George Niederauer wanted to help preserve the historical significance of the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad.

That is why he is officially unveiling the new Railroad Outdoor Museum this weekend in Silverton to honor the railroad and how it helped shape Southwest Colorado.

There will be a ribbon-cutting from 2-5 p.m. Saturday at the rail car shed on 10th Street next to the Durango & Silverton Depot in Silverton. The San Juan County Historical Society’s new-look engine house and oil shed will also be unveiled.

“The key to the development of Southwest Colorado is the railroad itself,” said Niederauer, who’s overseeing the joint project between the Durango Railroad Historical Society and the San Juan County Historical Society.

Historically speaking, the railroad was key to accessing the mines that operated in Silverton, along with the transportation of supplies such as coal between Durango and Silverton, according to Niederauer.

Transportation between Durango and Silverton wouldn’t have existed were it not for the railroad, Niederauer said.

The museum started by restoring the D&RGW locomotive 315, a flagship project through the Durango Railroad Historical Society. That project was done over a seven-year period between 2000 and 2007, according to Niederauer.

That in turn sparked the idea of restoring freight cars to what they previously looked like back in the 1920s. That way, the public can learn more about what the railroad did to help develop Southwest Colorado.

Initial projects included restoring the tracks inside the San Juan County Historical Society’s engine house to put in a half-dozen freight cars, but ultimately favored a larger facility to hold 10-12 cars and keep them away from inclement weather.

“We want to protect these cars. When they’re left out in the open in the winter and all that, after about 15 years you’ve got to restore them all over again,” Niederauer said.

The interior of the San Juan County Historical Society’s engine house is mostly restored now. Additionally, the wood and metal frames on the flat cars have been restored.

Remaining work on the docket for next year includes renovations to the bathroom in the back of the building, as well as renovating the oil shed to be used as a library and meeting office, Niederauer said.

mhollinshead@durangoherald.com