Hello, again -
IIRC, one of the big reasons - if not the main reason - for the two states to save the
C&TS was to stimulate the economy of the region (which includes two of the poorest
counties in the entire U.S.). The C&TS attracted approximately 40,000 riders in 2009,
which certainly helped the local economy - over and above the $1,000,000 or so spent
mostly locally in improving the roadbed and restoring equipment and structures. How
many
additional riders would be attracted by re-installing the third rail between Antonito
& Alamosa, vs spending this money on making the SL&RG coaches more comfortable
or restoring another standard gauge steam locomotive for the SL&RG, etc., etc. ???
IMHO, a much better way to spend some of the grant money would be to use it to restore #1744, buy and/or refurbish a couple of appropriate coaches to make them really comfortable, and subsidize the use of this equipment to provide steam-powered commuter service from Monte Vista - maybe even from Del Norte - to Antonito via Alamosa. (I presume many more people live in Monte Vista and work in Alamosa than vice-versa).
Properly scheduled, such a train could provide early-morning
trainsportation from Monte Vista (or Del Norte) to Alamosa by 7:45 a.m. or so, have plenty of time to turn on the wye, and then carry tourists (if any) from Alamosa to Antonito in time for them to catch the westbound C&TS train. After being turned on the wye, it would wait for the C&TS eastbound to ferry tourists back to Alamosa, turn quickly, and be ready by 5:15 p.m. to haul commuters from back home to M.V. (and D.N.). (IMHO it would not be a disaster if - to make all these connections work better - the C&TS schedule were advanced to 9:45 or 9:30 a.m. departures, with 3:45 or 3:30 p.m. arrivals in Antonito. The D&SNG seems to have no trouble attracting passengers to its early morning trains.)
- El Curmudgeono de la Costa de Oro
