Re: Help for 2010 - a few POSSIBILITIES

Hi, Scooter -

Here are just a few of the ideas that Alan, Jay, Roger and I have - at some point or another -
kicked around in the last year or two. IIRC, Soni was very interested in the first one, Gayle
completely overlooked it (the main reason for having a 40th Anniversary Celebration in the
first place), and Alan has resurrected it - but the details won't be nailed down until two or
three rather busy people have had a chance to rest up after the current efforts to get the
"Springtime in the Rockies" charter out on the road:

1) A re-enactment on 08/30/10 of the first C&TS train into Chama on 09/06/70, starring some other engine dressed up as #483 in her notorious two-tone Tuscan-&-Black with Gold Trim movie make-up ... *


2) The possible dedication of the interpretive display in Chama featuring the stabilized (for future restoration) and cosmetically restored real #483, along with a rotary plow.

3) Historic Presentations - such as slide shows, movies and live demonstrations. Ernie Robart has tentatively agreed to show a few of his over 9,000 slides of the D&RGW and the C&TS taken between the early sixties and the late seventies, and to describe the rescue and resuscitation of the C&TS in 1970-72 - perhaps one evening in Antonito, and one evening in Chama. Demonstrations of the pile driver in Antonito and/or in Chama, and the POSSIBLE demonstration of the Coal Tower and Sand Tower in Chama - pending timely restoration thereof - might also be done. Other possible presenters have been, or soon will be, contacted.

4) Musical Entertainment. I have reserved three extra rooms in addition to my own at THE (Shamrock) HOTEL so as to be able to provide a place to stay for potential speakers and/or entertainers. At least two very good small bands - with several RR songs in their repertoires - are tentatively planning to attend. They could play at either or both of the following (#5, below), at an appropriate venue if one can be found, or maybe even on a special train or two.

5) A Bar-B-Que on Monday, 08/30, coinciding with the arrival of the 'First Train' re-enactment, and/or the 'First Annual John Pritchard Memorial Chili Cook-Off' are also possibilities.  These depend on some local people volunteering to organize the events, and the availability of suitable venues.

6) Special Trains (in addition to #1, above). #489? The Goose?? #483 also re-enacting one of the work trains of September & October, 1970???

Again, almost all of the above are VERY tentative at this point, but all of them ARE possible.

- Russo

* IMHO, it might be a good idea to base at least a couple of activities in Antonito, even though Colorado hasn't been keeping up with its share of support for the railroad.   For one thing, there are only so many hotel rooms in Chama ...

Personally, I'd like to see the 'First Train' re-enactment run down to Lobato where the rider gons get switched to the front of the train for re-enactment of the 'Clearing of the Narrows' and the 'Repairing of the Crossing'** before arriving at the Bar-B-Que. (On schedule this time, we hope!!) The bus(es) from Antonito which return riders of the regular eastbound train could take some of the 'First Train' riders back to Antonito later in the evening if necessary.


** The 'Repairing of the Crossing' should probably not include the episode where a few of us went out to the west side of town and "borrowed" a double-length string of rail from the D&RGW, pulling the rather whippy 80' length through town behind a volunteer's pickup truck, but perhaps there should be a ceremony at the crossing when the re-enactment train arrives, as this is the closest the C&TS ever came to having a "Golden Spike".


(All photos by Ernie Robart, 09/06/70.)



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 05/04/2010 07:40AM by Russo Loco.