John:
Completely agree with your points. When you look at how many classic WWII military aircraft have been destoyed in airshows and exhibitions, you have to think that having them stuffed and mounted like the Smithsonian does is better than a pile of burning wreckage at the end of an airstrip. An F86 Saber crashed at an airshow in Broomfield, Colorado a few years ago and almost hit a building and some of the crowd. I know that OY or OM will probably not hit a building or the audience, but they could shake themselves to pieces trying to plow cement on Cumbres in April and May.
You couldn't chase a rotary in the old days anyway. I rode to the first C&TS rotary run in 1974 with Bob Richardson and it was the first time he had ever seen one of them in operation. Lots of folks found that hard to believe, but the only way he could get operational photos was to loan his camera to Ben Greathouse running one of the locomotives pushing OY.
It would actually be more realistic to run one in January or February before the snow turns to ice (as you suggested). Now Chama in January might be a bit cold for some flatlanders, but they would experience real conditions. I think it was 18 below the night before they ran OM in 74. Was a bit hard to get something to eat in Chama in January in those days, but I suppose it is a bit better now.
Jerry Day