John West Wrote:
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> While the heros of 50 years ago are important, so
> are all the heros of the intervening years right
> up to the present. And for that matter the future
> heros who will be needed to keep the place going.
> The story of the C&TS is not a one time event, it
> is more like a story about a CATS with nine lives.
> But that said, it is important that the ancient
> history gets recorded and documented while some of
> those heros are still around to tell the stories,
> because the every time those old timers get
> together more interesting stories come out. The
> C&TS has had more than its fair share of
> characters and adventures.
>
> JBWX
Very True John, the railroad has had many 'saviors' over the years that have kept it going when it appeared that all would be lost and it would shut down. The RGRPC group that you, Dick, Terry, and others put your necks in the noose, and your own personal money on the line after the previous operator was thrown out by the commission for running the railroad into the ground. With a LOT of hard work, perseverance, and grit you guys started putting the railroad back together after years of neglect. Then came the Showlow, and Boulder fires of a half million acres each and the resulting forest service shutdown, coupled with the FRA shutdown of condemning the track outside of Osier. With that perfect storm of whammies, hitting at the same time shutting down the railroad for over half of it's operating season almost put the railroad out of business. You guys caught hell from many sources for problems that were not your making, and some of the cheap shots were aimed at you personally and lasted for years after you guys stepped down.
It took many operating companies, changes in commission business models and many years to be where the railroad is today and I personally want to thank all of you for doing your best in a difficult (impossible) situation at great personal and monetary costs.