It has always bothered me the Cumbre & Toltec is so great about historical detail but the coaches are wildly out of place. Why not do it right and replicate the DRG&W coaches as the D&S did.
On a personal note I find the D&S coaches to be very confining, even claustrophobic & stuffy on a hot summer day and the view is not that wide & encompassing as it could be. It has to mighty damn cold before I'll give up on the gondola. On the hand the C&T coaches are far comfortable with much better view and summer ventilation. Combine that with much smoother track, the reversible seats, a minimal quiet crowd and the usual pigout at Osier and I invariably find myself asleep for at least a couple of miles around Sublette.
Maybe that's the answer...the C&T coaches are more comfortable and only a foamer could care less about how they look.
Any details about the decision making process?
Husker Hank
Durango