The following article appeared in the Albuquerque Journal North today:
Saturday, May 27, 2000
Trains are Ready to Roll, By Brendan Smith Journal Staff Writer
After months of uncertainty in the off-season, the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad will chuff back to life today in Chama with its first load of passengers for the 2000 season.
"We're ready to go. It's been pretty exciting," said Kim Flowers, marketing manager for the Rio Grande Railway Preservation Corp., the new railroad operator.
"The (Federal Railroad Administration) inspected us last Tuesday and gave us a clean bill of health," she said.
The steam-powered railroad, jointly owned by New Mexico and Colorado, follows 64 miles of narrow-gauge track between Chama and Antonito, Colo.
The railroad has sold 237 of 244 tickets available for today's train ride, Flowers said. Numbers for Sunday weren't available. For tickets, call (888) 286-2737.
Nearly $300,000 has been invested in leveling old rails, replacing aging ties, rebuilding locomotives and reupholstering and painting passenger cars.
The Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad Commission, which oversees the operation, approved a five-year contract in March with the Rio Grande Railway Preservation Corp., a new not-for-profit corporation formed by the Friends of the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad.
The commission had fired former railroad operator George Bartholomew last October in a dispute over locomotive and track maintenance.
After a request for bids from potential operators, the commission rejected both finalists in January as unqualified. The commission then turned to the Friends, a support group of about 1,400 railroad enthusiasts.
Robert Stetson, president of rejected finalist San Juan Mountain Railroad Co. in Albuquerque, has yet to follow through on his threat to sue the commission over its actions.
"I've got two years to drop my hammer," Stetson said Friday. "When I'm ready to drop $10,000 (on a lawsuit), I'll do it."
John Reed, secretary of rejected finalist Rail Ventures in Lousiville, Colo., couldn't be reached for comment Friday.
Flowers said she hasn't heard anything recently about the protests.
"I don't know if they have given up and faded into the sunset," she said. "There hasn't been any action as far as I know."
The railroad received $400,000 each from the New Mexico and Colorado legislatures for emergency locomotive and track repairs, Flowers said.
"The entire operation is getting a nice face lift," she said.
The line originally was built in the 1880s to serve silver-mining outposts in the San Juan Mountains, but now takes tourists along the scenic route and serves as the economic backbone for Chama and Antonito.
Railroad General Manager Edward McLaughlin said people have been working late nights to ensure the train is ready to go for the holiday weekend. Bearings had to be specially machined and air compressors that pump up the brakes were rebuilt at one of the few remaining shops that have the tools, parts and experience to fix them.
"You can't go to the auto parts store to buy these things," he said.
Three locomotives are fired and ready, one more will be back on the track by mid-June and the final two locomotives will be rebuilt in time for a fall run for the railroad's May-October season, Flowers said.
McLaughlin said the new engines will have double the power after being rebuilt, which is needed for the steep mountain grades.
"This is the largest steam locomotive restoration initiative in the United States at this point in history," he said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
