Greetings to All:
I would like to respond to John Craft. No offense taken. The opinions and views that I share on this discussion board are MINE alone and in no way represent CHS or Railstar. So far I have been able to answer questions and make some things a bit more clear without getting "called on the carpet"...I beleive that the easiest way to keep things on track is....communication and the truth.
John, if I indicated that I think everyone should just "shut up and be grateful it's not any worse"
I regret the miscommunication.
I asked the question yesterday about the funding for No.9, I was told that it was NOT with taxpayer monies, but rather grants and private donations. It is my understanding that the Loop is funded by ticket revenue, grants and private funding.
I am an outsider and have been learning daily about the history of the Loop and Colorado railroading history...so, by no means do I think I am a expert on local history. I have been the owner and operator of a steam tourist railroad and been employed by several tourist railways. So, I really stand by my assurtion that, for the most part, railfans make up a small percentage of the riding public that purchase ticket to ride on a tourist railroad. I think this is a shift from the 1950's, 60's, 70's when die-hard railfans sometimes were the only thing, with charters and excursions, keeping some operations alive.
John, no offense intended....I never said anything about "red-paint-and-injun-fights, and train robberies". What I did want to make clear (again ONLY my opinion) is that I think we are in the entertainment business first and formost...now, many times I take a beating and many people get down right ugly at this opinion...the first reaction is that being in the entertainment business is nothing more than the "lowest-common-denominator"....well, I think the familys of Walter Knott and Walt Disney would beg to differ on being considered in the lowest common denominator. Imagine the millions of adults and children, that in many cases, have only seen a steam train in either theme park. My first experiance with Colorado narrow gauge was at Knotts Berry Farm. How about Walt Disny's quote in early 1955, while building Disneyland....he was asked "Walt, what kind of a place is it".....he said..."It's like nothing else you have seen....and it has a steam train circling around it" I think one can hardly argue about Walt's personal love affair with turn of the century steam.
Now, I am not suggesting that the Loop is anything like Disney or any other theme park...like I have said, the facts are that the majority of people that purchase tickets to ride a train are not railfans or historians...they are familys looking for a few hours of entertainment...that is unique...and especially if the kids are into trains. We are competing for the entertainment dollars that a family chooses to spend. Most tourist railroads have some sort of a theme and make great efforts to "re-create" a period of railroading history. Here at the Loop we have ticket clerks in traditional ticket clerk outfits, complete with that crazy eye-shade visor. When you opurchase a ticket, out come the rubber stamps...stamp, stamp, stamp....when our cash draw opens a bell rings...the conductor yelling "All Aboard", coming through the train..."tickets please"...punch, punch, punch....all of this is part of the show...it is what most people think of when the think of a old timy train, or what they have seen in a movie or on TV....the hats, vests, overalls...the steam engine it self...is all part of the show (entertainment). The Grand Canyon Railway has a GREAT pre-train show with the cowboy and lawman dudes....fun train hold up too! Some do the red paint and robberies....some don't. At a place like the Colorado Railroad Museum we would expect to NOT see cornball shtick....Respectfully I point out that in the entertainment biz there is a very old adage...."corn sells"
My personal goal here at the Loop..recreate a slice of C&S history. Getting employes in costumes and authentic looking uniforms...as much as possible present a "old time" experiance to the patron. I would like to point out (not trying to start anything or anger anyone) No.9 is the FIRST piece of equipment or rolling stock that is historically correct for this railroad. Personally I think we should stop running D&RGW freight cars and replica C&S coaches should be built and used instead. Maybe someday we can get to that point...so far, in the history of the Loop, no historiaclly correct equipmet has been employed in the operation. No slap in the face of history, just the plain simple buisness facts.
Well, thanks to all for reading this...I hope that I have made it more clear as to where I am coming from.
Steven Torrico
Operations Manager
Georgetown Loop Railroad
