10/22/2026
Deep in the San Juan Mountains of Southern Colorado, the rails of the former Denver and Rio Grande Western's Silverton Branch lie dormant in the middle of the night. For years, nary a train moves over this piece of railroad from sunset to sunrise as the only reason to be here is the spectacular scenery, such as the Needle Mountains which scrape the heavens at nearly 14,000 feet.
But, in October of 2026, the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad ran a special train for photographers focusing on the line during those nocturnal hours. Thanks to lighting provided by Lerro Photography and a small contingent of volunteers to set up the lights, the railroad is able to show off the line in a new view.
Of course, sometimes, the light from the celestials is enough, and no artificial lighting is necessary, such as this shot of K-36 481 underneeth the Needles, lit only by the sunlight from the opposing side of the planet is reflected off our moon's surface to us.
