Abandonments saved the Silverton?

Just to be somewhat controversial, and to avoid lengthening the "Hollywood Saved..." thread, I'm starting this new thread with an unpleasant notion.

Hypothesis:
The Silverton was saved by the abandoments of 1949-53(esp. the RGS) and the discontinuance of the San Juan.

Evidence in support:
These events were reported nationwide, not just in fan publications either. Heck the New York Times covered both (and the sale of the RGS for scrap.) In many of these articles the Silverton was mentioned, "last surviving narrow gauge passsenger train" or somesuch formula. Ride it before it's gone too!

Made more cars available too.

Not an idea I like but the massive abandonments of the era did get reported, just not in the Durango paper. So was this big chunk of publicity a major source of the ridership boom of the early 1950's?

btw, from cra #24, pg225
year - no. trips - psgrs - psngrs/trip (ave)
1947 - 50 - - - - 3,444 - 69
1948 - 36 - - - - 2,814 - 78
1949 - 16 - - - - 1,882 - 118
1950 - 30 - - - - 4,445 - 148
1951 - 18 - - - - 2,424 - 135
1952 - 21 - - - - 4,911 - 234
1953 - 48 - - - - 12,264 - 255

note that the big jump in passengers per trip occurs in 1952, after the RGS and the San Juan went down and when Marshall Pass was rumored to be on the chopping block (Gunnison lines aband. pet. filed in Sept of '52)

hank