I feel that some people here are overlooking some basic facts. Antonito and Chama are located in two of the poorest counties in Colorado/New Mexico. The two state governments took over the railroad and set up the operating commission for the purpose of hopefully bringing some economic development to the two towns through tourism. Unfortunately, no funding was provided by the governments to provide/enhance the basic food/shelter/attractions sectors of either town. As a result, the local townspeople had to "go it alone", and lacked the financial resources to do so.So, before you come down too hard on what is/is not present in Chama or Antonito, please bear this in mind.
I have been to Chama/Antonito several times over the past few years. I have learned that, to really enjoy the area, you must leave your big-city middle-class values and expectations behind. I will grant you, there is absolutely no excuse for rude behavior on the part of anyone dealing with the public. But I have encountered such behavior in places with a much higher socio-economic background than Chama/Antonito, so I guess it's part of the tourist thing no matter where you are.
Insofar as to the "why don't they..." questions, if you were the person in charge of establishing new locations for a hotel/restaurant/attractions chain, would you think of setting up in an economically depressed area where the only attraction operates 5 months of the year, and is government owned? Hmmmm!
With all of this in mind, it's a credit to the good folk of the area that they have managed to develop the attractions that they have. As my wife and I intend to do again this summer, I would suggest that you visit the area, talk to the locals, spend some time there, and find out first-hand how things really are there.