eastern persepctive on Creede

The Creede line debate is interesting. The territorial protection of the CATS is expected on this board, but a broader vision says the second near-by steam train may not be a tragedy (though I say #169 should run Alamosa-Antonito as a connecting service, that’d be cool!).
In Pennsylvania, you have an amazing amount of tourist rides within close proximity. In a distance of less than 200 miles (with admittedly great population cetners, though the revenue is not from locals) you have excursions in Honesdale, Scranton, Jim Thorpe, New Hope, Wanamakers, Strasburg, Middletown& Hummelstown, West Chester and Gettysburg… plus regional rides on the Reading & Northern. Of these, only one is newer than 10 years old and 4 have been going on for over 20 years.
EBT, which shares Creede’s remoteness, is under marketed and has not linked itself enough with other area rail attractions. If they worked on that, as Creede should, it might be a different story.
Interestingly, only two tourist operations in that PA spread have folded in the last 20 years. One, the R&N morphed into a new regional passenger trip route and the second lost the rights to its track (Kutztown). Going back 30 years there was one lost at Valley Forge.
Experience in PA and New England shows that a friendly atmosphere and good marketing will build a stronger ridership base than being the only show in town will.
Embrace the Creede route and help it. Don’t be "I-told-you-so’s" unless you help.
Patch