Harper said. “We feel bad the train wasn’t there, but we couldn’t justify it.”
After trying to hash out all the possibilities and finding a compromise, Frost said he does wish he would have pressed a bit harder for the train’s presence.
“In hindsight, I think we will push them more if it comes up again,” Frost said. “With it being my first year as race director, maybe I didn’t have the leverage to push on them.”
The absence of the train was a loss for the IHBC and its cyclists. Trying to shed some light on the situation, Harper said there still was one victory. A regularly scheduled train departed at 8 a.m. – 25 minutes after the start of the Citizens Tour left town – and went all the way to Silverton.
“On the humor side of it, we are considering it a win for the train because we were able to go all the way to Silverton,” Harper said. “It’s the first time in the series we have won the race.”
jlivingston@durangoherald.com
