Nude revelers greet popular Colorado tourist train

[June 07, 2013]  DURANGO, Colo. (AP) -- Passengers on a recent run of a popular historic railroad in southwest Colorado got a bit more scenery than they paid for: More than a dozen revelers partying on a nearby beach doffed their clothes to greet the train.

Their antics on the May 25 run of the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad drew warnings, but no charges, from police in Durango.

A photograph taken by James Slavin, a Phoenix tourist on the train, shows beer-holding -- and nude -- men and women whooping as the train pulled into town, The Durango Herald reported Thursday (http://tinyurl.com/lj4hef6).

"I thought they were mooning the train, and I didn't think it was going to be that bad," said Slavin, 77. "I guess I didn't realize how bad it was until I looked at the pictures and zoomed in on them."

Train personnel have reported similar incidents previously to Durango police, but it's difficult to patrol.

"We can't stop the train. If we do report them, by the time anybody's able to respond, then whoever was responsible is usually gone," said the railroad's general manager, Paul Schranck.

Jack Llewellyn, executive director of the Durango Chamber of Commerce, urged residents to be considerate to tourists, who are critical to the city's economy.

"There are people enjoying their vacation, and to see that -- they don't want to see that," Llewellyn said.

Built in the 1880s to service area mines, the steam-powered Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad takes thousands of tourists each year on a scenic 45-mile journey between Durango and Silverton, Colo.

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Information from: Durango Herald, http://www.durangoherald.com/

[Associated Press]

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