Railroad Expenses and Subsidies (NG in part)

There was an letter to the editor in the Salida Mountain Mail about why there would not be tourist passenger service from Canon City west to Salida or Buena Vista.

For the full letter, go to -
[www.themountainmail.com]

Part of what he said is here -

Is this what we want here? More taxes for our county or our state? More than 65 percent of railroad operating expenses come from federal, state and local taxes, because tourist and commuter ticket sales usually cover only 30 percent of costs.

As for capital expenses to acquire trains, infrastructure, bridges, track replacement, usually all of it must come from subsidies - us.

Now, how true is this statement. I know that the SLRG has freight and passenger service, and their continued investment in equipment would not be advancing if there wasn't money being made. I know that the Cumbres and Toltec gets subsidies, but they use it to improve the track, maintain the enterprise and in a way, save the railroad and the jobs that the C&T provides for an area that needs employment.

I do not think that the Union Pacific would be interested in selling the line from Parkdale to Salida to the CC&RG, but they are not really interested in using it NOR in giving up to abandonment. I would love to ride the train between Canon and Salida, but I am not sure that the CC&RG wants to take on that much track, maintenance, . . . Does anyone know what the CC&RG think about extending their service, either CC to Salida or CC to Pueblo. I think either way, it would be a wonderful ride. Who wouldn't want to ride up to the old Pueblo depot and pretend to be going back into time.

Don't you think the CC&RG needs a steam engine too?