While running special trains, visiting engines, and RGS Geese, and running OY in the spring are great ideas for showing how far the CATS has come in the last half century I hope that special attention is paid to those people who were so important to saving the railroad in the first place. Had it not been for guys like Terry Ross, Ernie Robart, and many others who put their heads together coming up with a plan to try to get the National Park service to buy the railroad, when that didn't work, then they went to work on getting the states of Colorado and New Mexico to buy the railroad from the Rio Grande, it never would have been saved and would have been only a distant memory. Guys like Clarance Quinlin who as a Colorado legislator pulled in every IOU he had ever built up in his career convincing the governor and his fellow legislators to sign the bill to purchase the RR.
New Mexico's Governor Cargo who fought his own staff who were opposed to the purchase. Terry Ross who hand carried the check for New Mexico's share of the purchase arriving at the last hours of the last day of the deadline to Denver making sure the payment got there in time.
The group of volunteers like Chili John, Al Stevenson, Jeff Stebbins, Rich Braden, as well as dozens of others who volunteered their weekends and vacations just to help put the railroad back together after no trains had run in over a year, and the road crews had cut the track at seven places in the narrows and rolled boulders down the hill building highway 17. When Governor Cargo found out about highway 17's mess on the tracks blocking the railroad, he called the state highway chief at 2AM in the morning telling him to "get that highway off of 'his' railroad". Without the efforts of all of these people, there would be nothing left of the narrow gauge, other than the Durango and Silverton segment.
Years ago when Russ Sperry organized the 40th anniversary event, we had a round table discussion with many of the main players who led the charge to get the states to purchase and save the railroad for future generations. I was amazed hearing how they had to jump over, crawl under, or go around 101 obstacles to make it happen, had they not been successful on every one, it would have died there, yet somehow they found a solution to every problem.
In closing, remember it is not just the trains to ride on, had it not been for a VERY DETERMINED group of dedicated people to whom failure was not an option, we would not have a railroad left on which to enjoy next years special events. At the 40th anniversary event we put up plaques in the depots at each end of the CATS with a photo and names of people who's dedication and hard work was instrumental in saving the railroad we all enjoy today. Next time you visit, please find the plaques and read the names of these early saviors and be sure and give thanks for their efforts.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/23/2019 07:55AM by John Cole.
